Yesterday we set off to see one of the world’s wonderous sites – Pont de Gard – an incredible feat of Roman engineering set in acres of outstanding natural surroundings. The Pont is located between Remoulins and Vers-Pont du Gard so we head to Remoulins, in the Languedoc-Roussillon region.
A UNESCO World Heritage site, the Pont du Gard is also classified as a Grand Site de France and is visited by more than a million people a year. Fortunately for us, we are visiting out of tourist season so when we arrive at the site I wonder if we are at the right spot as there are so few cars.
The €18 per car covers entrance fees for all passengers plus the parking. We follow the directions walking along an avenue with beautiful autumn trees and then we see it – the Pont. It is truly an impressive and beautiful construction, much larger than I had imagined and in amazing condition.
The Pont is an aqueduct built by the Romans in the first century AD and the highest Roman aqueduct in the world, at 49 metres high, and it is 360 metres long at its longest point at the top level. It has three rows of arches (six on the first level, 11 on the second and 47 along the top). For five centuries it supplied running water to the city of Nimes.
We walk along the Gardon river it straddles until we can get a good look up close at the beautiful soft yellow limestone arches. We go back up the river banks to reach the stairs to the middle level and walk across, stopping to pause at the beautiful views looking upstream and down.
There are lovely surroundings ideal for a picnic which we wish we had thought to bring. There are several caves in the area, one close to the right bank of the Pont, that have evidence of prehistoric life.
Unexpected and enchanting Uzes
We can’t find anything open for lunch so head off on a whim 18km to Uzes as I had seen a sign on the way and recall reading somewhere that it is a nice place to visit.
When we arrive there we discover that was an understatement. Uzes, which is about 20 km from Avignon, is in fact a truly beautiful medieval town with a maze of small streets and shaded squares lined with 17th and 18th century private residences, encircled by the Boulevard Gambetta.
We find a tiny restaurant for lunch with a delightful host very happy to guide us on our choices from the small menu which features duck in a variety of different guises in both the entree and main courses. Over lunch he tells us that Uzes has a small Australian community of around 20 who come every year for a few months over the summer.
Afterwards we take a walk down the narrow streets and find ourselves in the lovely Places aux Herbes where we admire the archway arcades and outdoor restaurants. Here and along the neighboring streets apparently a market with a great reputation takes place every Saturday.
Three imposing towers dominate the town – the king’s tower, the only remains of a long gone chateau, the bishop’s tower and the ducal tower also called the Bermonde tower. The latter is part of the ducal palace.
Further exploration around the old streets reveals some magnificent 17th and 18th century bourgeoisie residences, delightful specialty shops and art galleries.
I later read that the town is named after the Duke of Uzes who inherited the title of the First Duke and Peer of France after the execution of the Duke of Montmorency in 1632 for rebellion. Ever since, the town of Uzes has held the title of “1st Duchy of France”. The chateau has remained the residence of the ducal family for over a thousand years.
We head back to L’Isle-sur-la-Sorgue driving through rich autumn shades of vineyards and tree-lined avenues glowing in the rosy light of the late afternoon sun. We hit Friday night peak traffic around Avignon but it is a small price to pay for the day’s delights.