The Pont du Gard
Dating from the 1st century AD, this wonderful aqueduct is the highest known Roman structure in the world and as such is recognized as an UNESCO world heritage site. It has a visitor centre and a museum with activities and information for the whole family since 2000. During summer, music festivals and firework displays of excellent quality take place in the site of the Pont du Gard.
Laudun-L’Ardoise
Laudun-L’Ardoise is a town of about 5,740 inhabitants, which dates back to Antiquity and moved into the valley in the High Middle Ages; abandoning the Camp de César Plateau. This 18 hectare site has a wonderful Roman oppidum whose ruins date from the iron age to High Antiquity. The discoveries (daily life objects, ceramics,…) are shown in the permanent exhibition rooms in the town hall. You will also find some monuments from the medieval period, as the church Notre-Dame-la-Neuve (14th-century) and the Château de Lascours.
The Féria des Vins is a festival held in Laudun from Saturday13th to Sunday 14th July 2013. You will discover an alliance of local wine traditions and bull running.
Mas Soleillan is a luxury rental near Laudun l’Ardoise.
Orange
About 30 minutes drive from Laudun-L’Ardoise, Orange is a large town which boasts a superb 2000 year-old Roman theatre, which features a 37m high theatre wall. Nowadays, it hosts operas, choir festivals and concerts. whilst in Orange, you can visit the town centre, its market and amenities, and at night enjoy a wonderful spectacle in this architectural gem of Ancient times. The town has museums and visitor centres the whole family can enjoy, and a perfectly preserved Triumphal Arch. The cathedral is is also with a visit.
Don’t forget to attend the famous Chorégies d’Orange, an opera and classical music festival held each year both in July and August. It takes place in the Roman theatre, the Cour Saint Louis and the Chapelle Saint Louis. It has an indisputable international reputation.
You will be able to hear, for example, 2 giants of the international lyric stage on July, 19th: the mezzo-soprano Anna Caterina Antonacci and the tenor Roberto Alagna with the philarmonic orchestra of Radio France. You can also note the piano recital on July, 11th by Lang lang, whose reputation is international. Both will be in the Roman theatre. Go on the Chorégies d’Orange’s website http://www.choregies.fr/fr/ to discover all the other events and the artists who will be present.
As part of the Chorégies, in the roman theatre, there will be the « Musiques en fête » on June 20th, with, as a programme, opera extracts, classical music, and a bit of modern music : Jane Birkin, Julien Clerc, Catherine Naglestad,… (http://www.arts-spectacles.com/Musiques-en-fete-en-direct-des-Choregies-d-Orange-le-20-juin-a-20h35-sur-France-3-et-France-Musique_a6076.html) An inscription is necessary to attend it and the Chorégies ( phone : 04 90 11 02 31).
But you will also be able to go to the « marchés d’été », to attend tours with a guide (in English language : ask for it),…
Go on http://www.otorange.fr/accueil/menu/agenda/foliot/0.aspx or at the tourist office, for further information and to know all the other events in Orange.
Uzès
Uzès is a city with a rich history. You can discover it at every street corner, from the roman period to the great exodus of the wars of religion. The magnificent cathedral saint Théodorit, the acqueduct of Nîmes, and the château Le Duché are among the numerous historical monuments.
We advise you to go to the tourist office and take a guidebook about Uzès, so many events and visits are organized that we can’t tell you everything ! For example, how about going to see Lucien Gruss’s horses in shows at the Uzès National Stud farm (phone : 04 66 22 68 88 -tourist office-) ? In Uzès, annual festivals of dance, music, pottery, truffles, gardening, and antiques take place. The guided tours in groups can be in English, ask for it.
The Saturday market in Uzès attracts shoppers from near and far. In July and in August, you will have the possibility to go in the « night markets », in French « marchés nocturnes », from 7:00 pm to midnight in the towns near Uzès : there will be local produces, produces of handicraft, something to eat sold by the exhibitors, a visit of the village and a festive animation (go on http://www.uzes-tourisme.com/infos-pratiques/documents-a-telecharger.aspx (page 2) only to know the villages and dates concerned -the rest concerns the exhibitors-; and 04 66 22 68 88 -tourist office-).
Other popular attractions near Uzès include the water park in a lovely natural setting at Bouscarasse (along the road towards Arles); the Museum of 1900 and Toys at Arpaillargues (east); and the Haribo Museum for the those who love sweets !
http://www.uzes.fr/
