Because the flight surfaces do not have force feedback to the PFCs in the Airbus design, trimming the aircraft by feel is not possible in the same way as older designs. This is the main reason why autotrim was developed.
Dozy,
There is more to the art of trimming than you indicate. It is a two step process. First, get the trim into the ball park (An airbus that hands itself to you should already be in rough trim).
The second step is to make small adjustments to get the final aircraft performance desired (that is the perishable skill part). In the F-4, C-1, A-4, or F-9, it was done with quick clicks on a "Coolie Hat" switch. At that point, you are not so much getting rid of force on the controls as getting an aircraft parameter such as roll rate, rate of climb, or airspeed stabilized. In an aircraft with a trim wheel, it involves small inputs to get the aircraft to fly hands free. You let go of the stick to make the final corrections.
I'll bet that works well in the 'Bus in Direct Law. You would just have to remember what control to use for trimming roll (Rudder trim).