Sanilhac-Sagriès, village of the Gard
A small commune five minutes south of Uzès, with part of the Gorges du Gardon nature reserve on its land. What is here, what is not, and what to do on foot.
Jan-Willem & Fleur
La Valette Boutique
Sanilhac-Sagriès, 30700 Gard, France
A small commune five minutes south of Uzès, with part of the Gorges du Gardon nature reserve on its land. What is here, what is not, and what to do on foot.
Sanilhac-Sagriès (postcode 30700, INSEE code 30308) is a commune in the Gard, five minutes by car south of Uzès. It is its own commune, not part of Vers-Pont-du-Gard, and was formed in 1814 from two villages, Sanilhac and Sagriès. About 832 people live here (2022), and part of the Gorges du Gardon regional nature reserve (491 hectares) lies within its boundaries. It is quiet and has few shops: for supermarkets, restaurants and the market you drive to Uzès. La Valette Boutique is a self-catering stay in the village of Sagriès.
| Commune | Sanilhac-Sagriès, postcode 30700, INSEE code 30308 |
|---|---|
| Department and region | Gard (30), Occitanie |
| Population | 832 inhabitants (2022) |
| Area | 22.1 km² |
| Formed | 1814, from the merger of Sanilhac and Sagriès |
| Nature reserve | Gorges du Gardon regional nature reserve: 491 ha, designated 2007, partly in this commune |
| Biosphere reserve | Inside the Gorges du Gardon UNESCO biosphere reserve (2015) |
| From La Valette Boutique | Uzès 5 min, Gardon at Collias 12 min, Pont du Gard 15 min (14 km), Nîmes 30 min, Avignon 45 min |
| Shops and services | Few in the village; supermarket, bakeries, pharmacies and the Saturday market are in Uzès |
| Getting around | A car is needed; there is no public transport to the house |
History
Sanilhac and Sagriès were separate villages until they merged into one commune in 1814. Sanilhac grew from 1156 around a fortified castle, and its 12th-century keep, the Tourasse, still stands, with a pigeon house of 325 nesting holes added later (sources date it between the 15th and 17th century). La Valette Boutique stands in the village of Sagriès.
The Tourasse is being restored (it received a Fondation du patrimoine label in 2022). We could not confirm a regular visiting schedule, so check before planning a trip around it.
The land around is older still: an Iron Age oppidum, Jas di Biou, overlooks the Riaou plain and the Gardon gorges, and a menhir a little over two metres tall, the Pierre Bamboche, stands between Sanilhac and Collias.
Nature reserve
Part of the Réserve naturelle régionale des Gorges du Gardon lies in the commune: 491 hectares on the north slope of the gorges, about 10 km long and about 1 km wide. It began as a voluntary reserve in 2001 and was classified as a regional nature reserve in 2007. It is managed by the Conservatoire d'espaces naturels Occitanie together with the commune, and sits inside the wider Gorges du Gardon biosphere reserve (UNESCO, 2015).
On foot and by bike
Most walking here is on stony garrigue paths. Take water, sun protection and sturdy shoes, and avoid the midday heat in summer. Distances below come from route-sharing platforms and the Gard tourism listing, so allow for your own pace.
An honest picture
Sanilhac-Sagriès is a residential village of about 830 people, not a visitor centre. Do not expect a lively square, a supermarket, a choice of restaurants or a weekly market aimed at visitors. In the evening the village is quiet.
A few local businesses exist and the commune lists them on its website, but opening hours change and we do not rely on them. For groceries, bakeries, pharmacies, restaurants and the Saturday market, drive to Uzès, five minutes away. A car is needed: there is no public transport to the house.
Village life is seasonal. The commune hosts one of the Pays d'Uzès summer night markets (in the evening, on Place de la Mairie) and holds its fête votive each July (it centres on bull traditions). Dates change from year to year. A château in Sagriès, Château des Boissières, now organises events such as weddings.
Why we are here
In the village the evenings are quieter, with the market and restaurants five minutes away by car. Street parking is a 2-minute walk from the house, at 3 Impasse des Aires.
Sanilhac-Sagriès (postcode 30700, INSEE code 30308) is its own commune in the Gard, five minutes by car south of Uzès. It is not part of Vers-Pont-du-Gard, the commune where the Pont du Gard itself stands, which is about 15 minutes away by car. La Valette Boutique stands in the village of Sagriès, one of the commune's two villages.
About 832 people (2022 figure), on 22.1 km². The commune was formed in 1814 from two villages, Sanilhac and Sagriès.
It is a regional nature reserve of 491 hectares, classified in 2007, on the north slope of the Gardon gorges. It lies partly in the commune of Sanilhac-Sagriès and is managed by the Conservatoire d'espaces naturels Occitanie together with the commune. It sits within the wider Gorges du Gardon biosphere reserve (UNESCO, 2015).
The best known is the waymarked walk to the Baume Saint-Vérédème chapel and cave, roughly 6 km return and about 2.5 hours. Another route links the two villages, Sagriès and Sanilhac, in about 9.7 km through garrigue and woodland. Paths into the garrigue also start about five minutes on foot from the house. Closed since 5 Oct 2026: after a rockfall the mayor banned access to the Baume Saint-Vérédème (chapel, cave and path). We found no reopening date; check with the Sanilhac-Sagriès town hall before you go.
Probably not. Sources report it closed from 15 November to 15 March and from 1 May to 15 August to protect the bats that breed and hibernate there. The cave is about 150 m long and you need a torch. Check the current rules before you set out.
Very few. It is a residential village, and the few local businesses the commune lists change their hours, so we do not rely on them. Plan your groceries and most meals in Uzès, five minutes away by car.
In Uzès, about 5 minutes by car, which also has bakeries and pharmacies. Its Saturday market on Place aux Herbes runs from 7:30 to 13:00.
Measured from La Valette Boutique by car: Uzès 5 minutes, the Gardon at Collias about 12 minutes, the Pont du Gard 15 minutes (14 km), Nîmes 30 minutes and Avignon about 45 minutes (around 40 km via the D981).
Yes. There is no public transport to the house and few shops in the village. Street parking is available about a 2-minute walk from the house, at 3 Impasse des Aires; please avoid blocking neighbours' access. See getting here for airports and trains.
For a quieter evening, garrigue paths near the house and Uzès still five minutes away. The trade-off is that you drive to the market, supermarket and restaurants instead of walking, and the village itself has few shops.
The house has no pool. The Gardon river is about 12 minutes away by car at Collias, and swimming is possible at the Pont du Gard (15 minutes), where there is no lifeguard and diving or jumping is prohibited. See swimming near the Pont du Gard.
Yes, a little. The commune hosts one of the Pays d'Uzès summer night markets (in the evening, on Place de la Mairie) and its fête votive takes place in July. Dates change each year, so check the commune or the tourist office.
La Valette Boutique is a self-catering stay in the village: two apartments or the whole house, with Uzès five minutes away. Choose your dates on the homepage; we reply within 24 hours and there are no platform fees.
Check dates and book