One of the countries of Europe and lined by three major water bodies is the country of France.
While there are many landscapes in the whole of the country, special attention has been paid to the construction of man-made parks.
There is no scarcity of natural parks as well. Mainly an agricultural economy, France is very famous for its perfumes, cosmetics and wines.
The best part about the country is the open skies and fresh breeze that would make you feel divine. Located in the South of France, is the Small Townof Uzes in the Gard Department of France.
Somehow there are many towers here in this area; the famous ones being the Bermonde Tower, the Bishop Tower and the Royal tower.
Originally, an administrative settlement, this town lies at the source of Eure which was earlier built to supply water to the Nimes.
A premier title in the history and peerage of France is the Dukes of Uzes, which has been bestowed upon the family of Crussol de Uzes.
The present area still retains the remains of the walls that once surrounded this settlement. It is very famous for its Markets which sell almost anything that could please your eye. The Church of Uzes was demolished first in the Albigensian crusade and it was rebuilt.
After being demolished again in the French Revolution, it was reconstructed in the 17th century. Uzes is also world recognized for its Serges.
There are many luxury hotels and lodges in the area but the place is best explored when you try to mix with the local customs and traditions here.
Also, try relishing the local food. You would have lifelong memories of tasting, liking and disliking their local cuisines here.
In order to connect with a place, you have to be comfortable. You cannot stay cooped up in your hotel room and enjoy your vacation too.
Best time to visit Uzes ?
The best months to visit the south of France are between February and June every year and if you feel like enjoying the winters, visit the place from the mid of August till the mid of November to enjoy the place in its full throttle.
Best things to do in Uzes France
These are my favorite things to do and beautiful places to visit on your next holiday to Uzes .
Promo Vinum
Very famous for its tasty wines and delicious meats, people passionate about wines and non-vegetarian delights should visit this place for culinary experiences.
It is located just around the main part of Uzes in Saint Quentin Poterie . Hiring a good guide for this tour is a must.
It is only a good guide who would let you know about this place in full depth and acquaint you with the history associated with each location.
Visiting good wineries is a must in Uzes.
While you may want to try the traditional wine tasting here, having a meal here is like being treated as a king.
Royal cuisines and royal choices line the table where ever you go in Promo Vinum .
The best part is that people here also speak English and you would have no problems in communicating your concerns to them.
The best way to have fun here is to form a large group and then relish the natural beauty and wines of this place.
While you may the option of spending a nice evening out with your beloved in the quiet and serene locales, you could also choose to have fun with all your friends together.
Though this place is not always crowded, the best way to save yourself from any inconveniences is to make advance bookings for your tour to this place.
While wine tasting is a skill that can be mastered over the years, but here you can actually learn wine tasting while you are spending leisure time with your friends and family.
If you enjoy long walks and ruffling leaves around you then you should be heading to the Medieval Garden after this.
My favorite stuff to do in Uzes
The Medieval Garden
Consider this to be the modern recreation situated in the ruins and remains of the 12the century Precinct.
The Medieval Garden is a sight to see. You would never have seen plants so beautifully segregated and demarcated.
The Garden is divided into three portions. The first one is a herbarium, basically the area where the medicinal plants grow.
The second portion is the Hortus or the area where they grow vegetables and their hybrid varieties along with the rare species of some vegetables also.
The third part is a random little corner which is used for growing toxic plants and funny vegetation which is mainly used in Witchcraft.
That should not scare you because Witchcraft has since been abandoned in France but the local practices and festivals are still prevalent in the area.
While this has been named as the Garden, this place can actually be considered a rearing and fruiting farm of vegetation and fruits used for various purposes.
You may also come across the rare flower called ‘Pensee Sauvage’. A pansy of course the name in English translated to ‘a suave Thought’.
Now that is some name of a flower! While some of the colours and the mixes will blow your mind, you may actually be able to learn the usage of herbs in treating common ailments.
A must visit for the nature lovers’ this place should be on your schedule once you arrive in Uzes France.
Fun things to do in Uzes
Truffles of Uzes
Known for its Oasis of the nature, Truffles of Uzes are located on the outskirts of Uzes.
It is spread on almost fifteen acres of land and had been covered in a plantation dedicated to natural environment and foliage.
Plantation o truffle attracts the visitors from global locations.
The tours to this place are usually led by Michael Tournayre, who is a third generation trafficulturist and he makes sure this tour of your holiday becomes the turning point of the vacation.
The most important to note is the first hand experience of the Mediterranean Environment here.
The young plantations of the truffles can be seen very closely and you may also wish to stay back and hang around a little more, if this subject seems to be interesting to you.
There are good places to eat, drink and relax around this area. So once you have finished the tour, you may want to settle for a hearty meal in the basking sun.
Taste the local wines available here. The entire range from the sparkling to clear red and white wines will leave your taste buds immersed with aroma and the taste of the wines would linger on for long.
This place is open throughout the year and if too tired, you could relax in the shade of a huge, half a century old, oak tree as well.
Totally dedicated to Truffle, this place is considered to be a heaven for the Truffle lovers and does not let you think of anything beyond.
A tour to this place is a must to see the lovely truffles being grown and the then understand the process of producing the edible truffle from the raw products.
While this tour is informative majorly, the sheer calm and quiet of this place make you connect with yourself a bit more and you always feel like coming back for some time.
Popular Uzes tourist attractions
Musee De BonBon
The Haribo museum is built in a very pleasant place which is quite close to the Water mills famous throughout the south of France.
This museum was built by Hand Riegel who is also the founder of this museum.
While this museum is relatively new, and was opened in 1996, this place is the historical hub of Uzes and in fact quite a lot about the history of France can be found here.
This place is famous for the historical facts and documentation that has been kept here. The best displays are of the vintage ads that had been published.
If you are looking for the history of Bonbons, liquorice, wines and rare fruits, then here you have found a treasure.
The historical posters, the historical journals make you traverse the time and transport you to the earlier eras of around and before the French revolution.
Paying a tribute to the history of France, this location is just apt for a quiet day to study the roots of the place you have been visiting for the last few days.
While the adults enjoy this place because of the rare historical gems that you are exposed to in this place, the children are hooked because of the Haribo gold bears which are made.
Manufactured with special casting machines, the Musee De Bonbon is famous for its sweets and confectionaries that are made.
There are candies for all age groups and the methods that are used to make this world famous relish are totally demonstrated here.
Your mouth would water seeing the fresh Haribos. Adults and children alike take a fancy to this place and keep coming back again and again for the freebies and complimentary gifts.
So if not for anything else, but if you are looking for this some free haribos to chew through the day, you have to be making many visits to this place.
What else to do in Uzes ?
Arena of Nimes
Built in 70 AD, this place is located in the French City of Nimes.
The Arena of Nimes is an age old Amphitheatre which has been made on the Roman architectural lines and it was used as a Bull ring after it was remodeled in 1863.
With a length of 133 meters and 101 meters wide, it is circular in shape and is very famous for its bull fights.
The seating capacity can accommodate around 16300 spectators all at one time and if certain adjustments are made, a lot more than this number can be seated.
One of the most preserved and maintained Amphitheaters of the world;
Arena of Nimes is now a social hub for the people.
Earlier in the royal times people would sit here according to their social status and rankings in the society.
The bull fights may have been the most common sport, but many convicts were made to fight ferocious animals and hungered tigers to get rid of their convictions.
Most of the times this would end up being a very gory scene! Also during the major wars, this place was used to hide people and seek refuge from the warring communities outside the arena.
It was later used as an establishment for many villages within its walls.
The grandeur that it has today, was achieved much later and to day millions of people go to visit this place to see what it must have been when the arena would go berserk seeing a mad bull charging at a lean bull fighter wearing red.
Is Uzes worth visiting?
The answer is Yes. Uzes is worth visiting. This is because it is such a magical place
full of beauty and adventours.
Make sure you visit the following stunning place:
Brasserie Artisanale Meduz
If Craft beer is what you like, then this place is what should be your home.
This brewery Meduz or the Brasserie Artisanale Meduz is located in Uzes and is the Craft beer lovers paradise.
Famous for its manufacture and sale of craft beers, this place is the epitome of relaxation.
Brewery Meduz was made in 2012 and the main aim of consuming and manufacture of Craft Beers if for relaxation.
Used as a strong proven working tool for distressing and relaxation, this factory is opened for public viewing only upon reservations made prior and requests made for a visit.
Opened throughout the year, you can relish the beers on the open terrace area and can also see the different stages of the production and manufacture of beers.
What else to see in Uzes ?
Duchy of Uzes
Built upon an old Roman Camp, this Duchy of Uzes became the residential palace of the Governor sometime after its construction.
Constructed in wood, this property was sold and now became a national heritage site. Bad times during the revolution made a lot of people sell their assets as a bargain for being alive.
And this is what The Governor did. He sold the place to the country against a protection for this life and property.
After immense misuse by the people, this place became a school and was bought back from the town to which it had been sold earlier.
This place is also the home to the legendary Andre the Giant. The entry fees to see this place depends on the Age Bracket you fall in and the entry is open throughout the year except during the Christmas.
If you wish to explore a bit deeper about the Duchy of Uzes, this is the place you should be visiting to have complete information about the histories and legends surrounding this place.
Popular places to visit in Uzes
Le Jardin des Oules
Has got a special name and it means a “Remarkable Garden’’. This name was awarded to this place by the Ministry of Culture and communication.
The owner of this Garden invested heavily for five years before this name was awarded to the Garden as a national symbol.
Becoming the 12th remarkable Garden of the Languedoc Roussillon Region, this place is a major tourist attraction and has a lot of footfall visitors.
Many of the shows and conferences in Uzes are held here due to the composition and integration of this site.
The quality of communication and documentation, the botanical interest of this Garden, and the services which are provided to the environment are the main reasons why this Garden was awarded by the ministries.
So visit this place and see for yourself – why this garden seems to be so special? Some thing about this has to be unique for sure!
Things to do around Uzes
La Framiere Wine Truck
Was started by two people in the southern Rhone of France.
A vintage Citroen which has been converted from a horse trailer to a moving Roving Bar, this is one of the major tourist attractions in this place.
Usually, moving around in the summers, the people take this truck to the market and public spots and to some specific events also.
It stations itself at different places and in famous for its collection of wines and food that you can relish.
They have chosen a medieval village of Castillon Du Gard, where you can enjoy the evenings with wines and delicious food.
Even if you are organizing an event in the city, you can ask them to come and help you serve your invitees better.
So now you do not need to fret for the summers because having wines will cool you down.
Must see places in Uzes
French Cookery School in Uzes
Located in the heart of the settlement, this is one school which will make a good cook out of you in no time.
France is quite famous around the world for its cuisines and this is one school that spills out all the magic Ingredients of the recipes.
Besides the culinary delights and methods of the older ages, you can enroll in to learn a few tricks and snicks of cooking.
They tutor for wine tasting and all the cookery classes are seasonal depending upon the fruits and vegetables available.
So if cooking is what you enjoy, you should certainly spend some time here.
France may look very polished and expensive, but the fact that is omnipresent is that the place is actually very warm and cozy. The people love and greet you with utmost affection.
Helpful in behavior, this country welcomes you into it.
While you may have the huge cities buzzing with high speed lives and glittery evenings, France also has some very quiet corners to it.
So plan your trip now and see the best of the most tourist friendly countries in the world.