Uzes

Aerial view of Uzes. Image published under the GNU Free Documentation License, verison 1.2 or later

Uzes is a small town twenty-five kilometres north-east of Nimes, its closest neighbour.

Uzes, on the slopes of the Eure valley, is located near the spring which once fed the Roman aqueduct to  Nimes. The construction of this aqueduct, particularly the spectacular Pont du Gard, established Uzes as a significant Roman settlement.

Uzes, a bishophric from the fifth century to the time of the French Revolution, boasts a 17th century cathedral, dedicated to Saint Theodoritus

The original cathedral, destroyed in the 12th century during the Albigensian Crusade, was rebuilt several years later only to be destroyed once again during the religious conflicts of the 16th century.

The present cathedral, rebuilt in the seventeenth century, was stripped of its treasures during the French Revolution.

La Tour Fenestrelle, Uzes. Image published under the GNU Free Documentation License, verison 1.2 or laters

The cathedral, like many other churches in the Languedoc, retains its original romanesque tower, a valuable vantage point.

The bell tower with its distinctive paired windows, known as the Tour Fenestrelle, is the town's most notable landmark.

Uzes, which also possesses a mosque, has a long tradition of championing religious minorities. A large Jewish community, protected by Saint Ferreol, a former Bishop of Uzes, resided in the city during the fifth century. The Jews were later expelled by Frankish invaders.

The town, sacked during the Albigensian Crusade, also paid a high price for its toleration of the Cathars who preached that a state of grace could only be achieved through reincarnation.

The ducal palace, Uzes. Image published under the GNU Free Documentation License, verison 1.2 or later

The Duchy of Uzes, created in 1229 after Languedoc was absorbed into the Kingdom of France, was once the first peerage of the realm.

Successive dukes had demonstrated great courage in the service of the King who granted this honour after the execution of the former first lord, the  treacherous Duke of Montmorency, in 1632.

An impressive chateau, the former seat of the Duke of Uzes, is located in the centre of the town. A Capuchin chapel, constructed on the site of a first century Roman temple, houses the tombs of the town's former lords.

Historic quarter, Uzes

The centre of Uzes is a maze of narrow mediaeval alleys skirted by wide boulevards which trace the line of the former city walls. The main square, the Place aux Herbes, is enclosed by the arcades of the fine houses constructed by the cloth merchants who profited from the local textile trade.

The nearby hamlet of Pont des Charrettes is notable for its confectionary museum and pottery.

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