Water, where veritable treasures lie...

The rivers of Gard, and notably the Cèze, conceal on their beds a treasure, mixed in with the sand and alluvia.
Jules Caesar already knew that many waterways flowing down from the Massif Central were carrying gold.

So, since ancient times, people have searched for – and found – gold in the county. The biggest nugget of all, known as "des Avols" (543 grams !) was discovered here in 1889.

In Cèze Valley, professional gold-diggers invite you to discover their techniques (looking for gold dust and gold nuggets, using a miner's pan to strain the gravel, and filter out impurities etc) and will share with you their passion for gold panning !