To the Pont du Gard

Highlight: The Walk of the Ancient Aqueduct for the variety, despite some difficulty with the notes

For anyone spending longer in Avignon we would definitely recommend walking over the river to Villeneuve-Les-Aviginon and visiting the sites there.  We took the bus back.

Chateau d'Apaillargues was a delight and a great start to the walk. Hostellerie Le Castellas upgraded us to the suite which was wonderful. The Mistral meant 40mph winds for the first few days, so we did not have enough warm clothes but the walk was really good and the Pont du Gard was fabulous.

This was an excellent holiday, with three delightful hotels linked by pleasantly varied walks, and a highlight at each end. Uzès is a charming way to start (we don’t understand why it is not better known) and the Pont du Gard and the other ruins of the Roman aqueduct provide a unique climax to any trip. The included meals, not to mention the two picnics, were delicious and generous – we had forgotten quite how good French cooking can be. We extended the basic holiday with two nights in Avignon, and very much appreciated the city tour walk notes that Inntravel provides (though we would also urge other people taking time in Avignon to try to find time also to visit Villeneuve, just the other side of the Rhone). We did run into 3½ days of Mistral wind, which made some of the garigue walking a bit blustery, but the sun shone and it did not rain – not always the way things go for these particular Inntravellers! We suspect it would be even better in spring, with wildflowers in bloom, but it made a lovely early autumn holiday.

Uzes and the Pont du Gard were both highlights, well worth visiting. The medieval garden at Uzes is a must, with fine views of the town - and Mont Ventoux in the distance - from the top of the tower.  Walking on the garrigue typified the area, but the tracks are stony and strong boots are necessary. The smell of the wild herbs made up for the absence of flowers on our September holiday. Our last hotel, La Begude, was a disappointment, being soulless. Our bath did not work and was not fixed.

La Bégude: Though the cuisine is high level, we weren’t fond of the choice of first course they offered. The maître d’ reported this to the chef, who very kindly offered customized first courses for the second night we spent there. Also, this was the only place where both cheese and dessert were included. As this would have been too much for us, we asked if the cheese could be boxed for us as a picnic for the next day and they very kindly arranged this for us. Unfortunately, their wifi didn’t work. It’s only on the second day that they provided us with a hot spot, saying it was the only one they had.

I’ve been hiking for dozens of years, first as a member of a hiking club just following whoever was in charge, then as an Inntravel client. The notes you provide are fantastic, but there can always be some glitches (things we miss, things that changed) and I totally second your advice to use them as a primary source of information, but the GPX maps did prove useful from time to time and they’re worth the hassle of downloading an app (we used Komoot and liked their customer service).

HIGHLIGHTS: Canoeing down the river Gard on the 3rd day was fabulous. We started out early and for most of the journey did not see another boat on the river, but saw plenty of bird life. We heard bird song, the wind in the trees, the running river and the splash of our oars - no traffic noise anywhere! The food at Chateau Arpaillagues was particularly superb. As was the local wine.

A lovely break away from the world. Peaceful, quiet and lovely walks. (I would imagine best done in May/September given that the river must be seething during the tourist season)

One of the most enjoyable walking holidays we have had with Inntravel, and we have had quite a few. Accommodation and meals provided at all three locations were first rate, particularly at Chateau d'Arpaillargues and La Begude Saint Pierre, and staff throughout were unfailingly helpful and informative. We were blessed with some lovely weather and the abundant wild flower meadows en route were really stunning. A two night stay in Avignon was a very worthwhile add-on, but if you are staying at the Hotel de l'Horlage (brilliant location) you might wish to consider a room upgrade because our room was very cramped. Overall, a lovely trip.

April in Provence was awash with wildflowers and verdant growth in all of the forests.

An interesting and relatively easy walk. Late October turned out to be a good time to go as the weather had just cooled down a bit and was ideal for walking (though it's a less good time for wildlife.) The Saturday market at Uzes was great. Other highlights the impressive quarries at Vers and the long stretch of aqueduct on the longer circuit to the Pont du Gard.

As always, we thoroughly enjoyed our Inntravel holiday. The scenery on this walk was not as spectacular as others we have taken, but the hotels were the best we have encountered on any of our walks - and the food was excellent in every location. The highlights for us were the village of Collias and the visit to the Pont du Guard. Be sure to take in the excellent museum there.  The market day in Uzès was hectic, but fun, and the tour notes for walking through the town were helpful. Although the trails are not difficult, good hiking boots are recommended for the loose, jagged stones on many of the paths. We had a great time and look forward to our next Inntravel adventure.

A most enjoyable walk for the two of us, even though we are both well into our 80s.

Pont du Gard was the highlight of an interesting walking holiday. Nice hotels and generally good food.

It was a really good, southern french experience.

Three of us thoroughly enjoyed the "To The Pond du Gard" itinerary in mid-May, 2023! The Nimes "add-on" was also well worth the extra days. The routes were well-planned, giving us plenty of time to walk between the medieval villages, as well as take advantage of the "loop walks." Each inn was pleasant, and at the end of the day's walk it was fun to discover the "character" of each inn.  Breakfasts were especially well done. The walk atop the garrigue with Gardon Gorge views stands out, as does the circular route from Collias to the Hermitage, and the longer route to the Pont du Gard.  Varied terrain, interesting geology, photographic villages, fields/orchards/vineyards/wildflowers, and cultural antiquities were experienced each day along the walking routes.

Another great Inntravel holiday! The hotels were fine, the food was good - it was fun to compare the different restaurants. At Collias we had both dinners in Hostellerie Le Castellas - although the menu choices were quite limited (but perfectly good) on the first evening, they offered us additional choices on the second evening - we were pleased that we chose that option. Generous picnics!

It's always good to arrive at the next hotel and to be told that our cases are in our room - a good sign of a warm welcome.

The walks were highly enjoyable with great variation in the countryside. The longer walk on Day 5 brought us close to remains of the Roman aquaduct at several places, then long-distance views of the Pont du Gard long before we arrived at the bridge itself. A holiday that lived up to its name!

Early May was a superb time to embark on this lovely holiday. The weather was perfect, flowers were blooming, birds migrating, and asparagus and rhubarb featured on the menus. Each hike was a highlight of it's own, through vineyards, barley fields, garrigue, and along the river gorge. Being in Usez for market day is well worth organizing your schedule to accomadate. Kayaking in Collias is wonderful and worth an extra day there, the walk from Collias to La Begude Saint Pierre was varried and fascinating with the rock quarry and ancient tracks. 

The weather was perfect for walking 20 to 24c. As the week advanced it got warmer and by then we much appreciated the heated pool at Hostellerie Le Castellas and the pool at La Begude (unheated but lovely). A wonderful introduction to a  previously unexplored part of France. A highly enjoyable combination of pretty walks, cultural treasures and delicious food.

This was our fifth Inntravel holiday and well up to the usual standard. The supplementary notes which accompanied the walking directions were very comprehensive and added to our pleasure.

An excellent and relaxing break in an area we had not previously visited. The bookings, excellent route guides and general organisation ensured a stress- free holiday.

This was a fabulous holiday where we felt well taken care of. The area is fascinating and all walks clearly described. Highly recommended. One evening in Castellias we enjoyed a meal in an excellent creperie- a welcome change from hotel food, which was a little rich for our tastes at times. We didn't do it but felt that an extra night in Nimes would have completed the experience well, giving more evidence on the Romans in the area and the being destination of the water for which the Pont was built!

Excellent walking holiday in the Pont du Gard region. From medieval villages to roman ruins, quiet village washrooms to bustling market squares, the top of Gorges to the low lying olive groves, this holiday had plenty of contrasts. The walking notes were excellent and the distances were very manageable.

Our highlights were the medieval garden in Uzes which were very worth making a detour for with the King's Tower having a great view over the surrounding countryside so you could see where you would be walking to over the week, the atmospheric Hidden Hermitage outside Collias and the walk through the olive groves on the way to the Pont du Gard, framed by the remains of the rest of the aquaduct. The sheer size of the Pont du Gard is breathtaking and is worth getting to early, before it gets too busy. 

As the weather during our trip was absolutely scorching we were not able to do as many of the longer walks as we normally would, but spending more time by the pools at each of the wonderful hotels was a very pleasurable compensation.

Thank you - a wonderful holiday with just the right mix of walking, exploration/explanation, friendly accommodation and overall support

We really enjoyed this holiday and I continue to marvel at how Inntravel bring together such great combinations in their holidays – covering history, biodiversity, geology, landscape and other interests in their walks. The walk notes convey information in such an easy to read and accessible way they are a complete pleasure.

We loved so many things about this holiday. Our favourite hotel was the Hostellerie Le Castiellas in Collias which is quirky and fun, with a beautiful pool, set in this lovely historic village. For a simple meal, we found the creperie there ‘Bulle de Crepes’ was handy for our unallocated evening meal, and the small supermarket and boulangerie are great for drinks and food. We enjoyed an extra night in Collias to canoe down to the Pont du Gard which was well worth doing.

Uzes is stunning, made more so by the excellent town trail notes. The walk from Uzes to Collias is wonderfully varied and the ‘Saladerie’ café/boulangerie at Sanilhac was an absolute god send on a hot day (it was 35C when we did this walk). We found it essential to leave as early as possible in the morning on very hot days.

The walk from Collias to Vers-Pont-du-Gard was equally stunning, and the stretch through the limestone quarries is awesome. Another highlight for us was following the remains of the aqueduct from the Pont du Gard back to Vers – we combined Option A route down to the bridge with option B on the return, as far as Vers, with a rewarding lunch at ‘La Grange’ in Place de la Fontaine.

At the start of the holiday we made use of bus 115 from Avignon to Uzes, and then a taxi organised by Uzes tourist office to Arpaillargues. For the return to Avignon the 115 can be caught from the edge of Vers-Pont-du-Gard, a 10/15min walk from Hotel Begude Saint Pierre.

A gentle walk through vineyards, olive groves and delightful villages. The Pont du Gard was an absolute highlight. As the hotel is only a short walk away, we went straight to Pont du Gard first thing in the morning and beat the crowds. We then did the suggested walk, had lunch in the hill top village of Castillon-du-Gard and finished the day back at Pont du Gard when the sun was shining on the other side of the bridge.,Avignon was an excellent add on trip. We had very good meals at La Petite Peche and Le Gout du Jour - both very close to Hotel de L'Horloge.

INNTRAVEL NOTE: These customers combined our walk To the Pont du Gard with our Avignon City add-on

We thoroughly enjoyed this walk.  It was all very well arranged, the accommodation and meals the best standard we have had with Inntravel. The walks were all interesting and the countryside beautiful. It was particularly great to be back in France after the years of Lockdown. Thank you for your efficient organisation. 

We very much enjoyed our holiday and were delighted with the accommodation. The Pont du Gard is undoubtedly impressive. We opted, partly due to the unseasonably hot weather, to do the shorter walk on the last day, and would recommend this option. There is a considerable amount to see around the site with the museum being well worth a visit.

Additionally Uzes was a delightful revelation. A beautiful unspoilt town.

Some of the paths along each route are made of uneven loose stones so I would recommend footwear with sturdy soles.

We suggest that rather than have 2 walks (short and long) to the Hidden Hermitage one of these is changed to the walk upsteam beside the River Gardon starting at the bridge in Collias. We suggested this to our fellow trippers and they very much appreciated the tip. This walk can be any length people wish, just stopping and turning round when they get to what they think should be the halfway point.

This was our fourth Inntravel holiday and it didn't disappoint. In fact, this one was one of the best we've done so far. As usual the folder with background information and route notes was fantastic but what made it so good was the variety on offer. From the charming old town of Uzes and its fabulous market to the varied walks, the wonderful Gardon river, delicious meals, quaint villages, quirky hotels and of course the magnificent Pont du Gard.
We were blessed with wall to wall sunshine everyday and a scorching 30 degrees (an unseasonable heatwave apparently) which, to be honest, made walking on some days rather challenging, but luckily just when we needed one a bar would appear for a cool refreshing drink. La Saladerie on the walk from Uzes to Collias was a practically a life saver! However, having two or more nights at each hotel gave us time to recover, and we enjoyed exploring the local area without the pressure of moving on.

We would definitely encourage anyone thinking about this holiday to try and be in Uzes on market day, (and keep some room in your suitcase for all the tempting things on offer). Another highlight was kayaking on the Gardon from Collias. We had actually booked three nights here so we could do just that and it was well worth it. We had spent the Sunday relaxing by the river watching lots of others do the same and when it came to our turn the next day, unbelievably, we had the river to ourselves. It was so relaxing and a great way to deal with the heat. Of course, the view of the Pont du Gard from the river was utterly breathtaking, a very special and memorable moment. There are a number of kayak rental companies along the river near Collias bridge, we opted for Canoe Collias and they were excellent, very friendly, helpful and allowed us plenty of time to enjoy the river, including stopping along the way for a picnic, before picking us up at the other end to bring us back to the village. Lifejackets are given, as well as a waterproof barrel for your stuff.
Dining options in Collias while we were there were limited. La Bajana was closed and we were told by a member of staff at the hotel that their opening hours are currently inconsistent and unpredictable. Luckily you can eat at the hotel on the night a meal isn't included (if their restaurant is open) or do what we did and have a picnic. As we were blessed with great weather we bought a fabulous selection of picnic items from the well stocked village shops and had a wonderful Al fresco supper of freshly roasted chicken, potatoes, salad, fresh bread and of course, local wine and delicious patisserie items for dessert. This negative actually turned into a positive and became one of the highlights! 
So, to sum up, a wonderful holiday and many new and happy memories to look back on. 

The holiday was everything that we hoped it would be. The expectation and anticipation of arriving at each hotel was very exciting and rewarding. In each the breakfasts and dinners were consistently delicious and the picnics provided were more than ample. The lack of an alternative regular restaurant in Collias could be an issue but fortunately we were able to plan ahead and make provision for this with an evening "picnic". Without a doubt the main highlight was the kayak trip down the Gardon river in Collias to the Pont du Gard; paddling round the curve in the river to see the Pont revealed in front of you was a moment that will live in the memory forever. Another couple of delightful days were spent in the intriguing town of Uzes; we were so pleased to be able to visit it initially on a "quiet" day to take in and appreciate its scenic beauty and wonderful buildings, and then the following day to experience the hubbub of market day with the noise, the colour and the unbelievable range of items for sale.

We are pleased that we spent some time in Avignon too; the town has much to offer ranging from the fascinating covered market of Les Halles where a couple of hours passed in a moment, to the interesting walk around the more historic parts of Avignon. We found the notes provided when used with a map available from the tourist office enabled us to explore all aspects of the town. The number of restaurants on hand meant that the only problem was choosing which menu tempted us the most.

This was a terrific holiday.  The hotels were outstanding for their food, design, ambience and staff.  The Chateau and La Begude in particular were an absolute treat. Walking was delightful, easy going and with lovely views.  Maybe not challenging enough for some but it suited us as there were no vertigo worries and we were back at the hotel each day by four to swim and just enjoy being there.  

Thoroughly enjoyable holiday but a few tips:

We arrived into Marseille airport. Contrary to your notes, you can book the shuttle bus on-line. A return ticket costs €6.40 and can be downloaded to your phone.

We spent 3 nights in Collias, one of those evenings was a Tuesday. At the moment, there NO restaurants or take-aways open in Collias on a Tuesday. As a result we were obliged to take a taxi in Uzes for dinner, at a round trip cost of €64.

INNTRAVEL NOTE: Restaurant timetables in Collias have changed since these customers visited, with at least one now open on a Tuesday.

We highly recommend the Walk of the Ancient Aqueduct to the Pont du Gard. It was not only a beautiful walk, but seeing the fuller extension of the aqueduct added to our appreciation of its magnificence. There is also a point where you suddenly spot the Bridge far away in the distance, looking even grander, at that perspective, than up close.

Another wonderful walking tour designed by Inntravel. Our fourth in France. The hotels were all very good. La Bugude Saint Pierre was particularly nice. The dinners at Chateau d'Arpaillargues and Hostellerie Le Castellas were fantastic. The walking was about the right challenge for us - senior aged. The two nights at each hotel allowed us to rest on two days and skip the loop walk. The weather was perfect in April. Not too hot.