Uzès

Today we wandered around Uzès. Some shopped and some later visited the Duke's Palace. This photo is taken from the palace's 11th-century tower. The trees are in the Place de Herbes, the town square which is where our apartment is.

Our apartment is the top floor of the building on the right

It's at the top of a stone, spiral staircase

The square outside our apartment

A typical Frenchman sitting at a square bar mid-morning, reading and drinking wine

Uzès grew up around the Duke's palace which has been occupied by various branches of the Crussol d’Uzès family for nearly a thousand years. As well as climbing the 135 step spiral stone staircase to get great views of the surrounding town and countryside we were also able to visit some of the rooms inside and the 15th-century chapel. The family crest is outlined in colourful tiles on the castle’s Burgundian style roof and by ancient tradition, the family’s red-and-yellow-striped flag flies above the tower when any of its members are at home, which it is doing at the moment.

The palace has twice been bought back by the family. During the French Revolution it was taken over and early in the 20th century the family suffered financial problems, sold all the furniture and rented it before buying back the lease. For the last 20 years the current duke has been gradually completing restoration work begun by his grandmother.

The tower on the left and the chapel on the right/

Uzès has lots of interesting shops, some that are classic French in style and some that aren't.

We had a nice dinner out tonight.