Day trip from Uzes

Old Jul 23rd, 2007, 05:44 PM
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Day trip from Uzes

Our first Sunday in Uzes.I read that there is a good market in Avignon.So plan to go there by 9am, perhaps spend till lunchtime in Avignon, then then go to L'sle-sur-la-Sorge.
Would it be too ambitious to visit The Luberon as well the same day.

If so is there anywhere that is recommended we could stop at on our return trip to Uzes.
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Old Jul 23rd, 2007, 06:05 PM
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Dutchkiwi:

It may seem odd to mention something I'm sure you plan to see...but don't miss the aqueduct (Pont du Gard)..very closeby and a dramatic sight to say the least.

Stu T.
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Old Jul 23rd, 2007, 06:08 PM
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The flea Market in L'ísle is huge plus the indoor antiques and brocantes shops offer so much to see, so yes too much for on day.
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Old Jul 23rd, 2007, 06:44 PM
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Uzès to Avignon, L'Isle-sur-la-Sorgue, and the Luberon is more than I'd try to tackle in one day. I'll admit a bias, though: I'm not a huge fan of Avignon. Given a choice, I'd get on the road very early, drive right by Avignon, and focus my attention on L'Isle-sur-la-Sorgue and the Luberon.

Anselm
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Old Jul 23rd, 2007, 06:50 PM
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I wouldn't go all the way to Avignon for a market for starters - markets are a dime a dozen in all those Bouche-du-Rhone towns and are all delightful. I'd definitely go to the Isle-sur-la-Sorge market, though, for the unique experience. And yes, it's too much to do in one day.
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Old Jul 23rd, 2007, 07:02 PM
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We will definitely be going to see the Pont du gard. We Have a week in Uzes and it is not far from there. Maybe we should miss Avignon, visit the Pont du gard and head straight to I'sle-sur-la-sorgue.

Then if time which I doubt, we could go through the Luberon.
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Old Jul 23rd, 2007, 07:07 PM
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I would also like to visit the "Cathedral d'images". Perhaps on the way back instead of The Luberon.

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Old Jul 23rd, 2007, 07:11 PM
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You mean in Les Baux? I wouldn't make it a priority.
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Old Jul 23rd, 2007, 07:35 PM
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Don't miss the Uzes Saturday market. It's great fun and the food is superb. Get some veal ravioli, freshly made sauce, cheese and red wine for dinner. Yummmmm. Enjoy.
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Old Jul 23rd, 2007, 07:36 PM
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I think it is near Tarascon
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Old Jul 23rd, 2007, 10:49 PM
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yes we hope to make it to the Sat.market in Uzes, so will have to leave Collioure early in the morning.
I have read that it is one of the best markets in France.

Do these markets run all year as we won't be there till late oct?
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Old Jul 24th, 2007, 02:11 AM
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The markets do run all year...they're just usually smaller in the late fall and winter months than they are in the summer. They close up around 12:30 -
1 PM

The Sunday Avignon market is not the greatest. I'd suggest heading directly to isle sur la Sorgue. As with other markets, the food market there closes around 12:30, but the antiques market and antique stores are open all day.

I'd suggest Isle through lunch and then a drive-by of Gordes (there really isn't much to see in the village itself), then on to visit Roussillon. This is more than enough for one day.
I'm with Anselm... I'm not a big fan of Avignon.
Villeneuve-lez-Avignon is worth a visit if you have the time.

Visit St. Rémy, Les Baux and the Cathédrale d'Images and Arles another day. You could stop at the castle in Tarascon either going or returning to Uzès.

If you have a week in Uzès you'll have time to visit lots of the area.

Another ideas for a day trip::
If you're interested in the Camargue (the natural wildlife preserve - famous for the wild Camarguais horses, bulls and rice fields) I highly suggest a visit to Aigues Mortes, south of Arles.
A walled city, departure point for the crusades, it's one of my favorite places in the area. It hasn't really caught on with foreign tourists yet, although do I see more and more every year.

Famous for salt, you can see the mountains of it from the ramparts.

Returning from Aigues Mortes, you might want to visit Arles itself. The Roman coliseum and theater in town are well preserved and used today. There is also a Roman necropolis just on the edge of town and within walking distance from the center.
It's also a place that Van Gogh painted extensively, and the Tourist Office has a booklet (in English ) that gives various walking tours that are very interesting.

Patricia
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Old Jul 24th, 2007, 02:25 AM
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thankyou Patricia, that is one day organised. Now for the other 5.
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Old Jul 24th, 2007, 04:14 AM
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>- Now for the other 5. -<

The most enjoyable (IMO) aspects of Provence are to be found in the Luberon, Vaucluse and Dentelles areas.

Unfortunately, your base of Uzès is not very central to those locales. For instance, the "Luberon" is essentially an about 60km long east-west mountain. These will all be fairly long day trips.
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Old Jul 24th, 2007, 06:25 AM
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I've just been thinking a bit more about this, as I might have been a bit harsh about Avignon.

But first about Uzès: you'll love it. The Saturday market will be in full swing in October, and you will easily spend a couple of hours browsing. The food and higher-end crafts are on sale in Place aux Herbes and the streets leading into it. Less expensive goods (some of which look like they "fell off the back of a truck") are offered along the boulevard that circles around the central core of the town. Uzès is peaceful and beautiful in October sunlight; you'll probably find yourself returning every day to one of the cafés around Place aux Herbes.

TuckH makes a good point about your distance from the Luberon, but an excursion there would be worth the effort.

But as Patricia points out, Uzès is well situated for wonderful day trips. Pont-du-Gard is no more than 15 minutes away and can be seen on almost any one of your day trips. You could drive southwest and visit Nîmes or even Montpellier, and I agree completely with Particia's suggestion about an Aigues-Mortes, Camargue, and Arles excursion. You could also make a day trip that includes St-Rémy, the Alpilles, and Les Baux.

Another possibility is a day trip northeastward to Orange and the Côtes-du-Rhône vinyards. I'd recommend you get a map of the area and something like the Michelin Green guide and you'll find you can cobble together some excellent excursions. About the only direction I wouldn't recommend is west to Alès, which has to be one of the dullest and dustiest towns in all of France.

Now back to Avignon: there are a couple of noteworthy sites, including the Palais des Papes and the Pont St-Bénézet. It's just that the city does not have the atmosphere of Arles, Nîmes, or Aigues-Mortes, not to mention the charm of Uzès.

Anselm
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Old Jul 24th, 2007, 02:48 PM
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Thanks Anselm. I now realise in hindsight that Uzes is going to be a bit further to travel from each day, but have made booking and paid deposits so we will just have to manage.

We are used to driving long distances so hopefully won't be a problem.
I really would like to visit the viaduct at Millau and the gorges in that area. I know that it will be a long drive to get there but maybe we could stay the night to make the most of this area. There are so many places I want to visit there. For eg.

Clermont-L’Herault, Gignac, Aniane, grotte de Clamousse, St Guilhem le desert,la couvertoirade, Chaos de Montpellier le vieux,grotte de Dargilan,point Sublime, La Malene, La Canourgue.

There are a lot more but I know t will be impossible to get to them all. Has anyone any suggestions on a 2 day trip to these places.Or is there some that I could leave out.
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Old Jul 24th, 2007, 03:04 PM
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You will be so close to Arles. You should see the museum Arleten, depicting the Arles life -style over the centuries. It was started by Mistral and is situated in a sixteenth century palace.
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Old Jul 24th, 2007, 03:12 PM
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not should, but consider.
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Old Jul 24th, 2007, 03:15 PM
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>- Has anyone any suggestions on a 2 day trip to these places.-<

I'd offer that you head towards the Gorges du Tarn by way of Florac with an overnight in Ste-Enimie. Then follow the Gorge until you reach Millau and view the Viaduct from various points before entering the autoroute at 45 to drive across it. Return to Uzès by way of St Guilhem le Désert and Sommières.
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Old Jul 24th, 2007, 03:44 PM
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On your drive from Collioure to Uzes on Sat, I thought you had decided to stop at the Pezenas market to break up the drive. It's really a nice market - has antiques also.

I also suggested in your prior post that you NOT try to make it all the way from Collioure to Uzes to get there by the time the market starts to close - which will be difficult. It's a difficult (you'll be driving with the sun in your face) 3 hr drive, and the traffic around Uzes is heavy on market day, and parking is extremely difficult (we were there 5 weeks ago). If you get to the market anytime after 11:30, the vendors will start to break down their stalls and "close up". You would have to leave around 7 from Collioure, and hope that there are not any "deviations" along the way (50% chance there will be at least one).

Pezenas is slightly over 1 1/2 hrs from Collioure, and after the market you could visit the Clamouse cave (does not close for lunch), St Guilhem, and perhaps even the grotte du Demoiselle, and then head to Uzes on the more picturesque back roads (the A9 is not very scenic).

If I were visiting Provence for the first time, I would certainly not want to dash to the Uzes market, then check into my hotel, get comfortable, then the next morning visit the Avignon market, and then the l'Isle sur la Sorgue market, and then the Luberon. As others have said, the food/craft portion of the l'Isle sur la Sorgue market closes at noon.

Slow down !!!!!

Stu Dudley
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