Inscribed in the stone and fixed to one side of the St. Pierre windmill is a quote by French writer Alphonse Daudet (1840-1897). Although, he was born in Nîmes and spent time in both Lyon and Paris, it was here in the Alpilles were he described his affection for the town of Fontvieille …

Contributor blog post by Michel: Our favorite Roman ruin in the South of France is the Pont du Gard, the aqueduct bridge that crosses the Gardon River in the Gard Department of Languedoc-Roussillon about 60 km (37 miles) from our home in Sablet, between Remoulins and Uzès. The Pont du Gard …

The Roman History of Arles What’s 2,000 years old, 100 feet long and used to float? If you guessed a Roman barge, you win! And you can see one now in the Arles Museum of Antiquity. Arles was once an important Roman town, a trading centre with a significant port. …

The ‘dig’ being carried out ahead of the redevelopment of the Place de la Madeleine has already yielded results in that skeletons are being exhumed and taken for examination. As expected, there was a 16-18th century cemetery beside the church. The archaeologists are also hoping to find objects. This historical …

Contributor blog post by Michel: With daughter Tricia and family visiting, we planned activities that would interest grandchildren Avery and Caedon and frankly use up their seemingly boundless energy including hiking and swimming as often as we could. We figured a visit to Pont du Gard would be perfect. Our …

A visit back to Pont du Gard and Nimes with my guest from the US reminded me how much history is so close to me in the south of France. Revisit some of the Roman past with a tour to Nimes — one of the key Roman towns in “Gaul” …

Nutmeg is reasonably certain she is not the first person to walk through the Glanum archaeological site, near St Remy de Provence, and consider that mankind is relatively insignificant in the passage of time. Ashes to ashes Dust to dust Rocks to rocks Glanum a Roman oppidum, protected by its fortified walls once …

It’s so fascinating that every time people start digging in Aix, they come up with remains from Roman times. And the latest to be uncovered is 50 metres of a road near to the hospital. There is to be a new car park for the hospital and a bus lane …

As is usual in Aix-en-Provence, any large-scale developments in Centre-ville include archaeologists, and the Place des Precheurs, with its 2100 years of history, will give them a fascinating opportunity to see what lies beneath… The Romans built their defensive towers and ramparts there, and later, the counts of Provence built. …

France has so many amazing places to visit it’s hard to decide where to start. If you’re a Roman history buff, you must visit Nimes. It’s a city where you can see, touch and experience life in France during the days of the Roman Empire. …Continue reading here for the Barefoot …