A long time ago, Le Portel was a Provencal Mazet with an olive grove.

The large building was built in 1861 by a wealthy owner and then transformed into a silkworm breeding facility. The entire top floor of the house was reserved for this purpose.
After the decline of silk, the house of Portel des Arnaud, became part of the Arnaud family and the cellar was created. 
Earthenware or reinforced concrete wine vats were built on the ground floor.
Offices were created and rented on the first floors to the owners of the Durfort lead mine. The mine offices, which were vacant due to the bankruptcy of the mining company, were used to house the German soldiers who remained there for the duration of the war.

Fernand Arnaud took over the house and made a home there, and lived there with his wife Yvette.
In 1969 they created the first rural gîtes in the Cévennes. Since its construction, the Portel des Arnaud has been welcoming people.