On a recent travel adventure in North Africa, my partner Jenny and I met some Brits who told us about the wonders of Uzes in France. Google provided an insight into this small medieval village; it is located about 25km north-east of Nimes and about 30km west of Avignon, with a population of about 10,000. This village dates back to Roman times and the remains of a first century Roman aqueduct in the town – which supplied water to Nimes 2000 years ago, and is part of the nearby famous Pont Du Gard – draws about 1.3 million tourists each year. We were excited to make this town a central point in our eight-day stay last year.
We researched the many Airbnb accommodation options, which allow you to pay only after your stay, and finally settled on a second-storey apartment – with stairs and a dumb waiter for luggage – right beside the Place Aux Herbes, the town centre. It was advertised as a “Super flat in the heart of historic Uzes”, and had everything one would need for a long stay: one bedroom, a kitchen, living area, bathroom, laundry and balcony (ideal for pre dinner drinks). The cost was about $100 per night, including cleaning and admin charges. The instructions were clear and we communicated with the owner a few times about local area information. We picked up a key from a local shop and the place was our home for a week. And it really felt like home during that time.
Image: market day in Place Aux Herbes
We hired a car at the TVG train station in Avignon after a three-hour fast service from Paris. Every day we would drive to surrounding attractions. We parked five minutes away in an underground car park for about 5 Euro per day on a weekly pass. There were early morning walks to the local Boulangerie for freshly baked baguettes & pastries for brekkie – it doesn’t get much better than that. We had absolutely no problems with our Airbnb. It was seamless from start to finish. Considering the comparative cost for a hotel room, this was a bargain.
What a buzz to walk out your front door to the square, with its many terrace cafes and surrounding arcades. And with balmy nights for al fresco dining, this was heaven on a stick.
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