Uzès + Pont du Gard from Avignon: one-day circuit

Why choose the Uzès–Pont du Gard duo?

While Avignon shines on the left bank of the Rhône, the neighboring Gard holds two gems you can discover in a single day: Uzès, France’s first ducal town, and Pont du Gard, a UNESCO-listed Roman engineering masterpiece. Less than an hour’s drive away, these two sites form a perfect circuit for anyone wanting to combine Renaissance heritage, ancient vestiges, and river swimming, all within a 25-mile radius. From our Teinturiers neighborhood, you’ll reach Uzès in 45 minutes via the D981, then Pont du Gard in 10 minutes more — a smooth itinerary, no highway, threading through garrigue and vineyards.

This circuit appeals to families and history buffs alike: Uzès offers shaded alleys, café terraces under arcades, and a renowned Provençal market, while Pont du Gard invites contemplation, hiking along the Gardon, and, in summer, a refreshing swim beneath millennial arches. Unlike the perched villages of the Luberon, often saturated in July-August, this Gard duo remains accessible — provided you leave early and avoid festival weekends.

Preparing your departure from Avignon

Schedules and logistics

Leave around 8:30 AM to enjoy Uzès before the crowds. The Avignon–Uzès drive via the D981 takes about 45 minutes (15 miles to Remoulins, then 9 miles to Uzès). Avoid the N100 at rush hour; the D981 winds through hills and offers nice views of the Alpilles in the distance. Fill up the day before: gas stations are rare between Remoulins and Uzès.

If you’re staying in one of our apartments in the Teinturiers quarter, you’ll exit Avignon through the Porte de l’Oulle (northwest), then follow the ring road to the D981 exit. Allow 10 extra minutes if you’re leaving intra-muros on a Saturday market morning. On weekdays, traffic flows smoothly once you’re past the ramparts.

What to pack?

• Walking shoes: Uzès’s streets are cobbled, sometimes steep; Pont du Gard’s trails are rocky.
• Swimsuit and towel: swimming in the Gardon is a must from June to September.
• Water shoes: the riverbed is rocky.
• Hat, sunscreen, water bottle: little shade on the Gardon banks in midsummer.
• Picnic or meal budget: Uzès has excellent restaurants, but terraces fill quickly at noon.

Uzès, first Renaissance stop

Arrival and parking

Uzès’s historic center is pedestrian; park at Parking des Platanes (free on Sundays, around € 2 / 2 hours on weekdays) or Parking du Mail, a 5-minute walk from place aux Herbes. In high season, arrive before 10 AM to find a spot easily. Lots fill by 11 AM on Saturdays (market day) and in July-August.

Place aux Herbes, Uzès’s beating heart

As soon as you pass through the first arcades, place aux Herbes opens before you: irregular cobblestones, ochre and cream façades, century-old plane trees, café terraces spilling onto medieval galleries. On Saturday mornings, the Provençal market invades the square — olives, goat cheeses, garrigue honey, Provençal fabrics — and the atmosphere turns electric. If you visit another day, the square remains lively but more contemplative: perfect for a long coffee while watching the Fenestrelle tower emerge above the rooftops.

The Fenestrelle tower, a 12th-century Romanesque bell tower, is unique in France with its six stories pierced by twin bays. It’s rarely open inside (limited access), but its cylindrical elegance dominates the old town. Walk around it via rue de la République to reach the duchy.

The Duchy of Uzès

The Duchy of Uzès, home of the Crussol d’Uzès family since the 11th century, is partly open to visitors (Renaissance apartments, courtyard, medieval keep). Allow about 1 hour for the guided tour (around € 14 adult, € 8 child; hours vary by season, check online). The Renaissance salons, adorned with tapestries and coffered ceilings, tell the story of this ducal line, first in France by order of precedence. If time is short, settle for the courtyard (free access) and façade: the architecture blends feudal keep, Vicomté tower, and Renaissance wing in a striking balance.

Wandering the alleys

Uzès reveals itself on foot, without a map: rue Pelisserie (artisan shops, pottery, soap makers), rue du Docteur-Blanchard (art galleries), place de l’Évêché (fountain and medieval garden below). The medieval garden, small but well-kept, offers a sweeping view of rooftops and the Gard countryside. Free entry, benches in the shade of hackberry trees — ideal for a break before lunch.

If you love architecture, spot the private mansions from the 17th and 18th centuries: rusticated façades, carriage gates, spiral staircases visible from the street. Uzès has preserved a rare stylistic coherence, fruit of textile prosperity (silks, cloth) that enriched the town until the 19th century.

Lunch in Uzès

Several options:

• La Parenthèse (place aux Herbes): market cuisine, terrace under the arcades, dishes around € 18-24. Reserve if you’re coming on a Saturday.
• Le Tracteur (rue de la République): friendly bistro, short menu, local products, around € 15-20 per dish.
• Picnic: buy cheese, bread, fruit at the Saturday market or in the fine-food shops on rue Pelisserie, then settle in the medieval garden or on a bench at place de l’Évêché.

Allow 1 hour for a leisurely lunch. Around 1:30 PM, get back in the car toward Pont du Gard (10 minutes via D981 then D19).

Pont du Gard, monument and nature

Access and parking

The Pont du Gard site has two banks: left bank (main access, museum, shops, P1 and P2 parking) and right bank (wilder, hiking trails, P3 parking). Parking costs around € 9 per car (2026 rate, including pedestrian access to the site and museum). In July-August, arrive before 2 PM or after 5 PM to avoid saturation. The site stays open until sunset; late-afternoon light sublimates the arches.

If you’re coming with family, favor the left bank: the interactive museum (included in parking) captivates kids, restrooms are plentiful, and river access is marked. The right bank appeals to hikers and those seeking calm: shaded trails, more discreet coves, frontal view of the bridge.

Understanding the Roman aqueduct

Pont du Gard is not a road bridge, but a spectacular section of the aqueduct that supplied Nîmes with water from the Eure spring, near Uzès, over 30 miles. Built in the 1st century AD (probably under Claudius or Nero), it crosses the Gardon at 160 feet high on three levels of arches: 6 arches on the first level, 11 on the second, 35 (originally 47) on the third, where the water channel ran. The aqueduct’s average slope did not exceed 10 inches per mile — a feat of geometry and surveying.

The museum (left bank) details this prowess: models, videos, reconstructions of ancient construction sites. Allow 45 minutes to 1 hour for the visit. Kids love the immersive room that simulates arch construction. Entry included in parking fee.

Walking under and on the bridge

Two complementary experiences:

1. Under the bridge: descend to the Gardon banks (marked trail, 10 minutes from left-bank parking). Look up: the cut stones, assembled without mortar, weigh up to 6 tons each. Scaffolding marks (putlog holes) are still visible. In summer, swimmers settle on the pebbles; the water is translucent, cool (64-72 °F), shallow near the banks but reaching 6-10 feet in the center. Watch children: the current can be strong after a storm.

2. On the bridge: access to the first level (medieval road level) is free and pedestrian. You cross the Gardon on foot, with a plunging view of the river and limestone cliffs. Access to the third level (ancient channel) is closed to the public for conservation reasons, but exceptional guided tours are sometimes organized in June or September (check the official website).

Hiking and viewpoints

Several marked trails leave from the parking lots:

• Garrigue trail (right bank, 1.2 miles, 45 minutes): easy loop through holm oaks and junipers, with a viewpoint over the bridge. Yellow markers.
• Gardon trail (left bank, 0.9 miles one-way, 30 minutes): follows the river upstream, passes under the bridge, reaches a pebble beach. Ideal for a picnic by the water.
• Garrigue memories (left bank, 0.9 miles, 1 hour): ethnobotanical route with panels on Mediterranean flora (thyme, rosemary, rockrose, strawberry tree).

In summer, favor the shaded trails of the right bank; in winter or spring, the left bank offers more sun.

Swimming in the Gardon

Swimming is allowed downstream of the bridge, on the developed pebble beaches (left and right banks). No lifeguards, swimming at your own risk. Bring water shoes (slippery pebbles), a towel, drinking water. Shaded banks fill quickly; arrive early or accept a spot in the sun. A few rules:

• No diving from the bridge (forbidden, dangerous, fined).
• Respect fauna and flora (beavers, otters, gray herons frequent the Gardon).
• Take your trash: the site is protected.

The Gardon’s water, fed by karst springs, stays cool even in August. A 20-minute swim is enough to refresh before heading back to the parking lot.

Timing and circuit variations

Typical schedule (leave Avignon 8:30 AM, return 6 PM)

• 8:30–9:15 AM: Avignon–Uzès drive (45 min).
• 9:15 AM–12:30 PM: Uzès visit (place aux Herbes, duchy, alleys, medieval garden).
• 12:30–1:30 PM: lunch in Uzès.
• 1:45–2 PM: Uzès–Pont du Gard drive (10 min).
• 2–5 PM: Pont du Gard (museum, swimming, hiking).
• 5–5:45 PM: return to Avignon.

This schedule leaves time to wander without rushing. If you have young children, reduce the Uzès visit (skip the duchy) and favor swimming at Pont du Gard.

”Cool morning” variation

Reverse the order: leave at 7:30 AM, arrive at Pont du Gard at 8:15 AM (parking almost empty, golden light, swimming in a calm river). Visit the site until 11 AM, then drive up to Uzès for lunch and the afternoon visit. Advantage: you avoid the crowd at the bridge and enjoy the Uzès market on Saturday. Drawback: the heat in Uzès in early afternoon (July-August).

”Nîmes” extension (full day)

If you have two days or a long day, add Nîmes (30 minutes from Pont du Gard): Roman arenas, Maison Carrée, Jardins de la Fontaine. Allow 3 hours minimum for Nîmes. In that case, sleep in Avignon, visit Uzès and Pont du Gard on day 1, Nîmes on day 2. Or vice versa: Nîmes in the morning, Pont du Gard in the afternoon, Uzès late in the day (but you’ll miss the Saturday market).

Practical tips and pitfalls to avoid

Crowds and seasonality

• High season (July-August): Uzès and Pont du Gard are very busy, especially on weekends and during the Avignon Festival. Leave early (before 9 AM), reserve your table in Uzès, arrive at Pont du Gard before 2 PM.
• Shoulder season (April-June, September-October): ideal conditions. Pleasant temperatures (68-82 °F), less crowded sites, superb light. Swimming is still possible until late September.
• Winter (November-March): Uzès retains its charm (fewer tourists, lively Saturday market), but Pont du Gard can be windy and cold. No swimming. Beautiful low light for photography.

Indicative budget (per person)

• Uzès parking: around € 2 (free Sunday).
• Uzès lunch: € 15-25 (restaurant) or € 5-10 (picnic).
• Pont du Gard parking: € 9 / car (including museum).
• Round-trip gas Avignon: around € 8-10 (50 miles, average consumption 6 L/100 km).

Total for two people: around € 50-70 (excluding souvenirs and ice cream).

Accessibility and families

• Uzès: pedestrian cobbled center, strollers possible but uncomfortable on sloping alleys. Plan a baby carrier.
• Pont du Gard: left-bank trails accessible to all-terrain strollers. Museum wheelchair accessible. No lifeguards anywhere: stay vigilant with children.

Transport alternatives

No direct train Avignon–Uzès. The Edgard bus line B21 (Avignon–Uzès) runs 2 to 3 times a day on weekdays, 1h15 journey, around € 2 (Zou! fare 2026). From Uzès, reaching Pont du Gard by bus is tricky (line B22 Uzès–Remoulins, then 2-mile walk). In practice, a car remains essential for this circuit.

Extending the Provençal experience

This Uzès–Pont du Gard duo fits into a constellation of sites accessible from Avignon. If you loved Uzès’s Renaissance vibe, push on to Gordes or the Luberon villages — same era, same blonde stone, but different landscapes (ochre and lavender versus garrigue and vines). If Roman engineering fascinates you, complete with the arenas of Nîmes or the ancient theater of Orange (30 minutes north of Avignon).

Pont du Gard also pairs perfectly with a Côtes du Rhône vineyards day: after swimming, drive up to Tavel or Lirac (15 minutes) for a late-afternoon tasting. Some estates open until 7 PM in summer.

Finally, if you’re staying several days in Avignon, alternate city and countryside: one day intra-muros (Palais des Papes, Jardin des Doms), one day Uzès–Pont du Gard, one day Luberon. You’ll leave with a complete vision of Provence’s Gard and Vaucluse, without tourist saturation.

— — —

Avignon is the ideal base camp for reaching Uzès and Pont du Gard: close enough for a comfortable round-trip, far enough that each site keeps its identity. Whether you’re seeking the shade of Renaissance arcades, the coolness of the Gardon, or the majesty of a Roman aqueduct, this one-day circuit delivers on its promises — provided you leave early, respect the Provençal rhythm (lunch break, swim, siesta under a plane tree), and leave room for the unexpected. Safe travels, and don’t forget your swimsuit!