Discover Uzès: Architecture, Markets and Walking Routes

Uzès combines distinctive architectural history with collections about the town, a medieval-style botanical garden, a long-established market and a range of outdoor routes. If you are considering Uzès as a destination for a hotel stay, specific differences can help you decide what to focus on: several periods at the château, ceramics at the museum, a route with two length options, and seasonal visiting conditions for other attractions. This can help you decide in advance whether you would like to plan around architecture, local crafts, market life or a route.

Château, Museum and Towers

The Ducal Château, known as “Le Duché,” was built on an ancient castrum, a Roman camp. Its architecture combines elements from the Middle Ages, the Renaissance, the Age of Enlightenment and modern times. This provides a specific point of reference if you are interested in different architectural periods.

The Tour Fenestrelle tells a different architectural story: it was built between the 12th and 13th centuries as the bell tower of Saint-Théodorit Cathedral. Its cylindrical shape is considered unique in France. The two buildings therefore offer different points of interest for comparison: the château, with its several periods and ancient castrum, and the Fenestrelle, with its original function as a bell tower and distinctive shape.

The Musée Georges Borias is housed in the former 17th-century bishop’s palace. Its archaeological, historical and craft collections explore Uzès’s past and writers associated with the town, including Racine and Gide. One particular focus is the pottery of the Uzège: the museum highlights pottery from Saint-Quentin and pieces made by the Pichon manufactory in Uzès. You can therefore see both Saint-Quentin ceramics and work from an Uzès manufactory as specific examples of local crafts. Guided tours are available by prior reservation in French, English and Italian. If you plan to take a tour, check the reservation requirements in advance.

Garden, Views and Market

The Jardin Médiéval d’Uzès is designated a “Jardin remarquable” and is located in a historic prison building overlooked by two 12th-century towers. The botanical garden is designed in a medieval style and contains around 450 labelled plants. Visitors can focus on both the design and the plant collection. After climbing more than 100 steps, the Tour du Roi offers panoramic views of Uzès and its surroundings; the steps are a specific point to bear in mind when planning your visit.

The Wednesday producers’ market offers seasonal fruit and vegetables, cheese, wine, olive oil and other regional foods from around 60 producers. Place aux Herbes has been the centre of Uzès’s markets since the 13th century. So as well as the current weekly market, you can experience the town’s long market history. As the schedule and range of products may change, check the Wednesday details before your visit.

Circular Routes and Guided Experiences

The waymarked “Sentier de la Vallée de l’Eure – Table d’orientation” circular hiking route is 6.1 kilometres long and rated easy. A 3-kilometre shortcut skips the climb to the orientation table. You can therefore compare the two options by distance and whether they include the climb. A guided route to the Roman spring of Eure has 60 metres of elevation gain and follows a path for part of the way. If you are considering this route, take both details into account when planning.

A guided tour of the Roman spring includes the catchment basin, which is closed to the public, as well as the first archaeological remains of the Roman aqueduct. The “Parcours vert” orienteering course offers two routes rated easy: one in the Vallée de l’Eure and one in the Parc du Duché. Their different locations give you a specific choice within this offering, without requiring you to follow a particular route or assume the two routes share a course.

From September to June, you can explore the Haras national d’Uzès independently with an audio guide during opening hours. As visits are limited to this period and the opening hours, check the times before planning your visit. Another self-guided option is the Wivisites app audio tour: it takes you through Uzès’s historic centre and offers geolocated content and historical anecdotes. If you would like to use the app, check its availability in advance.

Discover more destinations: Villeneuve-Lès-Avignon, Goudargues, Sardan, Générargues, Lamelouze, Tavel, Fons, Saint-Julien-Les-Rosiers.

For the wider travel overview: Gard.