This is only the second time that we have visited Uzes, since we arrived in Provence, which is surprising as we really liked it the first time and intended to to come back soon after. With my mother visiting for the week and it being a beautiful day, it was an ideal day to visit.

Uzes dates back to Roman times, where a spring was identified as an important source of water for towns further down the valley towards Nimes and a 50km aquaduct was subsequntly built. It remains only a minor town today, with a population of only around 8,500, but popular with Swiss week-end tourists apparently.

On the outskirts of Uzes old town, is the Cathedral. It is hard to find out information about it's history, but a catherdral was first built in the 10th century and dedicated to Saint Theodoritus, then destroyed in the 13th Century, rebuilt, then destroyed in the 16th century to be rebuilt in the 17th century. It was then ransacked in the French Revolution. The current facade dates from the 19th century. Although still called a Cathedral, it regarded as a parish church. Not a very lucky church...

The  romanesque tower, known as the Tour Fenestrelle, on the other hand, dates back to the medieval times and survived the various disasters that befell the Cathedral through the centuries.

The interior is rather dark and austere by Roman Catholic Cathedral standards (perhaps why it has been downgraded), but is still attractive with many interestng features, including a beautiful organ with enclosing doors towards the rear and some tombs as the pictures will show. France does not lack churches, but we think that both the town of Uzes and this Cathedral are worth visiting.

(Click on photos for full aspect and size)