Les Marronniers

Welcome to les marronniers

Bed and Breakfast near UZES

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About Les Marronniers

- A 19th century Maison de Maître close to Uzès -

  • Dining roomWith its artworks

    One of the nice things about living in a large house is the luxury of having a large dining room. The dining room at Les Marronniers has been used and enjoyed by both our friends and guests since it was finished in 1999. We have over the years added a few more pieces of art by local artists.
    The dining table is an English oak Wakes table. A set of six dining chairs was made to our own design by a small chair manufacturer near Tarascon (less then a hour drive from Uzes)
    The other chairs and furniture are mostly French, bought in the local antique shops and markets over the years.
    A perfect setting for guest to have breakfast, when the weather outside is not as warm as we would like.

  • Front Courtyard Perfect setting for relaxing

    Two large chestnut trees shade the front courtyard in the traditional manner for south facing properties in Provence.
    The trees keep the house cool in summer.
    The courtyard is the perfect setting for breakfast and a quiet afternoon reading or resting, in the shade with the summer sun shining through the leaves.
    In autumn the leaves fall allowing the house and courtyard, to enjoy the full sun, during our sunny winter months.
    Guests are also welcome to use this area for their own lunch or dinner picnics.

  • Guest loungeOn the first floor

    Les Marronniers guests lounge is on the first floor, with a comfortable settee, armchairs and a large window giving plenty of light. This is perfect place to relax, with a glass of wine or a cup of tea, read and talk to the other guests, when the weather is too hot or too chilly to use the outside spaces. There is a table provided for use by guests to use their own laptops. It's also a quiet place to write post cards. There is a desk with a computer and printer for use by guests who are not travelling with their own machines.

  • BreakfastServed with love

    Breakfast is served from 8-30 am to 10-30 am, in the dining room or the front courtyard, depending on the weather.
    Michel serves a continental breakfast with fresh French bread and croissants, local jams, local fruit in season, all obtained direct from the local producers.
    A time to relax, plan one's day, chat to other guests about their plans or visits already made in the local area

  • Pool and garden areaThe kind of pool one would expect...

    A large heated pool, plenty of sun beds, some shade under the old fig tree, plus a nice green garden with flowering plants in pots. We try to keep the pool around 25-26 degrees, depending on the season and the weather.

  • Entrance hall and grand straircaseTypical Protestant Maison de Maître

    An antique hunting table used in bygone days to show the day’s kill, now displays ceramics made by a local artist.

  • Johnny and MichelYour hosts

    Michel is French, Johnny is British.
    We are offering a haven away from large hotels, we open our doors to only eight people (plus an occasional houseguest or two).

Description house and surroundings

Les Marronniers takes its name from the magnificent chestnut trees shading the front forecourt of the house, where guests can relax and while away the hours. This Maison de Maître was built on three levels was built in 1819. With a generous pool set into the lawn to the side of the house, bordered with flowering shrubs and an ancient fig tree, Les Marronniers is a haven of calm for up to eight guests.

We are ten minutes away from the mediaeval market town of Uzes, one of the unspoilt gems of Southern France. The ancient cities of Arles, Orange and Avignon are within easy reach as are the vast unspoilt beaches of the Rhone delta and the wild lagoons of the Camargue.

Our historysince 1989

Les Marronniers, in the heart of the tranquil Provencal village of La Bruguière, has been our home since 1989. Having spent ten years lovingly restoring this classic Maison de Maitre, we decided to open its doors to a small number of guests in 1997.
We initially wondered how it might feel having strangers in our home. But then we realized that Les Marronniers had always been full of visitors - only previously they had been family and friends. So we decided to think of our guests as friends coming to spend time with us. This has worked very well, both for us and for our guests. As time has gone on, many of our guests have indeed become our friends, returning every year to enjoy the relaxed comfort of Les Marronniers.
          ~  Johnny & Michel

Swimming pool

TV & DVD/VCR Player

Breakfast

Weather forecast

Ten-day weather forecast for the Uzès area

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Testimonials

  • "Dear Johnny and Michel, I can’t remember how often I had the opportunity to stay with you, but this time once again it was a great pleasure to be here, to enjoy your hospitably and your friendship. Thank you so much for the great time. Cant't wait to be back. "
    Andreas, 13 Sept 2017, andyfischer11@yahoo.de.
  • "Thanks for being here, this lovely place and people."
    Vera and Dean, Sept 2017.
  • "Our third trip to paradise and we certainly hope that it will not be the last (Too many hopes ?) Thank you for your kindness. With much Love. "
    Tim and Christine
  • "Dear Johnny and Michel, we loved your great corner of France and you were Wonderfull hosts. May your future be filled with happy guests and good wine. "
    Jim, Larry and Sedona, Oct 2019.
  • "Dear Johny and Michel, we are happy to be here again - the weather is nice except for the Mistral. We really enjoyed the special breakfasts ! We will love to come again."
    Rio and Ellynn, 3rd Oct 2019 etjen_winters@hotmail.com
  • "Fabulous, friendly, jolly amazing, hopefully we will see you again soon."
    Love Derek and Myra UK derekwilliams138@gmail.com
  • "Our fourth stay and so fantastic as always. We always want to stay longer."
    Lucy and Sam. 15 August 2018. caroline.grace.fisher@gmail.com
  • "Thank you, for your warm hospitality, you made us feel so welcome and it was truly the highlight of our trip, we would love to come again one day !! Hugs and best wishes."
    Monique and Martin. New Zealand martiniquenz@gmail.com

Our Bedrooms

- The Accommodation at Les Marronniers -

  • Bedroom One

  • Bedroom One

  •

    With shower room and private WC

125€per night

Bedroom Oneon the first floor

In addition to the standard, bedroom 1 has a private bathroom with walk in shower, a double bed, Satellite TV, DVD player, VCR Player, Radio CD player plus tea and coffee making facilities. This bedroom has a mix of period English and French furniture.

  • Bedroom Two

  • Bedroom Two

  •

    Bedroom Two

125€per night

Bedroom Twoon the first floor

In addition to the standard, bedroom 2 has private bathroom with walk in shower, twin beds or a double bed, (if asked for when booking) French TV, DVD player, VCR Player, Radio CD player plus tea and coffee making facilities. This bedroom has a mix of period English and French furniture and two windows overlooking the chestnut trees and the front courtyard.

  • Bedroom Three

  • Bedroom Three

  •

    View to the pool

140€per night

Bedroom Threeon the first floor

In addition to the standard, bedroom 3 has a private bathroom with walk in shower and a bath, twin beds or a double bed, (if asked for when booking) Satellite TV (UK free to Air), VCR Player, Radio CD player plus tea and coffee making facilities. This bedroom has a mix of period English and French furniture, a large window overlooking the garden and pool area plus a distant a view of Mont Ventoux.

  • Bedroom Four

  • With access to the pool

  •

    Bedroom Four

115€per night

Bedroom Fouron the ground floor

In addition to the standard, bedroom 4 has a private bathroom with walk in shower, a double bed, Satellite TV, DVD player, Radio CD player. It is on the ground floor with a door onto the garden and pool area. This is our smallest but most popular bedroom.

Rooms Low
from 23/03 to 31/05		 Middle
from 23/03 to 31/05		 High
from 23/03 to 31/05
Bedroom 1 125€ 125€ 125€
Bedroom 2 125€ 125€ 125€
Bedroom 3 140€ 140€ 140€
Bedroom 4 115€ 115€ 115€

Addtional info

For reservations, we require either an electronic or written confirmation plus a non-refundable deposit. This deposit can be paid with a Paypal account or with most Credit or Debit cards or direct transfer. Bank transfers are free within the Euro zone.

Deposits can also be paid with a cheque in Euros drawn on a French bank.

Payments

Our rates for two include breakfast. Minimum stay of 3 nights in high season. A Government tax (taxe de séjour) of 0.60 € per person and per night will be added to room charges.

Deposits are not refundable.

Rules

  • No smoking :This is a non-smoking house, but guests are allowed to smoke in the gardens.
    We appreciate arrival after 2 pm and departure prior to 10:30 am.
    Sorry no children under 15 years and no pets.

Activities

- What to see and do in our region -

Uzès & the regionVisit and explore

From Roman times to the present day the landscapes of Uzes region have inspired astonishing feats with each generation having made it’s mark.

Wine tasting local caves and wine makers

According to the French proverb, “A day without wine is a day without sunshine.” There’s no lack of liquid sunshine in our lives, nor in the lives of most of the French, as wine is an essential part of life here.

More things to doin our area

The countryside offers an abundant variety of activities from walking to horse riding, mountain biking and climbing, while the rivers offer water sports including canoeing and kayaking.

Suggested visits

Sightseeing in our region

Places to visit

Uzès - Its region and Saturday market
From the secret scrub lands to deep river gorges, from the village of potters to the medieval villages, from professional crafts to ancestral skills. The peaceful roads and shaded paths all lead towards the discovery of a region steeped in sunshine and Authenticity.
Market days in Uzes and the Uzege region. Simply unmissable. The abundance of local produce and southern aromas will tantalises your senses. Just the right time to shop for your picnic’s around the pool at les Marronniers.
Le Pont du Gard - the antique Roman aqueduct
This ancient Roman aqueduct crosses the Gardon River in the south of France. Located near the town of Vers-Pont-du-Gard, the bridge is part of the Nîmes aqueduct, a 50-kilometer system built in the first century AD to carry water from a spring at Uzès to the Roman colony of Nemausus (Nîmes). Because of the uneven terrain between the two points, the mostly underground aqueduct followed a long, winding route that called for a bridge across the gorge of the Gardon River. The Pont du Gard is the highest of all elevated Roman aqueducts, and, along with the Aqueduct of Segovia, one of the best preserved. It was added to UNESCO's list of World Heritage Sites in 1985 because of its historical importance.
The bridge has three tiers of arches, standing 48.8 m (160 ft) high. The whole aqueduct descends in height by only 17 m (56 ft) over its entire length, while the bridge descends by a mere 2.5 centimetres (1 in) – a gradient of only 1 in 3,000 – which is indicative of the great precision that Roman engineers were able to achieve, using only simple technology. The aqueduct formerly carried an estimated 200,000 m3 (44,000,000 imp gal) of water a day to the fountains, baths and homes of the citizens of Nîmes.
Nîmes - Its Roman historical past
Nîmes became a Roman colony sometime before 28 BC, as witnessed by the earliest coins, which bear the abbreviation NEM. COL, "Colony of Nemausus". Some years later a sanctuary and other constructions connected with the fountain were raised on the site. Nîmes was already under Roman influence, though it was Augustus who made the city the capital of Narbonne province, and gave it all its glory.
The city had an estimated population of 60,000 in the time of Augustus. Augustus gave the town a ring of ramparts six kilometres (3.7 miles) long, reinforced by fourteen towers; two gates remain today: the Porta Augusta and the Porte de France. An aqueduct was built to bring water from the hills to the north. Where this crossed the River Gard between Uzes and Remoulins, the spectacular Pont du Gard was built. This is 20 kilometres (12 miles) north east of the city.
Also, the Maison Carrée is one of the best preserved temples to be found anywhere in the territory of the former Roman Empire; it later inspired the design of the Virginia State Capitol at Richmond. Nothing remains of certain monuments, the existence of which is known from inscriptions or architectural fragments found in the course of excavations. It is known that the town had a civil basilica, a curia, a gymnasium and perhaps a circus. The amphitheatre dates from the end of the 2nd century AD. The family of Roman Emperor Antoninus Pius came from Nemausus.
Emperor Constantine endowed the city with baths. It became the seat of the Diocesan Vicar, the chief administrative officer of southern Gaul. The town was prosperous until the end of the 3rd century – during the 4th and 5th centuries, the nearby town of Arles enjoyed more prosperity.
Avignon - Its old town & the Pope's palace
Avignon is on the left bank of the Rhône river. Of the 90,194 inhabitants of the city (as of 2011), about 12,000 live in the ancient town centre enclosed by its medieval ramparts.
Between 1309 and 1377 during the Avignon Papacy, seven successive popes resided in Avignon and in 1348 Pope Clement VI bought the town from Joanna I of Naples. Papal control persisted until 1791 when, during the French Revolution, it became part of France.
The town is now the capital of the Vaucluse department and one of the few French cities to have preserved its ramparts. The historic centre, which includes the Palais des Papes, the cathedral, and the Pont d'Avignon, became a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1995.
The medieval monuments and the annual Festival d'Avignon have helped to make the town a major centre for tourism. The Festal of Avignon starts on the 6th July until the 30th July 2016
Bambouseraie - Jardin des Oules
Botanical Garden
The Bambouseraie de Prafrance is a private botanical garden specializing in bamboos, located in Générargues, near Anduze, Gard, Languedoc-Roussillon, France. It is open daily in the warmer months; an admission fee is charged.
Take the Steam train from the Bambouseraie or Anduze to St Jean du Gard. A fun trip.
Le Jardin Des Oules
Garden. Open-Air Theatre. Sculptures. Maze. Tea Room.

Places to visit

Orange - Its Roman architecture and antique theatre
Roman Orange was founded in 35 BC by veterans of the second legion as Arausio (after the local Celtic water god), or Colonia Julia Firma Secundanorum Arausio in full, "the Julian colony of Arausio established by the soldiers of the second legion."
The sovereign Carolingian counts of Orange had their origin in the eighth century, and passed into the family of the lords of Baux. From the 12th century, Orange was raised to a minor principality, the Principality of Orange, as a fief of the Holy Roman Empire. During this period, the town and the principality of Orange belonged to the administration and province of Dauphiné.
When William the Silent, count of Nassau, with estates in the Netherlands, inherited the title Prince of Orange in 1544, the principality was incorporated into the holdings of what became the House of Orange-Nassau. This pitched it into the Protestant side in theWars of Religion, during which the town was badly damaged. In 1568, the Eighty Years' War began with William as stadtholder leading the bid for independence from Spain. William the Silent was assassinated in Delft in 1584. His son, Maurice of Nassau (Prince of Orange after his elder brother died in 1618), with the help of Johan van Oldenbarnevelt, solidified the independence of the Dutch republic. The United Provinces survived to become the Netherlands, which is still ruled by the House of Orange-Nassau. William, Prince of Orange, ruled England as William III of England. The city remained part of scattered Nassau holdings until it was captured by the forces of Louis XIV in 1672 during the Franco-Dutch War, again captured in August 1682.
The town is renowned for its Roman architecture, and its Roman theatre, the Théâtre antique d'Orange, is described as the most impressive still existing in Europe. The fine Triumphal Arch of Orange is often said to date from the time of Augustus or Tiberius, but is probably much later, perhaps Severan.[3] The arch, theatre, and surroundings were listed in 1981 by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site.
The Musée (Museum) displays the biggest (7.56 x 5.90 m) cadastral Roman maps ever recovered, etched on marble. They cover the area between Orange, Nîmes, and Montélimar.
In 1869, the Roman theatre was restored and has been the site of a music festival. The festival, given the name Chorégies d'Orange in 1902, has been held annually ever since, and is now famous as an international opera festival.
In 1971, the "New Chorégies" were started and became an overnight, international success. Many top international opera singers have performed in the theatre, such as Barbara Hendricks, Plácido Domingo, Montserrat Caballé, Roberto Alagna, René Pape and Inva Mula. Operas such as Tosca, Aida, Faust, and Carmen have been staged here, many with a sumptuous staging and also receiving outstanding acclaim.
The Roman theatre is one of three heritage sites at which the Roman wall remains.
Arles - and Van Gogh
Arles is a city on the Rhône River in the Provence region of southern France. It's famed for inspiring the paintings of Van Gogh, which influenced the contemporary art displayed at the Foundation Vincent Van Gogh. Once a provincial capital of ancient Rome, Arles is also known for many remains from that era, including Arles Amphitheatre, now hosting plays, concerts and bullfights.
The Camargue - Its wild horses and white beaches
Humans have lived in the Camargue for millennia, greatly affecting it with drainage schemes, dykes, rice paddies and salt pans. Much of the outer Camargue has been drained for agricultural purposes.
The Camargue has an eponymous horse breed, the famous white Camarguais. Camargue horses are ridden by the gardians (cowboys), who rear the region's cattle for fighting bulls for export to Spain, as well as sheep. Many of these animals are raised in semi-feralconditions, allowed to roam through the Camargue within a manade, or free-running herd. They are periodically rounded up for culling, medical treatment, or other events.
Few towns of any size have developed in the Camargue. Its "capital" is Arles, located at the extreme north of the delta where the Rhône forks into its two principal branches. The only other towns of note are along the sea front or near it: Saintes-Maries-de-la-Mer, about 45 km to the southwest and the medieval fortress-town of Aigues-Mortes on the far western edge, in the Petite Camargue. Saintes-Maries-de-la-Mer is the destination of the annual Romanipilgrimage for the veneration of Saint Sarah.
The Camargue was exploited in the Middle-Ages by Cistercian and Benedictine monks. In the 16th-17th centuries, big estates, known locally as mas, were founded by rich landlords from Arles. At the end of the 18th century, they had the Rhône diked to protect the town and their properties from flooding. In 1858, the building of the digue à la mer (dyke to the sea) achieved temporary protection of the delta from erosion, but it is a changing landform, always affected by waters and weather.
The north of the Camargue is agricultural land. The main crops are cereals, grapevine and rice. Near the seashore, prehistoric man started extracting salt, a practice that continues today. Salt was a source of wealth for the Cistercian "salt abbeys" of Ulmet, Franquevaux and Psalmody in the Middle Ages. Industrial salt collection started in the 19th century, and big chemical companies such as Péchiney and Solvay founded the 'mining' city of Salin-de-Giraud.
The boundaries of the Camargue are constantly revised by the Rhône as it transports huge quantities of mud downstream – as much as 20 million m³ annually. Some of the étangs are the remnants of old arms and legs of the river. The general trend is for the coastline to move outwards as new earth is deposited in the delta at the river's mouth. Aigues-Mortes, originally built as a port on the coast, is now some 5 km (3.1 mi) inland. The pace of change has been modified in recent years by man-made barriers, such as dams on the Rhône and sea dykes, but flooding remains a problem across the region.
Aigues-Mortes - Its salt marsh
An old fortified city, Aigues-Mortes, in the Gard, represents a prestigious heritage right in the midst of marshlands, in one of the most beautiful spots of Provence, the Camargue. A rough diamond in a jewelry box of uncut gems that time has gradually polished to reveal the magnificence of their sparkle.
Established to the west of the Little Rhône, the medieval city had originally been a small hamlet of fishermen and salt gatherers, washed by marshes reaching to the Mediterranean Sea, in an almost malarial climate. History encircled the town with 1640 m2 quadrilateral city walls, comprising six prestigious towers, including the famous Constance Tower, and ten gates, thus housing an astounding religius heritage.
The City of Eaux-Mortes (Dead Waters) harbors other prides and joy. For example, it’s little marina, join to the sea by the Grau du Roi and to Sete by the Canal du Rhone.
A great place to visit with all its shops and restaurants.
Les Baux de Provence - stronghold and bauxite mines
In the Middle Ages the area became the stronghold of a feudal domain covering 79 towns and villages. The fortress was built from the 11th to the 13th century over seven hectares. The princes of Baux controlled Provence for many years and they gained a formidable reputation. They were said to be descended from the Biblical Magi Balthazar and their coat of arms was a silver star with sixteen branches as a reminder that, according to the Gospel, it guided the three wise men to Bethlehem. Their motto was: "Au hasard, Balthazar" (At random, Balthazar).
As a medieval stronghold on the borders of Languedoc, Comtat Venaissin, and Provence, the fortress had a turbulent military history and has been the subject of many assaults. The solid dungeon that still dominates the village today reiterates the importance of this castle which was a desirable possession in the Middle Ages.
At the end of the Baussenque Wars in the 12th century the princes of Baux were defeated. The large castle began to be renowned for its highly cultivated court and chivalrous conduct. The estate finally came to an end in the 15th century after the death of the last princess of Baux.
The death of Queen Joanna I of Naples led to a crisis of succession to the County of Provence. The cities of the Aix Union (1382-1387) supported Charles, Duke of Durazzo, against Louis I, Duke of Anjou. The King of France, Charles VI, intervened and sent the Seneschal of Beaucaire, Enguerrand d'Eudin, who rallied Guillaume III Roger de Beaufort. Les Baux, the possession of the Roger, was thus neutral at the beginning of war and on the Angevin side at the end of the decade.
Les Baux, together with Provence, was then attached to the crown of France. Under the rule of the Manville family, the village became a center of Protestantism and even tried a rebellion against the crown. In 1631, tired of conflict, the people negotiated with the king for the redemption of the castle territory and the right to dismantle the fortifications, "which were a refuge for rebels". Louis XIII consented on 5 August.
In 1642 the town was offered the Grimaldi family as a marquisate in favour of Hercule de Grimaldi, Prince of Monaco (1642-1780). The title Marquis of Baux is still carried by the Prince of Monaco. Administratively, the town is entirely French and the title of Marquis of Baux is traditionally given to the heir to the throne of Monaco. Jacques, the son of the current Prince of Monaco Albert II, carries among his many titles that of Marquis of Baux.
Modern Period: In 1822 bauxite was discovered in the area by geologist Pierre Berthier. The ore was intensively mined until its exhaustion at the end of the 20th century.
Les Baux is now given over entirely to the tourist trade, relying on a reputation as one of the most picturesque villages in France. Its population of 22 in the old village is a fraction of its peak population of over 4,000, and many of its buildings (in particular the castle) are picturesque ruins.
In the Château des Baux demonstrations of huge catapults (a Trebuchet, a Couillard also called a biffa, and a Mangonel) are given every day from April to September.
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Call us at +33 (0)466 72 84 77 to get more info on accommodation

Contact us

- Contact us to make a booking or send a general enquiry -

  • Les Marronniers

  • Place de la Mairie
  • 30580 La Bruguière
  • +33 (0)466 72 84 77
  • info@lesmarronniers.biz
    www.lesmarronniers.biz

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