VILLA COURONNE

The heated swimming pool (salt water, 8x4) is wonderful refreshing during hot summer days. The heating ensures a pleasant water temperature in the spring and fall. The swimming pool is available from the end of March up to October. There is an outdoor shower of which the water is heated by the sun. There are six sun beds around the pool. The swimming pool and the surrounding terraces have been completely renovated since February 2020.

Preferably no smoking in the swimmingpool area.

On the ground floor you will find the cosy living room with fireplace for cold evenings in the fall and winter. The living room has sliding doors to a veranda. One of the three bedrooms is on the ground floor. This double room has 2 single beds (90x200) that can be joined together to form one big bed. Furthermore, on the ground floor there is a spacious bathroom, a small dining room and with two steps you enter the fully equipped kitchen. The kitchen has sliding doors to the garden. Via the kitchen you enter the utility room with washing machine and dryer.
If you rent the villa for two people, you only use the ground floor.

No smoking allowed in Villa Couronne.

On the renovated first floor there are two bedrooms and a small modern bathroom. The master bedroom is spacious with a large double bed (180x200). This room has a nice balcony on which you can enter through sliding doors and a large wardrobe to store your luggage.
The small but attractive second bedroom has 2 single beds (90x200) that can be joined together and has enough storage space. All rooms have shutters to keep the heat out as much as possible.
Fans are available.

The house is located on the edge of the village in a protected forest area called the 'Font Froide' (cold water source). Villa Couronne therefore has a large shady forest garden with various cosy seating areas, including a large garden table with many chairs. For the entertainment of young and old, we have created an outdoor table tennis area. Bats and balls are available. Barbecuing is permitted in designated parts of the garden. Be vigilant with fire in this arid region.
With only a handful of houses nearby, you can fully enjoy the tranquillity of the garden while you can look up the liveliness of Uzès in no time.

Historical center

Villa Couronne is located about 2 kilometres from the historic centre of Uzès, a middle-sized city in the south of France. Uzès is cherished by its inhabitants. This is reflected in the streets, the buildings, the shops, the restaurants and the international society. There is plenty to do throughout the year and Uzès is even vivid in the winter. In spring and summer it can be very busy, but the liveliness suits Uzès.

Tip: Visit the weekly market on Saturday during the tourist season early in the day, for example at 8 a.m. You not only avoid the heat but also the crowds.

Vineyards

Just a few kilometres from Villa Couronne are the vineyards of Collines du Bourdic and its winery. Walks through the vineyard are organized weekly and the winery has two well-stocked tasting rooms, one in Bourdic and the other in Saint Maximine. You may buy these delicious wines at an attractive discount offered by Villa Couronne. Upon your arrival at the house you will receive the necessary voucher (including a delicious bottle of wine).

Hiking/Walks

With Villa Couronne as your start, you can make beautiful walks in the area. These can be relaxing to one of the villages in the area or into the garrigues, but also challenging through the Gorges du Gardon. The route directions in this part of France are good and indicated with yellow signs. There is also a hiking map in the house. Take this along on your hiking trail.

Bread & groceries

In the mornings you can buy your bread in Arpaillargues-et-Aureillac, a small village just around the corner. Only a 5-minute drive by car, but also a great distance for a pleasant half-hour morning walk through the woods. Here you will also find Chateau d 'Arpaillargues where you can dine very well and romantically. You can buy groceries in Montaren at a very well-equipped Intermarché. This village is approximately 3 kilometers from Villa Couronne in the direction of the Harras. .

The Gardon

The Gardon River and Gorges du Gardon are a 10-minute drive from Villa Couronne. For a refreshing swim, park the car in Collias. From there you walk to the river via stairs. There is always enough water in this part of the river, which is why it is often quite busy with sun lovers. If you want to avoid this, take a walk to the left or right for a more quiet and idyllic spot. The water in the river is not deep but it is nice and cool on hot days.
In some parts you can swim and the children jump into the water from a good height. In other parts the river is dry and you walk through the riverbed.

Vallee de l'Eure

The Vallee de L'Eure is a beautiful green valley with a refreshing stream where you can walk, exercise and relax. In the spring, around Easter, local residents picnic here. The valley is located in the east of Uzès and is easily accessible by stairs. Please note that the access to those stairs are the same as the direction of the public swimming pool. The entrance can easily be missed.
The Vallee de L'Eure is also the starting point of the water route that supplied the city of Nimes with water via the Pont du Gard (1st century AC).

Uzès

Uzès is a lively town just 2 km from Villa Couronne with, especially in the summer, many tourists. It is located in the Gard department and in the Occitanie region. There are many nice restaurants and pleasant terraces. In the centre of the town you will find the romantic Place aux Herbes where the market is held twice a week.
Throughout the year there are numerous activities such as music festivals in June, truffle festivities in January, fêtes Votives in August, etc. For a full program, I refer you to the ‘l'office du tourisme’.

Market

The market of Uzès is an experience in itself. Wednesday is the smaller market with local products, especially food. On Saturday the region turns out and there is a large market spread throughout the historic centre. There are still many local products on offer (delicious!) But also many typical French gadgets such as soaps, pottery, linen / lace, etc.
The flea market is on Sundays (at the rugby courts). Less attractive in the summer than the rest of the year due to the range on offer. The French sell everything there!
TIP: The market on Saturdays is very busy and also very hot in the summer. Do as the French do and go early in the day at 8 o'clock. You will then enjoy it even more.

Ceramics

Saint-Quentin-la-Poterie is about 5 kilometres from Uzès, a must-see for ceramics enthusiasts. This village has a long history as a ceramic village and houses a large number of ceramists who are happy to open their studios for you. In July (around July 14) there is a European festival, for which renowned artists are invited. In August there is a biennial of young ceramists.

Truffle festival

The third weekend of January is traditionally the truffle festival in Uzès. That weekend the truffle is celebrated in every way imaginable. Renowned chefs are invited to come and cook with the harvest of that year, you can taste, smell and enjoy. The truffle traditionally grows at the root of the oak tree. These are present in abundance at Villa Couronne!!

Avignon

Avignon is a 45-minute drive from Villa Couronne. This wonderfully lively city is certainly worth a visit. The main attraction of Avignon is the historic centre itself. The centre is surrounded by a wall of more than four kilometres with seven gates. The old centre of Avignon consists of attractive houses, narrow streets and some beautiful squares with terraces and restaurants/eateries. The entire centre of Avignon is on the UNESCO World Heritage List. The famous Cultural Festival is in July. The city is then buzzing a little extra.

Montpellier

Montpellier is just over an hour's drive from Villa Couronne. It is a noticeable University-city (1 in 5 inhabitants is a student) with many pleasant terraces and bars/pubs to go to. Montpellier offers the ideal combination of city and beach because it is close to the Mediterranean Sea. Ideal to visit in combination with a day on the beach.
In the city there are various sights that you can admire. Stroll through the picturesque streets of the old centre, enjoy the terraces of la Place de la Comédie, sniff culture in the Musée Fabre and completely unwind in the botanical Jardin des Plantes.

Beach

The beach at L'Espiquette is wide, large and has a dynamic sea with waves and dunes. It is busy on the beach but you hardly notice it due to its size. The first part is the 'textile part' where you will find all ages and family compositions. Walking a bit further to your left is the naturist part which is also very well cared of. On the beach you can easily spend a day without getting bored. There are some facilities such as a beach bar and sellers of refreshments (“chouchou, beignets, boissons fraiche”). The beach has paid parking but no shower!

Cascades

The Cascades du Sautadet are an hour's drive from Villa Couronne. They are magnificent: unprecedented natural beauty and wonderfully fresh swimming water. The government has made good access to water possible in various places. But, be careful because accidents happen regularly, unfortunately mostly due to carelessness.
The nearby small village La Roque sur Ceze is a historic village that is beautifully preserved and world heritage.

Camargue

The Camargue is a rugged region where the influence of sun, sea and water is clearly visible and palpable. I am always impressed by this environment with its black muscly bulls, wild horses and flamingos. Allow yourself the peace and quiet to discover the nature of the Camargue and also visit villages such as Aigues Mortes, Le Grau-du-Roi and St Marie de la Mer.
In the summer period you can visit Camarguaise tournaments/festivals where you can see the cooperation between bull, horse and man (gardians) live.

Dinner in Uzès

Dinner in one of the restaurants in Uzès (or surroundings) is a treat. There are numerous restaurants that are generally of good quality. If you go for a cosy holiday meal then you should visit Place aux Herbes. This central square in the historic centre is full of terraces where you can eat well at a friendly price. My personal favourite is Terroirs! Here you only eat products from the Uzès area that are also for sale in the associated shop.
If you visit the small streets, D'ici et d'ailleurs is a must-go because of the fusion French / Middl- East cuisine, this in combination with the attractive terrace.
Information cards for restaurants worth visiting are present in Villa Couronne. You can always call for advice (If I do not answer; I am there myself).

Neil - Augustus 2019

Our stay at Villa Couranne was absolutely fantastic!! We Had an amazing 3 week stay, and can highly recommend this holiday home in Uzes in the South of France. We will miss jumping in the swimming pool on a hot day and there were plenty of hot days ! The pool is amazing with steps in at the shallow end for the kids and plenty of sun loungers around the pool to dry off and sunbathe. The Villa was perfect for our family of 5 with 3 large bedrooms, 2 bathrooms ( 1 downstairs) , and a spacious stylish downstairs area with a large lounge and a separate dining area and kitchen. The characterful kitchen is very well equipped and had everything we needed and the utility room with washer and dryer was a big help too. When we arrived we were met by Vincent who represented the Owners Mabel and Ivo. Vincent showed us around the property inside and outside and showed us where things were and how things worked, this was a great help to us( we also got free wine on arrival!) Vincent was a gentleman to our whole family and was very friendly and funny guide during our tour and Vincent called to Villa Couronne a few times over our holiday to see us and the whole family will miss him greatly ( thank you Vincent) Uzes is a 2 minute drive away and is a stunning town with amazing architecture and has many shops, bars and restaurants to spend a relaxing day in. We visited Pont du Gard and highly recommend a visit to this amazing Roman aqueduct , We also went to Mont Serein in the Alps, Nimes and plenty of vineyards that surround the area! We will miss Villa Couronne very much and would like to say a big thank you to Mabel and Ivo for letting us stay and we look forward to staying there again! Merci beaucoup!