La Valette Boutique
Sanilhac-Sagriès, 30700 Gard, France
Most people visit the Pont du Gard as a day trip from Nîmes or Avignon. We think that is the wrong approach — or at least a different one from what this place actually offers. This is a guide to staying close.
In July, the Pont du Gard receives around 2,000 visitors per day. Most arrive between 10h and 14h. Arriving before 9h30 means the site is quiet, the car park is empty, and the light on the limestone is at its best. None of this is possible as a day trip from a city an hour away. Staying 15 minutes from the entrance is the enabling condition.
The Gardon river runs beneath the aqueduct. In summer, it is swimmable — clear, cold, and fast enough to be interesting. The official swimming area is within the Pont du Gard site itself. For a quieter alternative, the village of Collias, 10 minutes from La Valette Boutique, has excellent river access. A morning at the aqueduct followed by an afternoon in the river is the version of the visit that people who have done both prefer.
La Valette Boutique is 5 minutes from Uzès and 15 from the Pont du Gard. Nîmes is 30 minutes. Avignon is 45. The property sits at the centre of a triangle of Roman heritage and Provençal landscape — a position that makes a base here more useful than staying in any one of those cities.
Entry to the Pont du Gard is ticketed. Parking is separate from museum admission. Current prices and opening hours are at pontdugard.fr — check before you go, as they update annually. In high season (July–August), book parking in advance on the same site. The museum inside is worth 90 minutes. The walk along the aqueduct channel at the top is not always open — check availability.
La Valette Boutique in Sanilhac-Sagriès is 15 minutes from the Pont du Gard by car, and also 5 minutes from Uzès. It offers two private apartments in a restored 17th-century stone house, bookable directly at bonjour@lavaletteboutique.com.
Yes. The Gardon river below the aqueduct is swimmable in summer. There is an official swimming area within the Pont du Gard site. For a quieter experience, the village of Collias — 10 minutes from La Valette Boutique — has excellent river access with fewer visitors.
Yes. Staying nearby means arriving before 9h30, when coaches have not yet arrived. The morning light on the aqueduct is different from the midday sun. An early visit followed by swimming in the Gardon is not possible as a day trip from a city an hour away.
The Pont du Gard is approximately 15 kilometres from Uzès, around 20 minutes by car. From La Valette Boutique in Sanilhac-Sagriès, it is 15 minutes.
In July and August, arrive before 9h30 or after 17h00. The site is significantly less crowded at these times. In spring, autumn and winter, timing matters less. Early October is the finest overall time to visit: the crowds are gone and the light is exceptional.
Two restored apartments in a 17th-century stone house in Sanilhac-Sagriès. Direct booking only.
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