Eating out, or more to the point eating outside, is very much a part of restaurant life in France. There are lots of places to choose from, and we love finding new ones. Here are a few restaurants we've just discovered as well as some old favorites.

Uzès

Restaurant Ten

Restaurant Ten, in the middle of beautiful Uzès, is somewhere we've been returning to since it first opened several years ago. One of the most delightful things about this restaurant, apart from the food of course, is the owner, Kate Tucker. A bubbly, warm, English girl from Devon with a million dollar smile who make you feel like she's welcoming you to her home every time you arrive.

And I'm pretty sure that Kate is the reason that celebrity chef and writer Rick Stein recommends and speaks so highly of Restaurant Ten in his fabulous cookery book Secret France.

Cocktails at Ten

Kate just get's it right; the ambience the vibe, the service and the menu. Doubtless drawing on her experience at The River Café in London (where Jamie Oliver also learned a few tricks) together with her French husband and their fabulous chef Damien Rolain, they've created an unpretentious little jewel of a restaurant. Interesting, well priced, beautifully presented, delicious food which never fails to impress, quite fabulous!

Crispy trout and quinoa salad at Ten

Restaurant Ten

10 Pl. Dampmartin, 30700 Uzès  +33 (0)466 22 1093

Open Wednesday - Sunday 12.00 -14.00 and evenings from 19.30

Reservations are advisable ~ tell Kate I sent you!

Click here for menu and website

Petits Fracis Provençeaux at Restaurant Ten

Other favourites in Uzès

Bec-au-vin

Le Zanelli

Pizza Duchy

Villa Curti we haven't here yet but it's recommended by Kate from Ten & it's where she goes out to eat!

Saint-Remy-de-Provence

Bistrot Les Pieds dans L'Eau

We normally go to St-Rémy-de-Provence on a Wednesday, market day, and if we have visitors, after lunch we often go on to Les Baux de Provence to the incredible art show, Carrières des Lumières. We've eaten in several places in St Rémy but no one restaurant has really stood out. Then a few weeks ago we stumbled upon Bistrot Les Pieds dans L'Eau, an old manor house and former school right in the middle of town where lunch is served on an expansive terrace.

The ambience was delightful and the staff cheerful and attentive. The overall concept at the restaurant of shared, family style plates was perfect, especially for lunch.

The building itself is an interesting property. The dining terrace restaurant is at the rear and there is a lovely courtyard at the front.

When you walk through the courtyard, before you reach the Terrace restaurant, you pass through a charming shop selling household goods, gifts and clothes.

On a busy day, should you have to wait for a table, you can watch the world go by out on the street from the comfort one of the restaurant's arm chairs and order a cocktail until your table's ready!.

Click for more information on Bistrot Les Pieds dans L'Eau

22 boulevard Victor Hugo , Saint-Rémy-de-Provence
+33 04 90 90 74 49

For restaurant ideas & information about St Rémy visit my friend Keith Van Sickle's website here. I'd highly recommend his guide book, 'An Insiders Guide to Provence' which you can purchase from this link.

Aix-en-Provence

Café Hôtel de Caumont

'Café' in France can mean many things, a place just for a coffee and lights snacks, somewhere serving casual meals, or an elegant restaurant such as the café at Hotel de Caumont, a beautiful art museum in the center of Aix-en-Provence. The dining room is exquisite, and when the weather allows the Terrace is a wonderful setting for breakfast, lunch or afternoon drinks.

My salade crevette was delicious and the desert trolley is outstanding!

Café Hotel de Caumont is open daily from 10.00 -19.00. Unfortunately it is not possible to make a reservation. Check their website for unusual hours

Click here for Café Hôtel de Caumont website

Hôtel de Caumont a historic property and center for the arts

And of course Hôtel de Caumont is not all about the food, it's primarily a wonderful art museum boasting a vibrant history.

Hôtel de Caumont was built in 1715 by the President of the Court of Auditors in Aix-en-Provence, François Rolland de Réauville, the Marquis de Cabannes, in the desirable Mazarin quarter of the city.

In 1758 it was purchased by François Bruny de la Tour-d'Aigues, the richest ship-owner, merchant and banker in Marseilles who named it Hôtel de Bruny. The property was inherited by Bruny's son who died shortly afterwards and so in 1796 it passed to his sister, Pauline. This resulted in a further name change to Hôtel de Caumont, after Pauline's husband the Marquis de Caumont.

Entrance to Hôtel de Caumont, Aix-en-Provence

During the late nineteenth century the property fell into decline. By 1939, it had been divided into apartments run by Resistance member Hélène Ardevol (1892-1976), who during WWII bravely sheltered other Resistance members in the apartments. Its' last private owner was General Isenbart who completed extensive restorations before he sold it to the city of Aix-en-Provence in 1964 when it became the Darius Milhaud National Conservatoire of Music and Dance.

Hôtel de Caumont today

In 2010 Hôtel de Caumont was sold to Culturespaces (who run Carrières des Lumières and other fabulous exhibitions throughout France) and they restored it to its former glory. It was reopened on 15 April 2015, and now hosts two temporary exhibitions annually. A film on Cézanne is shown every day, and a variety of concerts, musical performances and lectures are scheduled. Currently, until September 18 2022 the work of Raoul Dufy is on display.

The gardens are beautiful and well worth a visit.

Tickets to the museum can be bought online, click here

Hôtel de Caumont  3 Rue Joseph Cabassol, 13100 Aix-en-Provence  +33 04 42 20 70 01

Click here for website of Hôtel de Caumont

Le Four Sous le Platane

How often do I hear from perplexed overseas guests 'We're going to a Pizza Restaurant  in Provence, we're not in Italy?'

We may not be in Italy (although it's not far away) but the French certainly love, and know how to make great pizzas normally in wood fired ovens, feu de bois. The terrace at Le Four Sous le Platane is one of our favorites.

And if we can, we try to grab a spot by the fountain from where the restaurant get's it's name. Scrumptious pizzas served as huge wedges with a green salad and glass of wine, yum!

Click for more on: Le Four Sous le Platane

Lourmarin

There's no where new to recommend in Lourmarin and sadly a few places we thought were great have changed owners, not for the best ~ Le Moulin in Lourmarin and Petit Resto in Vaugine.

But we still love:

Louche au Beurre ~ the best steak frites!

Pizza Nonni ~our favorite for Pizza

Gina's Café ~ delicious homemade food, great for lunch

Café Gaby ~ the place for people watching in the very heart of the village, be it for coffee, an apéro or a casual meal!

La Maison Café ~ Great cocktails and small sharing boards, we love coming here after the Friday market  or for an evening drink.

If you'd like more information, download for free:

A PDF Travel Guide for Lourmarin

A PDF Travel Guide for Uzès

I'd love to know any restaurants you recommend in Provence!

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What is it that consistently draws people to Provence and to the Luberon in particular? What precisely is Provence's appeal, that special ‘je ne sais quoi’ which make the region so captivating? Aside from its natural beauty, perhaps its enduring appeal is, that it remains one of the few places whose charms have not diminished with the passing of time. Simple pleasures of life, can still be found here and in abundance.

Provence, immersing yourself in simple pleasures

Provence is a place where lingering in the shade over a long, lazy, lunch, watching the world pass by  is part of life and in our over scheduled lives is perhaps the very essence of Provence's appeal!

It's where shopping means ambling through a brightly coloured market, filling your basket with freshly baked pastries, ripe local produce the soil still clinging to it, a medley of olives, honey and flowers.
Life seems kinder here, that in itself is so integral to Provence' appeal, where instead of rushing, one simply meanders, exploring the narrow streets, stopping every so often to admire a tall shuttered window or worn brass door handle, which you just know has a story to tell.

It’s a place where one wanders down tree lined avenues,

where bustling street cafés beckon, their only requirement being that you take your time over a coffee or glass of wine, inviting you to relax and soak up the ambience. Simple pleasures so integral to Provence's appeal, just as alluring today as they were when Van Gough, Gauguin, Cézanne captured it on their canvases.

Provence, a symphony for the senses

Provence is a place where is so much admire, to look at, to taste, to smell, to hear, simple but delightful sensory experiences which help to define Provence's appeal.

Sights of Provence

Provence and especially the Luberon, is visually stunning and the sense of the past is inescapable, in its enchanting perched villages, its tumbled down castles, abbeys and medieval chateaux.

Set against a backdrop of breathtaking scenery and a magical light, Provence has enticed artists here for centuries. This unique transcendent light has a sharply defining clarity which has the ability to become almost translucent, a painter's dream!

There is an ever-changing kaleidoscope, where streaming sun rays, intensify and illuminate the natural colours of the spectacular landscape.

Vibrant summer carpets of dancing yellow sunflowers and violet shades of lavender.

Endless, rolling fields of bright, green vineyards, olive groves and fruit orchards,

which evolve into a deep, rich, ocher glow before shedding their gowns to rest during winter.

Fragrances of Provence

And as the seasons change so do the natural fragrances, which in this part of the world have an intensity which perfumes the air like no where else. Lavender, verbena and olives, so defining of summer in Provence pervade, and then later the heady aroma of the vines, when lush crops of grapes drip like fat jewels, from ancient gnarly fists. Fragrances which giddily illustrate Provence's appeal!

The intoxicating scent of warm soil, of fermenting fruit and musty, aged oak barrels promising rich dark vintages, to be slowly sipped by the glow of a fire, the flavors of the earth, the fruit and wood smoke consuming you.

Tastes of Provence

Good food and eating in Provence really matters, it is a place of mouth watering tastes; the flaky, buttery texture of croissants which melt on your tongue; of ripe tomatoes whose exploding flavor instantly remind you of the summers of your childhood, of freshly cut grass, of not having to do anything.

Crusty, floury baguettes spread with soft, creamy cheese which oozes between your finger tips; small sweet strawberries, figs, nectarines and slices of chilled melon, a scrumptious regional bounty which are so much part of Provence's appeal.

And as you feast on all this deliciousness, your ears full of the lyrical melody of the French language and the chirping of crickets, you’ll probably wonder if anything has ever tasted as good.

Perhaps the very heart of Provence's appeal is  that is somewhere to find respite from the frenzied, interconnected world so many of us find ourselves consumed by, a place to enjoy the simple pleasures of life, as beguiling today, as they were many life times ago.

Experience some of this beautiful region of Provence yourself:
What to see in Uzès, Avignon, Lourmarin
Where to stay in Uzès, Avignon, Lourmarin 
Where to eat in Uzès, Avignon, Lourmarin 

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Magnificent Roman architecture, bullfights and concerts.
Sun drenched squares overlooked by stately shuttered mansions.
Meandering cobbles streets packed with shops and restaurants.
Stunning art museums, cathedrals gardens and treasures from the past.
This is the seductive Roman city of Nîmes whose ancient treasures wait to be explored.

Arènes de Nîmes

La Maison Carrée

Carre d'Art/Musee d'Art Contemporain

Jardin de la Fontaine

Tour Magne

Temple of Diana

The Castellum

The Musée des Beaux-Arts de Nîmes

Cathedrale Notre-Dame-Et-Saint-Castor de Nîmes

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Standing beneath the golden arches of the Roman aqueduct,
Pont du Gard, just 6km from Uzès, Languedoc Roussillon, France,
it hardly seems possible that this magnificent structure has been here for over 2000 years.
Build from local limestone, for 600 years
it carried water from Uzès to the Roman city of Nimes, 30km away.
Spanning the beautiful River Gard
it is a breathtaking site,
one you won't regret including on your visit to
Languedoc Roussillon and Provence

To learn more about the Pont Du Gard and how to visit it click here

Download The Uzès, Travel Guide for Uzès and the surrounding regions of Languedoc Roussillon and Provence.

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Just 6 miles outside of Uzès, towards Avignon,
serenely merging into the surrounding landscape,
sits the spectacular UNESCO World Heritage site
The Pont du Gard.
It has been here for well over 2000 years,
patiently waiting to be explored.
No matter how many times you have stood below its ancient arches
it will hold you spellbound,
as you stand and gaze up at in wonder.

Visiting the Pont du Gard

400 Route du Pont du Gard, 30210 Vers-Pont-du-Gard  Phone: +33 (0)4 66 37 50 99

Open all year round. Admission is €18 for a car of 5 people, includes parking and admission to the museum and film about the Pont du Gard.

About the Pont du Gard

The Pont du Gard was built by the Romans in 50AD.

The Romans picked the source of the River Eure, near Uzès, to supply water to the nearly fifty thousand inhabitants of the vibrant city of Nimes, about thirty km away. It continued to do so for nearly 600 years.

The Pont du Gard was constructed with stone from the Roman quarry of L'Estel, just four hundred meters upstream.

The Pont du Gard is the largest and highest known Roman aqueduct in the world. It stands forty eight meters high with six arches on the first level, eleven on the second level and thirty five on the third level where the canal ran. It is fifty five kilometers long but its most monumental and best preserved piece is the Pont du Gard where it spans the beautiful River Gardon.

During the Middle Ages the Pont du Gard was partially destroyed and the stones were taken and reused in other constructions. The batteries were cut in the second floor and it was used as a road bridge.

During the 16th century a degree of restoration work was competed to preserve its integrity.

A road bridge was attached to it from 1743-1747 and finally in 1840 it was classified as an historic monument.

It is still possible to visit Prehistoric Caves at the Pont du Gard, evidence of just how long man has settled by the waters of the River Gardon

The Pont du Gard is a site to be behold, make sure you include it on your itinerary!

Download The Uzès, Travel Guide for Uzès and the surrounding regions of Languedoc Roussillon and Provence.

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Languedoc Roussillon has a steadily growing and well respected reputation for its wine
and there are some excellent wines produced in the Uzès area.
Predominantly they use the great Mediterranean varieties,
Grenache, Carignan, Syrah and Mourvèdre.
Combined with the natural limestone and gravel of the 'terroir',
long days of brilliant sunshine and the skill of the local vintners
the result is wines of great rigor and of the highest quality.
Reds, whites and the wine the South of France is so well known for, rosé!
And of course where there are vineyards there are often olive groves.
Here are a few of our local Uzès favourites.

Domaine de l'Aqueduc d'Uzès

Collines du Bourdic Duche d'Uzès

Other local Uzès wineries

Domain Deleuze Rochetin

Route d'Uzès Chemin du Moulin 30700 Arpaillargues   Phone: +33 (0) 4 66 59 65 27

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WHY GO TO UZES

Uzès is a magical bastide town 40km west of the Medieval walled city of Avignon, 25km north of Roman Nimes & just 13km from the world UNESCO heritage site, Pont du Gard. It boasts a rich and ancient history dating from the Romans and is home to the first duchy of France, (the direct lineage to the Royal family) its Ducal Castle being still occupied by the family today.

Its cobbled streets spill out onto elegant squares, shaded by gently worn, shuttered buildings. There are many grand renaissance mansions and other interesting landmarks including its château, cathedral, and its iconic Fenestrelle tower.

At the heart of Uzès is the magnificent central square, Place-aux-Herbes, fringed by limestone arches under which its restaurants and shops spill out onto the cobblestones, shaded by the broad branches of long ago established sycamore trees.

One could sit here for hours listening to the soft splutters of the fountain, enjoying a refreshment from one of the many enticing restaurants, becoming immersed in the local bustle. Place-aux-Herbes plays host to carnivals, an annual truffle fare, art & antique fares & exhibitions, and well renowned twice-weekly marchés, the most vibrant in Provence. Smiling locals selling linens, ribbons, baskets, and flowers, cheese makers, olive growers, and an abundance of fresh produce. 

Uzès, has a unique, beguiling atmosphere one which having visited will leave you feeling as if you've spent a moment, back in time.

HOW TO GET TO UZES

The nearest international airport is Marseilles (MRS), 120km south with numerous international connections from Paris, London Frankfurt Munich and many other European cities. Several regional European airlines fly into Nîmes (40km south) and Montpellier (80km south).

If driving, Uzès is about 20km west of the A9 autoroute, just 25km south of the major A7/A9 autoroute interchange near Orange.

WHAT TO IN UZÈS

If your stay in Uzès was spent entirely within this delightful, historic town your experience would encapsulate the very essence of this magical part of France. Uzès oozes charm and ambience; its cobbled streets, enticing  boutiques, wide variety of restaurants and wonderful markets are all part of its enchantment.

There is much to explore to within the town itself and should you wish to venture further the surrounding area beckons!

THE CHÂTEAU The château in Uzès, Le Duché d'Uzès, is known by the locals as ‘Le Duchy’ and is where the original ducal family still reside. Tours are available, check for times

THE CATHEDRAL ~ Cathédrale Saint-Théodorit d'Uzès dates from the Middle Ages, it was the former seat of the Bishops of Uzès'

THE FENESTRELLE TOWER  ~Uzès' most famous landmark, an incredible Rapunzel tower of windows!

THE MEDIEVAL GARDEN ~ originally part of the castle, it was restored to a medieval garden in 1995, utterly captivating!

 THE MARKETS  ~held twice a week in Place aux Herbes. 8am -1pm.
Wednesday is mostly fresh produce including flowers, cheese, wine, olive oil, honey and soaps.
Saturday is a much larger affair tumbling out of the Place-aux-Herbes onto the surrounding streets.

PONT DU GARD

A visit to this incredible World UNESCO heritage site  should not be missed. Just 13km east of Uzès on the road towards Avignon, for over 2000 years it has spanned the River Gardon. Built in 50AD as part of the Roman aquaduct of Nimes it was used up until the 6th century. A breathtaking marvel. Watch the video here

WINERIES

There are many great local Uzès wineries to sample from, tastings are mostly free and the local vintners are more than happy to share their knowledge and proudly show off their vintages.

OLIVE OIL MILLS
As in much of southern Europe, where there are grapes growing often there are olives too! Our favorite is Le Moulin d’Uzès, normally also available in the Uzès’ market.

WHAT TO DO NEAR UZES

There is a rich Roman heritage in this area of France which is reflected in the many ruins which include amphitheatres and arenas in the local towns especially in:

NIMES lies 25km south of Uzès and was once the most important city of Roman Gaul, much of which remains in evidence, in particular its arena, one of the best preserved in Europe and still in use today.

ARLES This lovely Roman city, lies 60km south east of Uzès and was much painted by Van Gogh who lived there for a year.  Sun kissed and golden it is full of Roman sites and a particularly fascinating Van Gogh museum. Arles sits on the banks of the Rhone, nestled by the Camargue, infamous for its majestic white horses and bulls.

ORANGE Founded in 35BC and also abounding in Roman splendor is 50km north east of Uzès. Its stunning stone theatre is still the magical, atmospheric setting for productions today.

AVIGNON The stunning, medieval, walled city is 40 km away. Most famous for Les Palais des Papes which was the home of the Popes for 100 years and the Pont D’Avignon. A tour of both should not be missed.

CHATEAUNEUF-DU-PAPE  47km north east of Uzès, Chateauneuf-du-Pape is France’s first wine appellation, where the wine for the Popes were cultivated and produced.

MONTPELLIER 80km south west of Uzès, Montpellier is the capital of Languedoc Roussillon, a grand medieval city well worth spending a day exploring.

ST RÉMY DE PROVENCE 55km south east of Uzès, St Rémy-de-Provence is a charming, very Provencal town packed with shops and restaurants, with a fantastic Wednesday Market. Whilst there combine a visit to the perched village of Les Baux de Provence.

LES BAUX DE PROVENCE

60km south east of Uzès and just a fifteen minute drive from St-Rémy-de-Provence is the stunning perched medieval village of Les Baux-de-Provence.

The self-guided audio tour around the château ruins is fascinating and do NOT miss the spectacular video art extravaganza  Carrières de Lumières. Set to music and projected onto the walls of one hundred foot high bauxite caves the art of the Masters is profiled; Van Gough, Michelangelo, Gaugin, each year someone different, it is utterly breathtaking!

AIGUES-MORTES  70km south of Uzès. The roots of Aigues-Mortes date back to 102AD, this fortified wonder is the most well preserved medieval city in Europe. Walk the walled rims of this fortress city and gaze out across the salt flats where salt has been mined since before the Romans. Tour the factory Saunier de Camargue whose salt is considered the ‘Rolls Royce’ of salts!

THE LUBERON VALLEY

75km south east of Uzès is The Luberon Valley. A beautiful region resplendent with vineyards, olive groves, abundant fruit trees, and from about mid June, endless fields of fragrant lavender. Watch the video of the Luberon Valley here and then explore it's timeless perched villages yourself, Lacoste & Menerbes, Gordes, Roussillon & Bonnieux and my favorite, Lourmarin not actually perched but quite magical!

Download The Travel Guide for Lourmarin & the Luberon here.

WHERE TO STAY IN UZES

Renting a property There are many properties available, renting somewhere to stay can provide a tiny snapshot of what it is like to actually live here; having more space to relax and shopping in the local stores and markets to cook at home. Typically it is more expensive to rent in the town center and parking can be problematic but being able to walk to restaurants and the market in my opinion makes it worth it.

If you rent out in the villages you will probably get more space with a garden and a pool.
Check out Homeaway and airbnb

LA MAISON DE LA BOURGADE  31 Rue de la Petite Bourgade, 30700 Uzès  Tel: +33 4 66 22 71 10

Location: ~Uzès center, seldom closed, parking available for €7 a night. Price: €100 -€130 per night, breakfast included. Comments: Exquisite but simple rooms, you will be charmed by Elizabeth who opens up her home & her heart to her guests. Stylish and charming a delightful place to stay,

L'HOSTELLERIE PROVENCALE 1 Rue de la Grande Bourgade, 30700 Uzès Tel: +33 4 66 22 11 06

LA MAISON D' UZES 18 Rue du Docteur Blanchard, 30700 Uzès  Tel:+33 4 66 20 07 00
Location: ~Uzès center, Closed: mid February to early March. Price: €190 -€530 per night Comments:
This wonderful Relais Chateaux hotel, tiny and discreet (just 4 rooms and 2 suites) but luxurious and divine, is a splurge, complete with a spa and fabulous restaurant. A lunchtime special menu is an incredible bargain. Book well in advance.

LA BEGUDE ST PIERRE Chemin des Bégudes, 295, 30210 Vers-Pont-du-Gard Tel: +33 (0)4 66 02 63 60

Location: 6 km east of Uzès on D981 leading to Uzès, 2 minutes from the Pont du Gard. Price: €65 -€260 per night breakfast €15, parking free on site, gourmet restaurant. Comments: One of our favorites's. La Begude St Pierre  renovated a few years ago this former 17th century coaching inn offers 4 star luxury in one of its 23 rooms and suites. All rooms are air-conditioned with flat screen TV's, mini bars and safes. It is worth paying extra for one of the rooms with its own oversized private terrace. The spa services available in your room are highly recommended!

L’ARTEMISE Chemin de la Lauze, 30700 Uzès Tel: +33 (0)4 66 63 94 14
Location ~ 10 minute walk from center of Uzès Closed: normally closed during winter months
Price: from €200 per night Comments: A 16th century Provencal mas, 8 exquisite suites, decorated with soft Belgian linens & each room with its' own kitchen facilities. L'Artemise offers a spa and gastronomic restaurant. A luxurious, laid back spot, just a 10 minutes stroll from Uzès, gorgeous!

CLOS DU LETHE Chemin de la Lauze - 30700 Uzès, Tél : +33 04 66 74 58 3
Location ~ 6km from center of  Uzès  Closed: normally closed during winter months Price: from €200 - €320 per night check with hotel. Comments: A sister hotel to L'Atemise, 6km from Uzès. 5 rustic and spacious rooms with sitting areas, IPod docking stations, plasma TVs and espresso machines, most have a terrace or small outdoor area. Like L'Artemise, luxurious & thoughtfully designed within the limestone walls of an ancient building. There is also a gym, a library and a steam room, pretty special!

 WHERE TO EAT

There are many delicious dining choices in Uzès, here are a few we love.

RESTAURANT PARENTHESE ~ Uzès center (In L'HOSTELLERIE PROVENCALE)
1 Rue de la Grande Bourgade, 30700 Uzès   Tel: +33 4 66 22 11 06
Price: €18.00 -€40.00 per person Closed: mid February to early March Comments: Great restaurant, with delicious, locally sourced ingredients.

LA MAISON D' UZES ~ Uzès center
Contact: 18 Rue du Docteur Blanchard, 30700 Uzès   Tel:+33 4 66 20 07 00
Price: €47.00 -€90.00 set menus. Lunch from noon to 2 pm, Dinner from 7:30 to 9 pm Closed: For Sunday dinner and all day Monday, annual closure - mid February to early March. Comments: A wonderful Relais Chateaux hotel, with a fabulous restaurant. The lunchtime special menu €25.00, is an incredible bargain but book well in advance as it is hard to secure a reservation in this special spot.

LE ZANELLI ~ Uzès center
Contact: 3 Rue Nicolas Froment, 30700 Uzès   Tel: +33 4 66 03 01 93
Price: Pizzas from €14.00 Comments: Excellent pizza and wide choice of other Italian food. We love sitting on the gorgeous terrace as the sun drops down behind the clay tiled roof tops, reservations are a must!

PIZZA DU DUCHE ~ Uzès center
Contact: 14 Rue Jacques d'Uzès, 30700 Uzès   Tel: +33 4 66 22 30 42
Price: Pizzas from €14.00

Comments: Excellent pizzas, 'feu de bois' Cosy inside on a winter nights or outside when its warmer where it’s fun to watch the world go by! Also serves excellent steaks and kebabs, reservations essential!

BEC A VIN ~ Uzès center
Contact: 6, Rue Entre les Tours 30700, Uzès   Tel: +33 4 66 22 41 20
Price: mains from €28.00 Comments: Follow the cobblestone lane to this charming restaurant, dine in candlelight under the domed limestone ceiling, the food is wonderful, booking essential.

RESTAURANT D’ ENTRAIGUES ~ Uzès, opposite the Fenestrelle Tower
Contact: l'Evèché, Place de l'Évêché, 30700 Uzès Tel: +33 4 66 72 05 25
Price: 3 courses about € 38.00 per person. Comments: A former 15th century mansion, superbly renovated in 2013 into a luxurious but unpretentious hotel & gastro bistro excellent! Closed Weds & Sundays

TEN ~ Uzès center                                                                                                                                                   Contact: 110 place Dampmartin 30700 Uzès  Tel: +33 (0)4 66 22 10 93                                    Price: Mains from about €18.00. Comments: Opened in 2016, by a delightful lady from Devon, England and her charming French husband. An interesting & delicious menu ~ brunch, lunch, tapas & dinner. Dine on the front patio, under the warm curved ceiling inside or in the rear garden patio, lovely!

LA BEGUDE ST PIERRE ~ 6 km east of Uzès on the D981 2 minutes from the Pont du Gard Contact: Chemin des Bégudes, 295, 30210 Vers-Pont-du-Gard   Tel: +33 4 66 02 63 60
Price: mains from €27.00 Comments: Great food in the new gourmet restaurant of this recently renovated sumptuous former 17th century coaching inn.

L'ARTEMISE ~ 10 minute walk from center of Uzès
Contact: Chemin de la Lauze, 30700 Uzès    Tel: +33 4 66 63 94 14

Price: from €55.00 set course menu Closed: during winter months
Comments: A 16th century Provencal Mas with a gastronomic restaurant, wrapped within warm, exposed limestone walls, excellent service

LE TRACTEUR ~10 minute drive from  Uzès
Contact: Boregre neighbourhood, 30700 Arglliers Tel: + 33 04 66 62 17 33
Price:€€€ call Comments: You need to know how to find this delightful country restaurant, set in old farm buildings but strikingly modern and chic inside. Great food from the local area, menu frequently changing, always getting better and better!

HOSTELLERIE LE CASTELLAS ~ 8km south east of Uzès

Contact: 30 Grand rue - 30 210 Collias Tel: +33 (0) 4 66 22 88 88  Price: 2 or 3 course Lunches €25-35 Dinner Thursday to Monday evening, from €45~120 May to September also on Wednesday evenings.Comments: A Gastronomic restaurant at this lovely boutique hotel.

Do let me know your own recommendations AND please do contact me if you would like additional help!

Download TThe PDF Travel Guide for Uzèshere

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Two years ago I looked at this deserted property, nowLa Bégude Saint-Pierre, just 6km, from Uzès and wondered 'what if''? What if I bought this, risked some capital and created a tiny ‘jewel box’ hotel. My head spun as a deluge of questions began twisting through my mind, like a small spider weaving an intricate web. How much would it cost to purchase, how much to renovate? Where would I find the builders and ensuing team of artisans; plumbers, carpenters, electricians and who knows who else?

I leaped ahead contemplating interior choices, bathrooms, furniture, soft furnishings,

the fixtures,

the towels, the lights, the window treatments, pictures and rugs.

An entire array of accessories, not necessary but thoughtfully placed to create ambience, to make guests feel special.Mental shopping lists formed in my brain as I envisaged the colors of 'cafe au lait', in my newly decorated, warm and inviting haven.

I saw my guests arriving, indulging them with f
resh flowers, chocolates and carefully selected Provencal toiletries, scented with the fragrances of the region, lavender, honey, almonds and citrus.

I thought of all the tiny ways that I would the make experience of staying here unforgettable, not lavish or extravagant but discrete and thoughtful where guests left yearning to return.

On a bitterly cold February afternoon, the mistral tearing at my clothes with unseen fingers of ice, I stood and stared and imagined it all, the entire sprinkling of my own magic dust everywhere.

That was 'then' and this is 'now' and whilst I contemplated ‘what if” someone put those two words, ‘what’ and ‘if’ together and made it happen. They created the charming La Bégude Saint-Pierre, oozing with that same ambience I had foreseen, and made their very own little piece of heaven.

Located almost under the shadows of the ancient golden arches of the Pont du Gard, the mighty Roman Aqueduct a mere 20 minute walk away.

Only a 10 minute drive, through olive groves and vineyards to the delightful medieval duchy d'Uzès.

Not quite as I had might have fashioned, but still elegant and understated. Stone walls newly exposed,
soft white furnishings, subtle lighting and draped natural linens, some carefully selected from collections at the local markets. A gentle place where loungers by the glistening pool beckoned to be used,

where service was discreet but always there, where the food was delicious,

and the ambience perfect

and yes a place I cannot wait to return to!

Download The Uzès, Travel Guide for Uzès and the surrounding regions of Languedoc Roussillon and Provence.

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The Camargue, just outside of Provence, in neighbouring Languedoc Roussillon, about an hour's drive from Uzès, is where you'll find white horses running free, grazing amidst endless stretches of swaying grasses dancing in the ever present breeze which sweeps across this wild, untamed landscape. Far off into an infinite distance, puffs of cotton wool clouds appear to float down to meet the ground as the land and sky blend into one. On the horizon, where the Mediterranean rolls timelessly towards the coastline, unfurling its ceaseless, gentle kisses upon the sand, a walled medieval city emerges, the city of Aigues-Mortes.

With its' roots dating back to 102BC, and its' development and first tower being built in 791 by Charlemagne, this fortified wonder, Aigues-Mortes, dominates this part of the vast flatlands of the Camargue.

One of the gateway entrances to Aigues-Mortes

The most well preserved medieval, walled fortification; remaining in Europe, it has guarded all whom have dwelt from within its stronghold for over 900 years protecting them from the invasion of the forces of both men and nature. Connected to the sea by a series of brackish inlets it was an important doorway for all who ruled here. It was King Louis IX who recognized the significance of its location. He built the city we currently see today as a port to send off his Crusaders.

The drawbridge to King Louis IX's Constance Tower at Aigues-Mortes

Inside the Constance Tower

The Ceiling of the Constance Tower

As one walks the walls of this fortress, gazing out into the distance, it is impossible not to become immersed in its rich history.

Treading in the footsteps of so many others one imagines the daunting task of the soldiers and guards who protected Aigues-Mortes and bravely fought off those that dared to attempt to plunder it.

Staring down into the small square city centuries of life have played out within these stone walls.

 Church bells

Today a World Unesco Heritage site its ‘plunderers’ carry cameras not swords and wear sunhats not armour.

Thousands flock here each year to become enthralled by the past and the other natural treasure of this captivating region, the tiny granular white ‘gold’ which glistens in huge white pyramids from where it has been excavated, its salt.

Salt has been mined in the Camargue since the Romans. Its existence adding to the fairytale ambience, turning the surrounding waters a luminescent soft pink. Today encased in smart cylindrical boxes,

'Le Fleur de sel de Camargue' is considered the ‘Rolls Royce’ of salts used by chefs all across the globe; sprinkled across many a culinary creation to enhance flavors and taste.

A day at Aigues-Mortes is a step back in time, even though visiting for a second time, is made even more special when shared with friends who also excitedly become swept up in its mystical splendor.

and afterwards exploring its meandering streets we found somewhere special for lunch!

Download The Uzès, Travel Guide for Uzès and the surrounding regions of Languedoc Roussillon and Provence.

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It is funny how the events of a day that you had not particularly been looking forward to can take an unexpected turn that fills your heart with joy. I left my Kate at the tiny airport of Béziers, a further 50 km south from Montpellier, where we normally have our ‘Love Actually’ moments; departing from there as she could get a flight directly to Bristol and save much travelling time in UK. Having left the sunshine of Uzès it was cloudy further south, closer to the coast and as I pulled away from the airport, not much bigger that an airfield really, the clouds reflected my mood, I felt a bit flat and sad to see Kate go.
I raced back up the Autoroute into the sunshine and then on a whim decided to turn off just after Montepellier to explore the Medieval city of Aigues-Mortes.

I had seen Aigues-Mortes. sign posted each time I had driven to the airport and had also noticed that it was the place where the famous hand raked and harvested 'Fleur De Sel de Camargue' came from. The salt to use if you are going to use any, hugely expensive and hard to find in USA but just 3 euros here! More than that I didn’t know what to expect. I had actually thought that the crumbling small cluster of ramparts, visible from the autoroute, was where I was headed and so was surprised after 5 minutes to see a sign post informing me that I had 20 km to reach my destination. The landscape was very flat, I was in the Carmague, fields of white horses and a sense that the sea was hiding just over the horizon.

As soon as I reached Aigues-Mortes I knew my unscheduled meandering was an excellent decision. A walled bastide right in one of the largest wet lands in Europe. A wild and protected environment of marshes, sand and water. Home to unique flora and fauna which are protected through the natural production of salt using principally renewable energy, the sun and the wind. A spectacular sight made more incredible as the original city walls are still in tact! It looked somewhat incongruous with the surrounding area but that is also what made it so bewitching. As if someone had placed a Disney castle in the middle of a vast flat terrain!!
Aigues-Mortes was built in 1240, by Louis IX, who decided to build a city close to his kingdom in order to have a direct access to the Mediterranean Sea. Crusades were planned and led from here and the Knights Templar imprisoned within its shadows. This unique medieval fortification, which one can explore from the top of its ramparts, offers magnificent views over the city, the lake, the vineyards and the salt!
Salt has been mined from this area since neolithic time. In the 8th century Benedictine monks settled at the Abbey of Psalmody, to exploit this valuable commodity. In more modern times water is pumped into the sea travelling more than 70 km.

The salt at Aigues-Mortes is harvested mechanically, piled up in the twinkling "camelles" before being packaged, fascinating!!
Over Seven centuries later, salt mining and the fortification of Aigues-Mortes still dominates the Camargue as one of the most well preserved medieval French buildings.

So on a Wednesday afternoon here I was roaming around these enchanting cobbled streets in Aigues-Mortes.Discovering charming buildings, coffee spots and restaurants.  Also many tempting treasures to buy.
I contemplated whether my boys could add these to their car collection but for once the challenge of airline luggage allowances got the better of me!

Yes, yet another day of special treasured memories in southern France, lucky, lucky me!

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