Discover the wealth of world heritage in the South of France.

The south of France is a region that’s ideal for high-end travel. The setting is ideal for renting a villa for a wedding or anniversary under the sun. The south of France is home to the largest number of French monuments listed as Unesco World Heritage sites.

Let’s start in the Gard department, which is packed with Roman monuments. The most emblematic of these is, of course, the Pont du Gard on the Via Domitienne. This ancient highway was intended to link the Alps to the Iberian Peninsula. The bridge is actually an aqueduct, which not only facilitates the transport of goods and people, but also carries water to Nîmes. The city was an important pillar of the Roman Empire. As previously mentioned, the region was a point of convergence between the Alps, Germany, Italy and the Iberian Peninsula. It was therefore necessary to establish an important administrative center, and the city took advantage of this to develop economically. Even today, there are only two main routes to the Iberian Peninsula, the Basque Country and Catalonia.

In Nîmes, of course, there’s the majestic Arènes, built in the first century to accommodate 25,000 people, especially for gladiatorial games. The arena was flooded when it was used for naval jousting. If you walk along the main street in the city center, you’ll come across a stunning Roman Parthenon. The Maison Carré was built at the same time as the Arenas. It was here that the life of the city was articulated, laws were passed and Rome’s directives were announced.

Not far away is the Canal du Midi, linking Toulouse to the Mediterranean Sea. Originally called the Canal Royal du Languedoc, the revolutionaries of 1789 renamed it as we know it today. The construction site is considered one of the largest of the 17th century. Following a flawed project, Louis XIV nevertheless authorized work to begin. The project was halted several times, however, as it cost over 3 million pounds and finances were at their lowest. Nevertheless, the project took twenty years to complete, and will welcome some 50,000 passengers a year. We have 63 locks, the most emblematic of which is at Béziers.

In the Ardèche, you’ll enjoy a visit to the Grotte Chauvet, a UNESCO World Heritage site. Dating back to the Paleolithic era, the Grotte Chauvet was inaugurated in 1994, and features over 400 representations of animals. According to dating studies, the paintings date back 35,000 years. On the walls, there are numerous bears and rhinoceroses drawn in great detail. The setting is sumptuous: the Rock of Abraham overlooks and protects the valley. Finally, we have to let you in on a secret. We think we’ve found the method to draw such large animals with such precision. The big strokes, the details of eyes and skins – how could humans have been such good artists when they hadn’t even acquired language? The latest theory, the fruit of a very serious study, suggests that prehistoric man first modelled animals in terracotta. Then, they played with perspective by lighting an oil lamp and bringing the figurine closer. The image projected onto the wall will be immense if the figurine is close to the flame.

Just a stone’s throw from the Gard region are two astonishing Roman towns. In the Vaucluse region is Orange, a town that’s great to live in and stroll around. Founded in 85 B.C., the city has always been prosperous, thanks to its location in a fertile agricultural valley. Coupled with the main road linking Rome to Paris, the Via Aggripa. So it’s only logical that the city’s inhabitants had time to embellish their town. The Romans built many prestigious edifices. The 1st-century Arc de Triomphe and the Orange Theatre are world-famous. Today, many operas are performed in this ancient theater, whose front wall is 40 meters high and 100 meters wide. Further south, you’ll come across Avignon and its Papal Palace. For many years, the Popes were French, so they asked to settle in France. We had to find a city between the Vatican and Lyon, France’s first Christian city. Avignon is several thousand years old, and there are many Roman remains to be seen.

If you’d rather be closer to the city life and Roman sites of the Gard, you’ll love our luxury residence, a twenty-minute bike ride from Uzès. The Pont du Gard is within walking distance, where you can enjoy the sunsets over the valley. Water sports enthusiasts will appreciate this charming residence. It’s vacation time, so relax in the stone swimming pool and let the scent of lavender and olive trees waft over you. Away from any nuisance, this luxurious villa is just a stone’s throw from the Ardèche gorges. Grab your sneakers and a backpack and venture out onto the rocky plateaus of Provence. Look for small, steep paths to stretch out on waterside creeks. Whether it’s rafting, kayaking or sunbathing, the valley is the ideal place to spend an afternoon in a privileged setting.