Every design for Alès

Until 1926 the town was officially called Alais, and it was here, in 1629, that the Peace of Alès stripped the Huguenots of their political privileges while still guaranteeing their freedom of worship. The town sits on the left bank of the Gardon d'Alès, which half encircles it, right at the foot of the Cévennes.

What sets Alès apart is coal. It grew into the centre of a mining district, once also a great market for raw silk, and the École des Mines d'Alès still trains engineers here. The Mine Témoin d'Alès keeps that working past within reach, while Fort Vauban recalls the centuries when the town was a stronghold worth holding.

Locals call it the capital of the Cévennes, and with good reason: the hills begin where the streets end. Fort Vauban is the kind of landmark you point to when someone asks where you are from.