The snow on the Aigoual massif means that there is :

• cross-country skiing, sledging, and trips out on snowshoes

  Skiing There is a total of 60kms of pistes, comprising 15 different ski runs and cross-country skiing. There is a cafeteria and a place to eat picnics, at this medium level ski station.

  to enjoy.
• There are also trips out tracking animals

  Animal tracking Prints, droppings, wood shavings at the foot of trees, remains of pinecones...all provide a lot of clues about the animals which are often difficult to spot themselves.

  through the snow.

The Christmas fairs in some of the villages local to Le Vigan bring an air of festivity to December. The times and places for each can be found in the programme of events marked "agenda".

Come and spend a weekend or a week in a gite with an open fireplace. To sit round a fire of wood and pine cones after an invigorating walk in the cold is a real pleasure.

Have you heard of the cynorrhodon? Commonly known as "gratte cul"(itchy bum) because of the itchy centre of the fruit, the fruit or "hip" is actually from the dog rose. You can make a delicious jelly from the rosehips, rich in vitamin C, if you have plenty of time and patience.

 

Recipe for rosehip jelly :

Collect the berries after the first frosts, top and tail the fruits, then cut them in two removing the seeds with the point of a sharp knife. Wash them again and then strain.
Cover with white wine and leave to soak for 4 to 6 days, stirring well every day.
Cook in a preserving pan for 15 minutes.
Add half a litre of boiling water per pound of fruit and then cook for another 5 or 10 minutes.
Sieve or pass through a vegetable mill, weigh and then add 2/3 of the weight in sugar. Mix and hard boil for 10 minutes.
Put in pre-heated pots.