Why visit Nîmes? It Was Once the Rome of Southern France

When we have guests at our home in Sablet, we always take them to visit the Pont du Gard. This aqueduct has been standing for 2000 years, and it is spectacular to behold in a beautiful location. We usually combine our visits to the Pont du Gard with a visit to Uzès or the Roman city of Nîmes.

Nîmes has a very long and rich history dating back to the Roman Empire, when Nîmes was home to between 50,000 and 60,000 people. There are several famous and well-preserved monuments, such as the Nîmes Arena and the Maison Carrée, and because of this, Nîmes is often referred to as French Rome. Continue reading here for Michel’s article and beautiful photos.

What to See in Nîmes?

Roman Amphitheatre: Although it may not have been the most significant example constructed during Roman times, the Amphitheatre of Nîmes is considered one of the best-preserved. Like many Roman engineering projects, this one required some intelligent minds. The building is an oval 133 metres long, 101 metres wide and rising 21 metres high. The four-story structure includes 60 symmetrical arches, allowing for a canvas “roof” that protected viewers from the elements.

Credit ©Nimes Tourism

The Musée de la Romanité is a must-see, with a vast collection of historical objects in a modern building. It was an architectural challenge to design a facility to house some 5000+ Roman-era artifacts in a stylish, interactive envelope on land facing the Roman Amphitheatre. The talented Franco-Brazilian architect Elizabeth de Portzamparc won the commission. Her design, shortlisted from 103 submissions for the Musée de la Romanité, is stunning. She created a four-story cube and wrapped it in a “folded glass toga.” The Museum’s permanent collection includes many classical pieces, including two mosaics —’ Achilles’ and ‘Pentheus’ from a Roman house considered on a par with those of Pompeii.

Credit ©Nimes Tourism

During the Roman period, a ring of ramparts four miles long surrounded the city of Nemausus, reinforced by 14 watchtowers. One of these, the Tour Magne, still exists, and you can spot it occasionally as you wander through the city. A climb to the top of the tower—100 feet tall—will reward you with excellent views of the city and the surrounding countryside.

Credit ©Nimes Tourism

Residents of Nîmes (Nîmois) are incredibly proud of their Roman heritage. The Maison Carrée is renowned for being one of the most remarkably well-preserved Roman monuments, alongside Rome’s Pantheon. Renovated in 1992 and designated a UNESCO World Heritage site in 2023, it has gained even greater fame and visibility. But is Nîmes’ Maison Carrée a square?

Credit: ©Nimes Tourism

Crocus de Nîmes a Sandwich

This original lunchtime recipe is the gastronomic emblem of Nîmes. All of the ingredients could have been found during Roman times.

Check out this recipe

The Pont du Gard

Pont du Gard is part of a 50 km (31-mile) aqueduct constructed by the Romans in the middle of the 1st century. This massive engineering project brought fresh water from the Eure spring near Uzès to the Roman city of Nîmes, where it supplied running water to fountains, baths and private homes.

Credit: ©Michel Augsburger

Although the Pont du Gard is an impressive (and massive) section of this aqueduct system, the entire project required a precision that is hard to imagine in an era before modern technology.

The Pont du Gard has three tiers of arches. The span is 274 meters (899 ft) in length and stands at a height of 48.8 m (160 ft). Its width varies from 9 m (30 ft) at the bottom to 3 m (9.8 ft) at the top. The three levels of arches are recessed, with the central piers in line one above another.

Visitor Information and Tips

Pont du Gard Website

Purchase your tickets online to save time.

If you wish to walk through the top level of the bridge, you must be with an official guide. It is well worth the additional ticket price.

Do NOT miss the Museum and short film, both of which provide a terrific overview of the Pont du Gard and this ambitious engineering feat.

Location:

La Bégude
400 Route du Pont du Gard
30210 Vers-Pont-du-Gard
Telephone: +33 (0)4 66 37 50 99

Located at the heart of a large triangle formed by the cities of Avignon, Marseille and Montpellier, this UNESCO site makes for a great day trip.

Hours of Operation:

The Pont du Gard site is open all year round. However, there are seasonal adjustments in the opening hours. Please check the website for details.

Entrance and Parking:

The Gardon River divides the site in half. There are two entrances, both with large parking lots, the Pont du Gard. The left bank (rive gauche) has 800 parking spots and the right bank (rive droite) has 600 places.

Places to Eat:

You are welcome to bring food and have a picnic on the side of the river. For a light bite, there is a snack bar near the entrance on the left bank. Or enjoy the view at “Les Terrasses” at the foot of the Pont du Gard on the right bank.

Other Ideas:

Rent a Kayak and drift under the bridge

Attend one of the light and music evenings

Why Visit Uzès?

Uzès is a well-preserved medieval town in the Gard department set on a promontory above the Alzon River. Medieval Uzès held a strategic hilltop position above la Vallée d’Eure (Eure Valley). Food (grain, grapes, olives) and livestock (sheep and goats) continue to flourish on the fertile fluvial plain as they would have during the Middle Ages. Erected to shelter inhabitants from invaders, high walls surround the remains of the medieval town. Although the ramparts no longer serve as protection, the stone fortifications provide a slight buffer from the traffic noise on the ring road.

Credit: ©Perfectly Provence

The Romans identified the source of the Eure River as the starting point for their massive hydro-engineering project to transport water over the Pont du Gard to Nîmes, 50 km away. Today, the city has a permanent population of 8,200, with at least double that many bodies during the height of tourist season.

The Saturday market in Place aux Herbes is a lovely way to spend the morning, although it can get a little crowded! There are two market days in Uzès – Wednesdays and Saturdays. However, whether or not it is market day, chic stores and charming restaurants surround the square.

Anyone who visits Uzés, France, is in awe of the Château de Duché. It’s the town’s centrepiece and home to the Duke of Uzés — the oldest ducal peerage in France. If France were still a kingdom, the Duke of Uzés would rank just below “princes of the blood.”

Uzès Lunch Recommendation

The ambience at Le Comptoir du 7 Restaurant was pleasant, our meal was perfect, and the service was friendly and attentive. We definitely would return here again if we were in Uzès for the market or after a trip to the Pont du Gard.

Le Comptoir du 7 Restaurant
7 Boulevard Charles Gide
30700 Uzès
Website
Telephone: +33 (0)4 66 22 11 54

Day Trips from Uzès

Full day Bandol & Cassis Discovery Wine Tour from Marseille

Begin your journey in the medieval village of Le Castellet, perched elegantly atop a wooded hill overlooking lush vineyards. Next, venture into the renowned Bandol wine region.

Book this Experience

Michel and Shirley

Michel and Shirley, live in wine country, in Windsor, California. They have a full family with two beautiful daughters and five amazing grandchildren. Michel's day job is as CEO of Chancellor Health Care, a company which provides housing and services to older adults.

Previously a co-owner of a popular French bistro called Bistro des Copains located in Western Sonoma County California. The Bistro was closed in early 2015, after nine years!

In 2008, after searching for years and visiting many houses they bought a 17th century stone village house in the medieval village of Sablet which is in the Vaucluse region of Provence France.

Please read about the Sablet House (available for rent) and follow their blog Our House in Provence.