Oozing Old-World Romance

Stepping away from the glittering beaches of the French Riviera, Punita Malhotra visits Uzes, a town with history and beauty etched into limestone

- Punita Malhotra

The drive to Uzès at the edge of the Languedoc-Roussillon region is a stark contrast from the sparkle and sizzle of the French Riviera. Missing are the beach babes, the fast cars, the snazzy nightclubs, the high-rolling casinos and the jet-setting yachts. Instead, the horizon melts into an ethereal, endless canvas of lush vineyards. Fragrant lavender fields, cheerful summer sunflowers, and delicious olive groves meet the eye. Luscious farms studded with fresh vegetables, fruits, herbs, and truffle invite the connoisseur. Shady canopies of plane trees, long, winding roads, and eternal blue skies offer rest and solace to the travel-weary soul. And old-world romance beckons from the cobbled maze of medieval stone villages that sprinkle the charming countryside. Rural Provence is a giant masterpiece of Cézanne, Picasso, or Van Gogh come to life, and Uzès is a delightfully understated introduction into this region.

You sense the unmistakable Roman touch here, as you pass under the shadow of Cathédrale Saint-Theodorit. The adjacent bell tower takes all the credit for that. The cylindrical Romanesque structure with six levels and delicate arched windows could have been twinning with Pisa but for the missing tilt. As you stare into miles of gorgeous countryside from the large terrace balcony, consider this—4,000 sq m of the legendary lost Roman city of Ucetia is buried next door. Does this fact urge the explorer in you?