Part of the joy of seeing homes in person is checking out the highlights of the area. Otherwise, driving from house to house could feel like a slog. But it’s also the responsible thing to do, because you know what they say about real estate – location, location, location! 

So as my househunting sidekick Jen and I said goodbye to the owners of the house in Bagnols-sur-Céze, we decided to take them up on their recommendation to visit the town of Uzès. A storm was brewing, but we weren’t going to let the rain stop us. 

IT POURED!

It was the kind of rain where your windshield wipers just cannot keep up, even on the most aggressive setting. There were moments I debated pulling over until the storm subsided, but there weren’t any safe spots to stop. The landscape kept changing, too – from sandy flat lands to more hilly twists and turns. At one point, I was afraid we’d come across a flooded stretch and be forced to turn around or make a rash decision. Luckily, we thwarted danger and arrived in Uzès in time for lunch. 

Let me take a moment to highlight how important this is. It took me multiple trips to France to fully understand the implications. Unlike in the US where you can usually saunter into a restaurant anytime for a bite to eat, mealtimes in France are fairly set. Lunch is typically served from 12:30 – 2:30 and dinner service begins at 7. So if you miss the lunch window, it’s going to be a while.

You won’t starve though, because chances are you can find other options. Look for brasseries with “service continu,” or grab a crêpe – or maybe this is a good excuse to pop into a patisserie?? If the town is small and all else fails, French gas stations tend to have a decent (even healthy!) selection of food!

For the longest time, I made the mistake of thinking you could show up at 1 or 1:30 to get a table, but by then all the good restaurants are “complet” which means they are full. Because here’s the other thing – while US restaurants are always trying to turn tables to maximize profit, in France people tend to linger, so usually there is only one seating. So if you can, make a reservation in advance – see this handy article for more dining etiquette. Too bad I just found it today because it would have saved me some aggravation!

Needless to say, we felt pretty victorious when we got a table for two at a highly-rated bistro without any advance planning. And the meal was fab – a bright salad with a glass of white wine, followed by espresso. Perfect!

Then we walked around the town, peering into the windows of any immobilier agency we passed by to see what homes were currently listed. By the way, since France doesn’t have an MLS it’s up to you to identify local agencies that may have what you’re looking for – so good old-fashioned window shopping is actually a smart move! We saw many intriguing options, but sadly most were out of my budget. 

It wasn’t surprising, though. Uzés oozed luxury and refinement. The narrow alleyways were dotted with galleries, boutiques, and jewelry shops. Then as the rain started back up, Jen and I ducked into a cool garden shop that sold the famous Uzès terra cotta pots in a range of sizes. Luckily, they had tiny versions small enough to fit in our carry-on bags. 

Eventually, we found our way to Le Fontaine where we stopped for dessert and coffee (yes, again!) sitting outside so we could gaze into the square. It was a quiet, moody day, but I could imagine things bursting to life in the spring. In the meantime, I’d have to settle for my taste buds bursting to life…and when my assortment of desserts arrived, they did! This was the spot our new friends had specifically told us to try, solely because of a Snickers-inspired dessert. 

Bellies full, it was time to set off for Nîmes, where we’d booked a hotel with a bit more swank and luxury (our last place could best be described as primitive, haha). Upon check-in, we learned we’d been upgraded to a room with a huge soaking tub. I’d never seen a room this big in Europe, where hotel rooms are known for being rather small. Jen oohh’d and aaahh’d over the Diptyque bath products and we committed ourselves to a night of relaxation before heading out to dinner. Well deserved, too – because tomorrow was bound to be tiring with two homes to visit and a drive to Avignon!