Summer in the South of France Part II: Uzès and beyond
Everywhere we explored, dined and stayed in during the second part of our trip, including the former home belonging to Christian Dior's father and then sister, who inspired his 'Miss Dior' perfume
Welcome to another edition of The Insider and the second and final part of everything we got up to in the south of France: where we stayed, dined and explored, before we officially say goodbye to summer in the northern hemisphere and I turn my attention to autumn. If you’re planning a trip next year, here’s my low-dow of some of the best places to stay and visit for good food, markets and design.
Usually we spend our holidays moving from place to place, accommodation to accommodation to see as much as physically possible, but after Bali last August and Egypt in March (which were incredible, yet action-packed), this summer I wanted to take things a little more leisurely. So during our two weeks, I booked eight nights in the same Airbnb just outside of Uzès, a still slightly under the radar (in my opinion) medieval town in the Gard and a place we visited two years ago and fell in love with. And what a game-changer it was to spend a week in one place. I actually felt like I'd relaxed for the first time in years; I lounged in the courtyard garden or by the river and I read. (To me a holiday isn’t a holiday, unless I read at least one book). Plus we went back to an area that we already know, so we were not rushing around trying to discover something new every day. Of course, being someone who has an insatiable travel appetite, I couldn’t sit still for long, so we also took a couple of day trips to explore a few places in the surrounding area.
It feels like a world away now as I look out of the window at looming grey clouds, but writing about our trip is proving to be a lovely exercise in appreciation of what we saw and enjoyed this summer. I hope you enjoy it to. So onto our itinerary and lots more recommendations!
One of the things I’d recommend when visiting the south of France is to plan your trip around