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NEWSLETTER No. 41 - FEBRUARY 20th 2007 The Ducal palace or "Dûché" gives the town of Uzès a magnificently medieval silhouette. Its chapel, watch tower and 11th century keep - the latter, the focus of this newsletter - are central to the cityscape. Top properties are a stone house in a hamlet near Sauve (Gard) and a contemporary styled villa with swimming pool overlooking vineyards in the Hérault. Should you wish to be removed from this mailing list, please use the link provided at the bottom of the page. Otherwise, kindly read on. Theme of the fortnight: A steady stroll around the streets of Uzès will give ample opportunity to admire the ducal palace from all angles, but a full visit is necessary to penetrate its history, and admire the beautifully restored architecture that spans the last thousand years, the earliest parts of which include the castle keep. The eleventh century Tour Bermonde, is a vast square tower standing within the confines of the castle walls and dominating the adjacent buildings. It is crowned with nineteenth century decorative battlements and look out points that replaced those demolished during the revolution. The keep was raised on the site of a roman edifice by Bermond, an ancestor of the current occupant of the castle, himself, the seventeenth direct descendant of the first duke. The story of dukedom is long and intricate, but in summary, it goes back to 1572 when the monarchy made Antoine de Crussol, first Duke of Uzès, and first in line to the throne after the immediate monarchy. The dukes remained in place till the revolution, and while in these republican times there is no throne to inherit, the seventeenth direct descendant of Antoine de Crussol still inhabits the ducal palace.  Rare arrow slits that line the spiral staircase leading to the summit of the Tour Bermonde give partial views of the dwellings that surround the castle. The roof of the keep however commands a full view across a sea of irregular pan tiled roofs atop a wash of limestone walls - a predictably charming medieval cityscape. This bird's eye view is the ideal place to familiarise oneself with the town geography; a quick tour of the compass reveals the town highlights. To the east, the cathedral and twelth century Fenestrelle tower, for which the beautiful glazed roof tiles come into view, against a backdrop of 'garrigue'. To the south, beyond the similarly proportioned Tour de l'Evêque (Bishop's or Bell tower), the St. Etienne church with curved facades and bell tower, and south-westwards, the main square, Place aux Herbes, which forms a gap in the architectural clusters, green with rich foliage of the trees in the summer, but somewhat barren in the winter. Beside the keep within the castle defenses, is the fourteenth century castle chapel, complete with decorative glazed roof tiles, particularly distinctive when viewed from the other side with its coat of arms, and to its left, on the far corner of the castle, the twelth century watch tower, where there would originally have been a drawbridge.  >From this high viewpoint, the uniformity of the town is striking, as is the profusion of noble townhouses over such a small area. It has changed little since medieval times, apart from the creation of spaces for gardens and courtyards and a boulevard lined with trees that loops around the city walls, in seventeenth and eighteenth centuries. At the time, the city defenses had become a hindrance to circulation and town hygiene. The latter half of the twentieth century saw decades of restoration, respectful of accepted codes and standards of renovation.  The occasional un-restored building nevertheless, weather beaten or with worn stonework, the somewhat defensive look out points on otherwise traditional houses, adjacent mixes of rectangular and arched windows, clues to modern day living in this vibrant town, with roof terraces and patios - all add interest to this outstanding vista. The inside of the Tour Bermonde has vaulted rooms, from ground level to the highest floors. It is said that underground passageways linked the keep to all the original city gateways. Adjacent to the keep, the sixteenth century wing housing the palatial apartments and complete with a splendid early Renaissance facade, is a fascinating insight into the preoccupations of the day - not to defend against foes but instead to demonstrate an appreciation of the arts. The motto of the Uzès dukes can be read above a door of the central wing «Ferro non auro», meaning 'by iron and not gold', lends itself to two interpretations, one of bravery, and the other of mediocre finances.   For more information: http://www.duche-uzes.fr/ http://www.uzes-tourisme.com/ Top Properties: Stone character house within a hamlet between Sauve and St. Hippolyte-du-Fort. This ground floor property offers a habitable surface area of approximately 150m² comprising an open plan living room / kitchen (58m²), two bedrooms, an office, an amply proportioned bathroom (21m²) and a cellar. The property has a garden of 1230m² and offers a great degree of tranquility. The asking price is 262,500€. Property reference no.: 445     Set in very picturesque countryside beside a typical country village of the Hérault, and oriented toward vineyards, this well proportioned villa offers an interior surface area of 116m². It stands in very manageable grounds (829m²) with a swimming pool (8m by 4m) and car shelter. The interior comprises an open-plan living room and kitchen with fireplace, three bedrooms and bath and shower rooms. Materials and fittings are of quality. Montpellier is a half hour drive. Of particular interest locally are St. Guilhem le Désert, the Hérault gorges and the Lac du Salagou. The asking price is 362,000€. Property reference no.:446      +33 467 297 068 +33 626 581 415 Contact: http://www.jamespropertiesfrance.com/contact.php www.jamespropertiesfrance.com About James Properties France: Based in Montpellier in the south of France, bringing to you a carefully picked selection of properties within a 70 mile radius - with the occasional more distant exception - that are chosen for their combinations of attributes, most notably: - Setting of outstanding natural beauty - Distinct character or unusual features - Quality of renovation or authenticity - Value for money James Properties France (JPF) serves primarily an English speaking, though often highly Francophile clientele looking to move or own a second home in the south of France around such places as Uzes, Nîmes, Montpellier, Anduze, St. Hippolyte du Fort, the Southern Cevennes, Gignac and Clermont l'Herault and the Hauts Cantons. The property selection proposed by JPF is targeted to fit buyers from abroad in terms of types of location, accessibility, environment / landscapes, and types and formats of construction. Besides bringing you a wide array of properties, JPF helps by running specific searches in the Gard and Hérault. JPF acts as an intermediary between you and a number of regional estate agencies, at no extra charge. Selections of properties that meet your criteria can be established prior to your visits, any linguistic issues totally alleviated, questions about French procedures and legislation addressed quickly, and information on prices and property details addressed plainly by all parties. JPF helps you with your purchase from the beginning to the end of the process, often communicating with the assigned notary to make sure that content and conditions of sale are correctly documented, ensuring all is in order for completion, and keeping you informed of progress. Insurance and utilities can also be arranged. In addition, should you wish to have assistance in maintaining or making alterations to your house, or any formalities associated with property ownership or financing in France, JPF can give assistance on an hourly basis. Should you wish to sell your property in the south of France, JPF can also help. If you would like to unsubscribe from this newsletter, please click on the following link: www.jamespropertiesfrance.com/unsubscribe.php |