Discover Combas

Combas brings together the history of the Church of Saint-Brice, trails through Bois de Lens, and the wine-growing plain. Traces of the landscape’s former use and two mountain biking circuits are also among the features that make the area interesting when planning a trip. If you’re looking for hotels in Combas, distinguishing between local history, experiencing the landscape, and cycling can help you choose the focus that best suits your trip.

Saint-Brice and the history of the area

The Church of Saint-Brice was mentioned as a possession of Psalmodi Abbey as early as 1099 in a papal bull. In the 14th century, it was incorporated into the fortification walls and became the village’s keep. Alongside its religious role, it therefore also served to defend the village. On June 5, 1703, 300 Camisards under the command of Dayre attacked; the upper part of the building was destroyed. Traces of this attack can still be seen on the church. Taken together, the recorded events span the church’s mention in the 11th century, its fortification, and the damage sustained in the early 18th century.

Another historical detail can be found at the Fontaine Mère de Dieu: traces remain there of a washhouse believed to have been built in the 19th or 20th century. Two large basins are visible. While specific dates are associated with important milestones in the history of Saint-Brice, the date of the washhouse is explicitly uncertain. Combas thus offers different ways to encounter history: through precisely dated events and through surviving structural remains.

Bois de Lens: forest, views, and trails

Bois de Lens shapes the landscape and is considered an ecological protection area with a fragile balance. Numerous remains of quarries and lime kilns also connect the forest with the area’s former uses. Those interested in landscapes and traces of history will find more than wooded slopes here: nature and the remains of human labor can be experienced together.

A walk along the slope of Bois de Lens leads to Serre du Suc, a viewpoint overlooking the entire region. The circular route around Combas is described as passing through a different landscape: it runs through the area around the village, between wooded hills and the wine-growing plain. When planning, you can choose between a trail with a specifically named viewpoint and a circular route whose scenery combines different types of landscape.

Comparing two mountain biking circuits

Both mountain biking circuits start and end in Combas, but differ considerably in length, elevation gain, and difficulty. La Plaine de Combas is 8.2 kilometers long, takes one hour, and has 121 meters of elevation gain; the route is of moderate difficulty. Le Bois des Lens covers 25.2 kilometers with 607 meters of elevation gain and is rated difficult. These details give you concrete points of comparison when planning your rides, without implying a time estimate for the longer circuit based on the duration of the shorter route.

For La Plaine de Combas, the parking area at the cooperative winery is the recommended place to park. The circuit is marked with yellow blazes from the local trail network and corresponding signs. Le Bois des Lens offers views of the Cévennes and Pic Saint-Loup, as well as the Ventoux on clear days. The two routes therefore have different highlights: La Plaine stands out for its shorter distance and stated duration, while Le Bois des Lens features a longer route, a greater elevation gain, and the named distant views.

For regional orientation, Combas is about 23 kilometers west of Nîmes via the D999. When planning your trip, you can consider the village’s history, the trails in Bois de Lens, and the two circuits as separate highlights rather than combining them into a single excursion itinerary.

Discover more destinations: Sernhac, Domessargues, Jonquières-Saint-Vincent, Castillon-Du-Gard, Vauvert, Rousson, Flaux, Bernis.

For an overview of the wider region: Gard.