Swimming in the Gardon
The Gardon river runs through a limestone gorge between Uzès and the Pont du Gard. In summer, the water turns emerald and the banks become the best address in the Gard.
Jan-Willem & Fleur
La Valette Boutique
Sanilhac-Sagriès, 30700 Gard, France
The Gardon river runs through a limestone gorge between Uzès and the Pont du Gard. In summer, the water turns emerald and the banks become the best address in the Gard.
You can swim in the Gardon river, which flows through the Gard below the Pont du Gard. The three easiest spots near Uzès are the river beach at the Pont du Gard, fifteen minutes away, with a gradual pebble entry; the gorge pools reached from Collias, 12 minutes away; and the quieter village beach at Remoulins, about twenty minutes. None of the three has a lifeguard, and diving or jumping in is prohibited everywhere on this stretch. The water is warmest and lowest in July and August. Avoid swimming after heavy rain.
| Spot | From La Valette | Character |
|---|---|---|
| Pont du Gard river beach | 15 min | Gradual pebble entry, no lifeguard on duty |
| Collias gorge pools | 12 min | Deeper gorge pools, clear water, no lifeguard |
| Remoulins village beach | 20 min | Lower-key, easy parking, no lifeguard |
The river
The Gardon rises in the Cévennes foothills north of Uzès, where two headwaters, the Gardon d'Anduze and the Gardon de Mialet, meet near Anduze before flowing south-east through limestone country. It passes through the Gorges du Gardon above Collias, under the Pont du Gard, and joins the Rhône a few kilometres further on, near Remoulins.
Much of its flow in summer comes from underground springs rising through the limestone, which is why the water runs so clear even when the surface level is low. By August the Gardon is at its warmest and shallowest, which is exactly what makes it swimmable. The same limestone catchment, though, can send the river up fast after heavy rain inland, which is the reason for the warnings further down this page.
At the Roman bridge
The river beaches beside the Roman bridge are the most famous spot and the easiest to reach. The left bank has a gradual pebble entry, shallow enough for children. Stay clear of the bridge itself: the official site rules ban swimming within 30 metres upstream and downstream of it, because of suction around the piers. In the early morning before the site opens fully, you may have the river largely to yourself, one of the reasons staying nearby makes a difference. The bridge above catches the first light. There is no lifeguard here, and diving or jumping from the bridge or the surrounding rocks is prohibited. Fifteen minutes from La Valette Boutique.
Upstream
Collias is the kayakers' starting point, 12 minutes from La Valette Boutique. Below the village, the river enters the gorge proper: limestone cliffs, fig trees on the banks, water that is cold even in July. To see the river from the water, our canoe and kayak guide covers the Gardon from Collias, the Cèze and the Ardèche gorges, with seasons and rules to check.
Quieter spots
Remoulins village beach, reached from the centre of Remoulins with nearby parking of its own, is a lower-key alternative to the Pont du Gard beach, just downstream of both it and Collias. The stretches of the Gardon further east are calmer still, less visited, and lined with plane trees that throw shade across the water by mid-afternoon. For something wilder, Le Castellas in the Russan gorges, part of the wider Gorges du Gardon system upstream of Collias, is a genuine wild river beach reached on foot, roughly a 3 km walk in from Russan, Dions or Sainte-Anastasie. The Sainte-Anastasie trailhead is about 21 minutes from La Valette by car.
If you only try one spot, we would start at the Pont du Gard river beach early in the morning, when you may have the river largely to yourself and the bridge catches the first light. On a hot afternoon, Collias is twelve minutes from the house, with deeper, clear pools in the gorge. Check Vigicrues first if it has rained, and keep a close eye on children: there is no lifeguard at any of these spots. If you would like to paddle between the two, our guide to Collias and the Gorges du Gardon has the route.
Good to know
There is no lifeguard at any of the spots on this page, not at the Pont du Gard, Collias or Remoulins. Supervision is the swimmer's own responsibility, and by municipal decree swimming on the Gardon is at your own risk. Diving or jumping from the bridge, the cliffs or any rocks is prohibited along the whole stretch, whatever the water looks like from above: submerged rocks and changing depth make it genuinely dangerous, not just against the rules. At the Pont du Gard itself, the site rules also ban swimming within 30 metres upstream and downstream of the bridge (suction around the piers) and close the left-bank cliffs between the bridge and the Vieux Moulin.
The Gardon is a Mediterranean river fed partly by underground limestone springs, which is why it runs low and clear by August and why it can rise with real speed after storms in the catchment upstream, sometimes within hours. The Gard has experienced serious flash flooding in its history, most notably in September 2002, which is why the after-rain warning matters. Before swimming after any rain, check Vigicrues or Vigicrues Flash (vigicrues.gouv.fr), the official French flood-alert service, for the Gardon's current level and any active alert.
Beyond the basics
A swim in the Gardon is easy to build a whole afternoon around: cool off at the water, then it is a short drive back to La Valette Boutique for a shower and a slow rest of the day.
Two restored apartments near Uzès, in the Gard, South of France. The Gardon river is fifteen minutes by car.
Send an enquiryYes, at your own risk. The Gardon river flows directly beneath the Pont du Gard and the river beaches beside it offer excellent swimming. The left bank has a gradual pebble entry, shallow areas for children and deeper pools for swimmers. There is no lifeguard on duty, and the official site rules ban swimming within 30 metres upstream and downstream of the bridge (suction around the piers). Keep a close eye on children at all times.
The three easiest spots are the river beach at the Pont du Gard (15 min from La Valette Boutique), the gorge pools accessible from Collias (12 min), and the quieter village beach at Remoulins (around 20 min), downstream of both. All three have clear water in summer and none has a lifeguard.
In normal summer conditions, yes, although there is no lifeguard anywhere on this stretch of river, so supervise children closely and never dive or jump in. The river is Mediterranean in character: warm and low in July and August. Never swim after heavy rainfall, as the river can rise rapidly; check Vigicrues before getting in if it has rained recently.
No. Swimming at the Pont du Gard, like at Collias and Remoulins, is unsupervised. By municipal decree, swimming on the Gardon is at your own risk. Bring your own flotation aids for weaker swimmers and supervise children directly rather than assuming someone is watching the water.
No. Diving or jumping from the Pont du Gard itself, from the gorge cliffs, or from rocks along the riverbank is prohibited everywhere on this stretch of the Gardon. Water depth changes with the season and submerged rocks are not always visible from above, which makes this a rule worth taking seriously even on a quiet afternoon.
Good. The bathing water at the Vers-Pont-du-Gard and Collias monitoring points is rated Excellent under EU bathing-water quality standards, the highest of the four official categories. Quality can still dip briefly after heavy rain washes runoff into the river, another reason to avoid swimming in the day or two afterwards.
Remoulins village beach, in the centre of Remoulins with its own parking, is quieter than the Pont du Gard beach and only a few minutes further on. For something wilder, Le Castellas in the Russan gorges, reached on foot from Russan, Dions or Sainte-Anastasie, is a genuine wild river beach within the wider Gorges du Gardon system, upstream of Collias. The Sainte-Anastasie trailhead is about 21 minutes from La Valette by car.
Check Vigicrues or Vigicrues Flash (vigicrues.gouv.fr), the official French river-level and flood-alert service, especially after rain. Avoid the water if the Gardon looks discoloured, fast-moving or noticeably higher than usual. The Gard has a history of serious flash flooding, including the floods of September 2002, so a river that looks different from the day before is reason enough to wait.
Yes. It is an 8 km paddle, normally taking roughly 2 to 2.5 hours depending on water level and stops. Several operators in Collias rent kayaks and canoes and shuttle you and the boat back, including Kayak Vert, BMG Canoë-Kayak and Canoë Collias. Indicative pricing is around 27 euros for an adult and 14 euros for a child aged 6 to 13; confirm current season rates when booking.
Water shoes make a real difference: the riverbed at all three spots is pebbles and smooth rock, not sand. Bring strong sun protection, since the gorge and open riverbanks offer little shade in the middle of the day, plus plenty of drinking water. A dry bag is useful if you plan to kayak or walk in to Le Castellas.
The shallow, gradual entry at the Pont du Gard beach suits children well, but there is no lifeguard at any spot on the Gardon, so direct adult supervision is essential at all times. Keep children well away from the bridge and from any rocks people use for jumping, which is prohibited for good reason.