“It’s super pleasant and it’s a real eye-catcher”: the electric scooter, another way to discover the Gard landscapes

Le groupe voyage à travers la garrigue gardoise. Midi Libre – ALEXIS BETHUNE

Philippe Perez propose toute l'année, avec son entreprise Trott'in Gard, des balades adaptées à travers les différents paysages.

At the bend of a path, you may come across one of these small groups crossing the Gard countryside at full speed. A strange procession of all-terrain electric scooters, an increasingly popular activity in the summer. The opportunity for participants to discover the landscapes of the department in a different way.

The day's route is around Boissons, a charming little village in the north of the Gard. The sky is warm and clear above the ten or so participants in the ride. Philippe Perez, the creator of the Trott’in Gard company and guide of the day, gives the first instructions and invites the future "riders" to equip themselves with helmets and gloves.

“A very easy handling”. Midi Libre – ALEXIS BETHUNE

Steve Pernat, a holidaymaker from Saint-Gilles in the south of the department, admits: “This is the first time I'm going to do this activity, it's an opportunity to make a discovery with my son.” But Steve Pernat is not the only one exploring. Indeed, in the group, all are beginners but Philippe Perez reassures: “It is an activity open to all and has the capacity to adapt to everyone. If I am facing a group of experienced people, I can afford to do much harder circuits and vice versa with more tourist groups”.

After familiarizing themselves with the machines, the small group heads for the first paths. A scrubland setting then opens up before their eyes. The 500-watt motors, fully charged, swallow up the bumps without any problem. For the Walter family, tourists from Alsace, “it's nice, it's an activity for teenagers that allows them to change from tree climbing.” During the journey, several breaks are organized to enjoy the scenery and stock up on supplies. The tribe is then amazed by the villages, fields and rivers crossed. The sensations are very similar to those of mountain biking, with less physical effort.

“We learn to rediscover our territory”

Philippe Perez admits to having “a beautiful office”. He adds: “To create the courses, I used my knowledge of the terrain obtained from being a mountain bike instructor, then I refined my courses with a map and on-site scouting. I try to help people discover the entire Gard region by offering varied routes between the sea and the Cévennes." Don't worry, even if you're a local, the change of scenery is total. "We learn to rediscover our region".

What's original is that Philippe Perez goes to find his customers.“I try to leave as much as possible from where people are. During the summer, I offer three fixed departures near campsites but apart from these three, my walks cover pretty much the whole territory of Gard and I travel on request.”

Philippe Perez offers outings throughout the Gard. Midi Libre – ALEXIS BETHUNE

After an hour of riding, the first reviews are coming in. Jonathan Klay and his son, who came from Switzerland for the holidays, didn't really know what to expect. We're delighted. It's more athletic than we imagined, but we really recommend it." For Steve Pernat, the experience "was great. You quickly get to grips with the machines. It's super nice and it's a feast for the eyes. To do again."

I subscribe to read the rest