Between the plain and the garigue, Provence and Languedoc, Nîmes, 2nd largest city in Languedoc Roussillon, has a unique roman heritage in France. This one is particularly known for its bullfights and its many festivals and it is also the birthplace of Daudet, a french writer. In modern times, it will become a protestant safety place. Discover the city at the time of the roman festival at the beginning of may or at the time of its famous feria in june or september.
Programme
Nîmes, an ancient city of rich romans has preserved its ancient monuments, Proof, that the city was very flourishing 2000 years ago, the people of Nîmes built an aqueduct to transport the water to the city‘s former thermal baths. We will start our visit with the gardens of the Fountain, an ancient roman necropolis built around the Nemausus spring and then continue with the visit of the Diana Temple. Passage in front of the former great roman temple: the Maison Carré, thus named in the 16th century in reference to its geometric shape with four right angles. Visit the arenas, a former roman amphitheatre, known for its gladiator and bull spectacles. More than 20,000 spectators attended the show in the arenas, which are now among the best preserved in the world. Depending on their social status, visitors were spread out in the former roman amphitheatre but thanks to the stepped construction, the arena was perfectly visible from each square. Visit of the romanesque cathedral of St Castor. The foundations of this 11th century romanesque church are here enriched by 17th century neo-gothic elements and also marked by the renovation of the church in the 19th century.
However, Nîmes is not only known for its ancient monuments but also for the origin of the manufacture of an essential product: jeans, or denim. A centre of trade and textile production in the 17th century, denim, a robust and resistant fabric, was there produced in Nîmes before being exported to California by the german textile merchant Levi Strauss.
Finally, do not forget to touch the nose of the symbolic animal of Nîmes which is located at the crocodile fountain and which will bring you happiness according to what legend tells us.Free time in the city. At noon you can discover the brandade of Nîmes, a speciality of the city based on cod and olive oil.
The Pont du Gard, the highest roman aqueduct bridge (48 meters above the river), 2000 years old, classified as a world heritage site by UNESCO. Length of the bridge 300 meters, for a total distance of 50 km. This aqueduct was used to supply water to the city of Nîmes, to supply the former thermal baths and fountains of the city, it took no less than 20 years and 1000 workers to complete this titanic structure (50000 tons of stone just for the part of the Pont du Gard). Come and discover this unique monument, visited by 1,5 million tourists every year. Nature walk along the aqueduct. Swimming in the river is possible in summer.
