ON THE ROAD TO THE CÉVENNES: A WELL-DESERVED WEEKEND (WITHOUT THE KIDS!) Saturday, September 28th. It's been almost a month since the frenetic pace of daily life resumed. And with two young children at home, the days fly by. We've definitely earned a break. For the children, it's a weekend at Grandma and Grandpa's with their cousins. And for us, it's off to the Cévennes, in the south of Lozère. A little corner of paradise, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, so close to home and yet so far away. So different. Especially since we went all out, booking unusual accommodation in the heart of nature! Pyramid under the stars, treehouses, a forest dome, or even a cottage by the water: at "Ma p'tite Cabane en Lozère" (My Little Cabin in Lozère), there are plenty of options! For us, it's a wooden cabin that will welcome us for a weekend… ALONE IN THE WORLD IN A TREETOP CABIN, OUR LITTLE COCOON IN THE HEART OF NATURE. Upon arriving in Vébron, we take a deep breath. How wonderful it is to breathe in the fresh air, far from the pollution of the cities! Christy and Bruno, our hosts, are waiting for us in the village square. Because at their place, there's no car. And that's just as well. Sneakers on, we take a small path, single file. It climbs, slowly but surely. The last houses of the village recede behind us. And, suddenly, a cabin appears. Our cabin. "The Stag." Rather apt, knowing that we'll try to catch the stag's bellow that very evening! Isolated, overlooking the Cévennes from its stilted terrace, our cabin exudes comfort and simplicity, luxury and tranquility. Our hosts leave us. We feel like we're the only ones in the world. And it feels good. MISSION "DEER ROARING": READY, GO! HOW ABOUT PLAYING AT BEING NATURALISTS? Having dropped off our things, we hit the road again, heading north. Ah, the roads of the Cévennes! They're quite something! The bends come one after another, and behind each one awaits a new landscape, a panorama even more breathtaking than the last. About ten kilometers later, we arrive. It's 5:30 pm, the time when the sun begins to set. The perfect time to meet up with our guide for the evening. And to meet the four other adventurers, who, like us, are preparing to track the deer. Because, yes, late September is the ideal time to try and catch the stag's bellow, that guttural sound the males make during the mating season, to try and fend off other "horned" males who might try to approach "their" does. Will we manage to hear the deer tonight? Fingers crossed, and may luck be with us! A CRY IN THE NIGHT: THE KING OF THE FOREST GREETS US. In the glow of the setting sun, in a forest with shimmering, almost magical reflections, we take our first steps as apprentice naturalists. In silence, so as not to frighten the deer. We soon become one with nature, smelling its late-blooming flowers, admiring its colors. Our guide teaches us to recognize the tracks that dot the path. Here, a wild boar has been looking for food. There, a fox has passed by. And there again… A deer! At the sight of these fresh tracks, our walk takes on a new dimension. The anticipation is filled with a profound sense of excitement. Our observation becomes even more attentive. All our senses are on high alert. We've barely finished our picnic before we're off again into the depths of the woods. Then suddenly, a cry pierces the night. The love cry of a forest Don Juan, the song of a majestic, crowned being. BAMBI ON THE HORIZON! EVEN BETTER THAN A DISNEY CARTOON! The bellowing echoes again and again among the trees. It's almost like being in a concert hall. In fact, perhaps that's exactly what it is. A concert. A true spectacle of nature. Falling silent, we approach the source of the cry. And finally, we glimpse a pair of antlers, then the stag in all its splendor. A unique moment, one that will remain forever etched in our memories. We watch for a long time, then it's time to turn back. We haven't witnessed a stag fight, nor the clash of antlers that sometimes shakes the forest, but one thing is certain: from these noisy autumnal matings, a fawn will be born in early June. As cute as Bambi! A NIGHT UNDER THE STARS… 5-STAR VERSION (AND EVEN MORE!) After hours spent in the fresh air, we're very happy to return to the comfort and warmth of our cozy nest. However, a good shower and a cup of herbal tea later, the urge to go back out onto the terrace is irresistible. And with good reason: millions of stars are twinkling above our cabin! The Milky Way seems to shine just for us. With childlike wonder, we try to identify the Big Dipper and its distinctive saucepan shape. There it is! On the other hand, we can't seem to find asteroid 86043, which our hosts told us about. Its unique feature? It was discovered in 1999 in the Cévennes National Park, and in fact, it bears the rather charming name of… Cévennes! Back inside, exhausted but radiant, and with stars in our eyes, sleep quickly takes over. And with it, a host of dreams where deer and the Milky Way mingle. TIME FOR OURSELVES: HAMMAM, SCRUB, JACUZZI AND ALL THE BIG THINGS. In the early morning, no jarring alarm clock. We open our eyes to the sound of birdsong and the rising sun. We wake up gently, stretch, and reminisce about our idyllic evening. Then comes breakfast time. On the terrace. Christy and Bruno have prepared a basket filled with regional flavors. Yum! A steaming cup of tea in one hand and a slice of honey on toast in the other, we savor the moment. Thinking of nothing but these flavors that tantalize our taste buds. Well, almost nothing, we also think of the spa that awaits us next door. Jacuzzi surrounded by nature, hammam, black soap scrub: we've treated ourselves to the works. It's not every day we take time for ourselves! Nor do we have such a view before our eyes. So, we're relaxing like never before. We unwind. We read in the hammock. We do absolutely nothing. And when it's time to leave, we feel peaceful. Refreshed. A FOREST BATH AND A BASKET OF MUSHROOMS Before heading back south, enjoy one last little pleasure, 100% free: a walk in the forest. Under the shade of chestnut trees with leaves reddened by autumn, we indulge in the joys of "forest bathing," the Japanese shinrin-yoku. We reconnect with nature, which we miss so much when we're in the city. We walk from tree to tree, without speaking. Just listening to the sound of branches cracking under our feet and the sound of our breath. And opening our eyes wide. Because hidden in these forests are not only deer, but also porcini and other boletes! So, basket in hand, we embark on a life-sized treasure hunt. To bring a little bit of that idyllic countryside lifestyle back to our Lyon apartment…
