Jardins Secrets

Some events stay fixed in the mind long after you've experienced them and for us, a visit to the charming guesthouse, Jardins Secrets in Nîmes was a little like that. Four wonderful suites (a few more are on the way) laden with paintings, flowers and objects bought back from various travels adds more than a touch of the exotic and eclectic. This is all done with a very careful eye over the whole effect, however, never too much; someone with considerable talent has cared for and watched this beautiful house grow.
The gardens provide another excuse to come and visit, as the name Jardins Secrets suggests, this veritable oasis tucked discretely behind a wall in what, from the outside, seems to be a fairly normal looking street. Once you are inside, though, things are very different, palms, olives, lots of bougainvillea, oranges, lemons and even banana trees provide an unusual but wonderful setting for breakfast in the spring or summer. The gardens also provide a haven when the weather heats up and, after a morning of exploring ancient Roman Nîmes, you can come and practise that great Mediterranean art, the siesta, take a dip in the swimming pool or simply relax by the rose bushes, read a book and breathe in the scents of the garden.
The rooms are large and continue the theme found in the sitting room; lots of beautiful objects and lots of love and care in a chic and stylish environment. There’s a real emphasis on fabrics with quality linen and four poster beds in many of the rooms to create an air of sumptuous luxury. When you come away to relax you want to make sure you do it in the right surroundings and the absolutely charming Jardins Secrets does that to a treat. Be generous with yourself and indulge.
All of this would be unique enough if it weren’t for Mme. Annabelle and her husband to top it all off. With their legendary chocolate cake, tons of warmth and a real understanding for what we, as people, not just clients, want, Jardins Secrets is a haven, a vision of a more sensual and more relaxing world.