Postcards from Uzes and Paris
Sep 30th, 2005 | 05:33 PM
#1
Original Poster
Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 55
Likes: 0
Postcards from Uzes and Paris
With thanks to the many Fodorites who have given us their knowledge and advice to make us confident enough to take off on our own.
19 August 2005
Up early for our flight on Ryanair from Stansted to Nimes. Collected our car from Hertz and headed to Arles to fill in the day, before heading to Uzes. We enjoyed all the sights that we could find of Van Goghs’ paintings. Very warm and very crowded town.
Arrived in Uzes with great instructions to our apartment. Only problem, they had changed our first street to a –one way- in the opposite direction! After several attempts to find our way, we parked the car and walked to the apartment. Collected our parking station keycard and went to park car. Machine “gobbled up” the keycard and we were stuck. Long story but a helpful lady, handled the rude parking station attendant and we eventually settled into apartment. (Might say here, this was the only rude person and only problem we encountered in France).(Bad luck it was our first day and us being exhausted)
The apartment is beautiful, second story with two little balconies. Looking onto the Duche of Uzes chateau and down the cobbled stoned street between Place aux Herbes and Place du Duche. Perfect position.
This evening went for a wander, the village looks beautiful with lights in all the trees and many restaurants, spilling into the squares and streets. Very busy.
20 August
Awoke early to hear the noises of the markets being set up, pigeons cooing and beautiful sunshine. Were surprised that besides the stall owners there were no others about.
Loved the markets, we were novices in a foreign country, but enjoyed the market day, buying lots of food and gifts. Lucky our apartment was so close because we went back and forth all day. Couldn’t believe how crowded the town was.
21 August
Awoke and realized we needed to change to Provence time. Spent the day discovering Uzes. A beautiful village with a huge castle, lovely big churches, lots of specialty shops and cafes. A large square with fountain, Place aux Herbes. Many narrow streets with beautiful ancient buildings. Restaurants everywhere.
22 August
Drove out into the country to Chateneuf du Pape, Isle sur la Sorgue and home via Avignon. I had lots of other destinations marked for today, but realized we couldn’t fit it all in.
23August
Went on tour of the Duche, walked to the top of the castle, great views all over Uzes and down onto our apartment.
In the afternoon took picnic to Pont du Gard. Lots of walking. Massive structure. Not much water, but people found enough to swim in. Sun sets after 7pm. In the evening there is always live music around the restaurants, luckily one is down below our apartment.
Getting too long so will complete later
19 August 2005
Up early for our flight on Ryanair from Stansted to Nimes. Collected our car from Hertz and headed to Arles to fill in the day, before heading to Uzes. We enjoyed all the sights that we could find of Van Goghs’ paintings. Very warm and very crowded town.
Arrived in Uzes with great instructions to our apartment. Only problem, they had changed our first street to a –one way- in the opposite direction! After several attempts to find our way, we parked the car and walked to the apartment. Collected our parking station keycard and went to park car. Machine “gobbled up” the keycard and we were stuck. Long story but a helpful lady, handled the rude parking station attendant and we eventually settled into apartment. (Might say here, this was the only rude person and only problem we encountered in France).(Bad luck it was our first day and us being exhausted)
The apartment is beautiful, second story with two little balconies. Looking onto the Duche of Uzes chateau and down the cobbled stoned street between Place aux Herbes and Place du Duche. Perfect position.
This evening went for a wander, the village looks beautiful with lights in all the trees and many restaurants, spilling into the squares and streets. Very busy.
20 August
Awoke early to hear the noises of the markets being set up, pigeons cooing and beautiful sunshine. Were surprised that besides the stall owners there were no others about.
Loved the markets, we were novices in a foreign country, but enjoyed the market day, buying lots of food and gifts. Lucky our apartment was so close because we went back and forth all day. Couldn’t believe how crowded the town was.
21 August
Awoke and realized we needed to change to Provence time. Spent the day discovering Uzes. A beautiful village with a huge castle, lovely big churches, lots of specialty shops and cafes. A large square with fountain, Place aux Herbes. Many narrow streets with beautiful ancient buildings. Restaurants everywhere.
22 August
Drove out into the country to Chateneuf du Pape, Isle sur la Sorgue and home via Avignon. I had lots of other destinations marked for today, but realized we couldn’t fit it all in.
23August
Went on tour of the Duche, walked to the top of the castle, great views all over Uzes and down onto our apartment.
In the afternoon took picnic to Pont du Gard. Lots of walking. Massive structure. Not much water, but people found enough to swim in. Sun sets after 7pm. In the evening there is always live music around the restaurants, luckily one is down below our apartment.
Getting too long so will complete later
Sep 30th, 2005 | 06:01 PM
#3
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 43,742
Likes: 4
You'll love Uzes, Tedgale. Say hi to the guy in the maison de la truffe Poterie Galtie shop. Tell him his emails don't work. Checkout the pottery shop. He loves jazz. Lunch at the Bistro du Grezac and dinner at Trois Salons.
Lyn I'm so happy you love this little town. I can never get enough. Waiting to hear more.
Lyn I'm so happy you love this little town. I can never get enough. Waiting to hear more.
Oct 1st, 2005 | 12:58 AM
#4
Original Poster
Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 55
Likes: 0
Hi tedgale
Purposely haven't recommended any restaurants, besides the fact that we didn't eat out a lot, there are so many, and walking around you get a feel for which one you like the look of and the menus are available for you to see whats on offer.
We enjoyed buying local food and cooking. We had quails and sardines from the market, not to mention the cheeses, olives, salad vegies. Duck, steak, cassoulet, snails, mussels and many cold meats from the supermarket. There are a couple in town or a big Carrefours on D98 south of Uzes. We enjoyed many wines, also bought from the supermarkets. Perhaps we were not very adventurous not eating out everynight, but we thoroughly enjoyed living the life in the village for the week.
As you would know the markets are on Saturday, they are huge and were very crowded later on in the morning, maybe not so bad in October, but one of our visitors had to park 600metres outside of town and walk in, it was so crowded.
There was also a growers market on Wednesday morning.
Lots of shops closed Mondays.
Enjoyed the tour of the Duches,would have been better if the guide shared a little more in English. We had a book to read from. Went to a Concert d'orgue at Cathedral St Theodorit one evening.
Hope you really enjoy your stay in Uzes.
Purposely haven't recommended any restaurants, besides the fact that we didn't eat out a lot, there are so many, and walking around you get a feel for which one you like the look of and the menus are available for you to see whats on offer.
We enjoyed buying local food and cooking. We had quails and sardines from the market, not to mention the cheeses, olives, salad vegies. Duck, steak, cassoulet, snails, mussels and many cold meats from the supermarket. There are a couple in town or a big Carrefours on D98 south of Uzes. We enjoyed many wines, also bought from the supermarkets. Perhaps we were not very adventurous not eating out everynight, but we thoroughly enjoyed living the life in the village for the week.
As you would know the markets are on Saturday, they are huge and were very crowded later on in the morning, maybe not so bad in October, but one of our visitors had to park 600metres outside of town and walk in, it was so crowded.
There was also a growers market on Wednesday morning.
Lots of shops closed Mondays.
Enjoyed the tour of the Duches,would have been better if the guide shared a little more in English. We had a book to read from. Went to a Concert d'orgue at Cathedral St Theodorit one evening.
Hope you really enjoy your stay in Uzes.
Oct 1st, 2005 | 05:09 AM
#5
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 5,119
Likes: 0
LynM, reading your posts makes the memories flood back ...
Early on a cool October morning we watched waiters bringing cups of coffee (on a tray, of course) to the stall owners as they set out their produce.
Was the fountain working in Place aux Herbes? Last time we were there it was turned off for maintenance, but on previous occasions we had watched the spray sparkle like diamonds in the sunlight.
Did you see the man who sells trout at the market? He has a tank of live fish; when someone wants to buy some, he nets one out, whacks it on the head with a wooden stick, and cleans it on a table top. He uses a shop-vac to vacuum away the fish guts!
tedgale, I'm going to add a couple more things to your other post about Uzès later today.
Anselm
Early on a cool October morning we watched waiters bringing cups of coffee (on a tray, of course) to the stall owners as they set out their produce.
Was the fountain working in Place aux Herbes? Last time we were there it was turned off for maintenance, but on previous occasions we had watched the spray sparkle like diamonds in the sunlight.
Did you see the man who sells trout at the market? He has a tank of live fish; when someone wants to buy some, he nets one out, whacks it on the head with a wooden stick, and cleans it on a table top. He uses a shop-vac to vacuum away the fish guts!
tedgale, I'm going to add a couple more things to your other post about Uzès later today.
Anselm
