Jardins Secrets
Jardins Secrets is a secluded boutique hotel in the heart of Nîmes, featuring a spa and a beautiful swimming pool surrounded by lemon and orange trees.
The atmosphere is cozy, calm and relaxing. There’s something peaceful about the house that will make you feel at home. It is elegant yet not at all pompous.
L’Albiousse
You will love your hosts Gwilym and Alexis and how they take such good care of their guests!
The rooms and the house's atmosphere are exceptional and done with great attention to detail.
You'll enjoy discovering the amazing historic sites and venturing out to try great food and wine.
L’Albiousse likes to keep its atmosphere very romantic, which is why it’s only open to adults.
How would you describe L’Albiousse in a nutshell?
L’Albiousse is authentic. We’ve tried to provide a true-to-life Bed and Breakfast experience in a traditional historic house in the heart of Uzès, Provence by putting a lot of attention into the details, yet at the same time keeping things simple.
What was your inspiration to open a small Bed and Breakfast?
Opening a B&B had been in the back of our minds for quite some time because my grandmother and great grandmother also used to have a B&B in North Wales. My partner’s and my love for traveling also played a big role in our decision.
We opened in the summer of 2009 with four rooms. Now we have five rooms and things have been growing steadily ever since.
Please tell us about the history of the building and the interior design of the B&B.
The building is a grand 16th century family home and used to be owned by the Albiousse family. It is located on one of the oldest streets in Uzès, a medieval town, strategically placed between the bishop’s cathedral and the duke’s castle. The façade is very simple, but once inside the grandeur of the place speaks for itself. The property was renovated in the 18th century, which is when a lot of the décor was added. However, the vaulted stone and French beam ceilings are examples of 16th century architecture. We added more 18th century décor to the rooms and contrasted that with contemporary furnishings.
Our intention was to create something simple that wouldn’t take away from the original building so we tried to respect the character of the house. The atmosphere at the Bed and Breakfast is cozy, calm and relaxing. There’s something peaceful about the house that will make you feel at home and at ease. It is very important to us that L’Albiousse is elegant yet not at all pompous.
To you personally, what’s so special about staying at L’Albiousse?
We offer a local experience with a lot of attention to detail to make people feel at home and at ease. We try to make sure they have everything they need in terms of comfort and luxury.
What’s been the biggest reward to you about running a Bed and Breakfast?
Our vacation guests are people from many different countries with lots of stories about the travels they have done and the places they have visited. Our clientele varies greatly, which makes for an interesting job. That’s what makes it so worthwhile.
Do your vacation guests normally venture out during the day?
The average length of stay at the B&B is four nights. It various tremendously what guests do, but most people venture out. They’ll tend to spend time at the markets on Wednesdays and Saturdays in the afternoon, and then spend time exploring things on this side of the Rhone. Those who stay longer often visit Provence.
There are both public and private beaches that guests visit to have lunch and spend the afternoon. A lot of our guests will go to the beaches along the river to go swimming there, even though the water is quite cold.
We have two standard rooms at L’Albiousse, which are 25 square meters in size. The rooms all feature similar designs yet every room feels very different. We also have two terrace suites that are quite a bit bigger and overlook the courtyard. There is a day bed on the terrace with a small table and chairs for relaxing.
Not too long ago we bought the building next door, which was already connected to this house in the 16th century. We decided to open up a new room called the studio, which is much more contemporary. All the walls were taken down allowing a lot of light to come through. The only bathroom is in the middle of the bedroom. It’s also our largest room, about 45 square meters.
Spacious and comfortable, the L’Albiousse Standard Rooms have preserved their 18th century grace and elegance. High ceilings and large windows looking out onto the street fill the room with light. They offer a large queen size bed (160cm) and shower room. Included are a mini bar, espresso coffee and tea making facilities, bathrobe, slippers, Yoga mat, luxury amenities by Clarins and in-room safe.
Our largest room at L’Albiousse, the Studio looks out onto the street on one side and out onto the courtyard to the other. Double glazing, King size bed 180cm x 200cm, contemporary open plan bathroom with freestanding bath and shower, separate toilet, lounge area with desk and 24” iMac, internet access, mini bar, espresso coffee and tea making facilities, bathrobe, slippers, Yoga mat, luxury amenities by Clarins and in-room safe.
Vast and welcoming, the L’Albiousse Terrace Suites look out onto the street on one side and on the other open out onto a secluded private terrace with daybed and a table. King size bed (180cm), luxurious contemporary shower room, desk equipped with 24” iMac, internet access, complementary mini bar, espresso coffee and tea making facilities, bathrobe, slippers, Yoga mat, luxury amenities by Clarins and in-room safe.
Besides complimentary WiFi, there is also a minibar with tea and coffee in each room. Slippers, bathrobes, and Miller Harris amenities are also provided. In the suites we have 24-inch iMacs, safety deposit boxes and all other necessities.
We offer breakfast and can also serve dinner with advance notice for a minimum of six people. However the restaurants are so close by that most people tend to eat out.
Our guests can call at us any time and we are more than happy to assist with bookings and whatever else they might need to make the most out of their stay.
There’s a castle, cathedral and lots of interesting things, but a must-see is the Pont du Gard, which is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and very, very impressive.
Hot air ballooning is a great way to enjoy spectacular views. Our guests can also go kayaking down the river from under the Pont du Gard. It is an amazing way to see this impressive aqueduct right from water level.
There is a well-preserved amphitheater. Avignon is close by, as well as all sorts of other interesting little towns. A lot of wine tasting is common with Châteauneuf-du-Pape, the most famous one, only 14 mins down the road.
We’re also close enough for guests to visit Provence. The Camargue and the beach are also only an hour away.
This part of Languedoc-Roussillon is very beautiful. We call it little Tuscany, as it has the rolling hills and similar scenery. We fell in love with Uzès because it’s not a tourist town but a town to live in. Life goes on all year round and the markets on Wednesday and Saturday are for locals to do their weekly shopping.
In the ‘60s, many people abandoned the town. But the Duchess of Uzès, together with the cultural minister, managed to install a new law in France to protect historical towns. From that point onwards, people were coming back to renovate houses and deduct the expenses from their tax bills. You can still feel the 18th century charm, with the cobble stone streets and original structures. It’s a perfect example of a small medieval town.
Uzès was originally designed in a way that would make any invaders get lost. This still works today, so that people often loose track of where they are. It can be quite fun to explore the city as you’re trying to find your way back.
Spring is obviously very nice because the weather isn’t too hot and it’s not too crowded. You can see the lavender and sunflower fields in June.
Summer is when it’s the busiest, which is the case anywhere in France, especially from mid-July to mid-August.
During autumn, generally until the end of October, the weather tends to be very nice.
November and December are much more quiet, but in January there’s a famous truffle fair that brings in a bit of a crowd. We are closed in February until mid-March when things pick up again.
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