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Nîmes is a metropolis within the Occitanie area of southern France (map). Well-known for its impeccably preserved Roman monuments, Nîmes is usually known as the French Rome and is a well-liked vacation spot for guests to the area. On my latest keep in close by Montpellier, I made it a degree to go on a day journey to Nîmes and see its Roman heritage. I found a spotless metropolis with spectacular Roman buildings, stunning museums, energetic squares and leafy streets. Learn on about my stroll round Nîmes and the locations I visited alongside the way in which.
The Roman enviornment in Nîmes.
Positioned roughly between Montpellier and Avignon, Nîmes can hint its roots again a number of thousand years. Town rose to prominence as a regional capital of the Roman Empire located on the Through Domitia, an necessary street connecting Italy and Hispania (present-day Spain). Across the 1st century BC, Caesar Augustus (also referred to as Octavian) commissioned the constructing of partitions, metropolis gates and monuments, a few of which may nonetheless be seen immediately. These historic locations can simply be visited on a day journey to Nîmes. The outdated city is fairly compact, making a strolling tour the most suitable choice to see the highlights.
Nîmes strolling route
I kicked off my go to on the grand Fontaine Pradier. When you’re arriving by automobile, there’s a big parking storage below the sq.. Gare de Nîmes, the primary prepare station, is a 5-minute stroll away. The strolling route beneath can simply be lined in a number of hours, although extra time could also be wanted for a tour of the Enviornment and Tour Magne, and in case you select to go to the museums.
Fontaine Pradier
Fontaine Pradier is the centre-piece of the triangular Esplanade Charles de Gaulle. Opened in 1845, the fountain is a crucial image of Nîmes.
Fontaine Pradier
Enviornment of Nîmes
From Fontaine Pradier, it’s a brief stroll to a very powerful attraction in Nîmes: the Roman Enviornment, among the best preserved Roman amphitheatres on the planet. It’s wonderful to assume that this enviornment, long-established after the Colosseum in Rome and only a tad youthful, was constructed greater than 2,000 years in the past! It may accommodate 24,000 spectators and remains to be used for occasions.
The imposing enviornment
On the ticket workplace, guests can buy a single ticket for 3 sights (the Enviornment, Tour Magne and Maison Carrée) with the Musée de la Romanité (Roman archeological museum) as an additional possibility.
Visiting the world is without doubt one of the prime issues to do in Nîmes.
Musée de la Romanité
The Musée de la Romanité is situated throughout the street from the Enviornment. This fashionable constructing, opened in 2018, homes necessary artifacts and makes use of ingenious strategies to deliver town’s Roman previous to life. This museum is a must-visit for historical past buffs!
The Musée de la Romanité.
Previous city
Behind the Enviornment lies the maze of streets of the outdated city. I spent a while strolling aimlessly round and found some energetic squares akin to Place du Marché, with its Crocodile Fountain and (touristy) eating places.
Place du Marché
A quiet avenue within the outdated city.
Within the quieter Rue des Greffes, I stumbled upon a wonderful restaurant known as Le Menestrel. It turned out to be among the best meals I had on this journey!
Lunch platter at Le Menestrel
Eglise St. Paul
After lunch, I continued my stroll across the outdated city and arrived at Eglise St. Paul, a shocking nineteenth century neo-Romanesque church. Inside, you’ll see a formidable nave with a blue ceiling, frescoes and quite a few superbly embellished chapels.
The Eglise St. Paul
Maison Carrée
Simply up the street from Eglise St. Paul lies one other prime attraction in Nîmes, the Maison Carrée. Constructed within the 1st century BC, it’s among the best preserved Roman temples on the planet. In truth, it has miraculously survived intact for greater than 2,000 years! Inside, I discovered a brief video and exhibitions concerning the historical past of Nîmes.
Maison Carrée
The ceiling and columns of the Maison Carrée.
Throughout the street from Maison Carrée stands a hanging constructing of glass and metal. That is the Carré d’Artwork museum of up to date artwork. Designed by Sir Norman Foster, the museum’s look is a contemporary interpretation of the Maison Carrée.
Carré d’Artwork
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Les Jardins de la Fontaine
From Maison Carrée, I resumed my stroll previous Place d’Assas to the Quai de la Fontaine. This shady promenade alongside a canal was a welcome respite from the recent solar.
The fountains at Place d’Assas
The fountain at Quai de la Fontaine
I continued to the Les Jardins de la Fontaine, a resplendent park constructed within the 18th century. This decorative park, with its grand ponds and statues, was actually designed to impress.
Jardins de la Fontaine
Jardins de la Fontaine
Inside the park lies the Temple de Diane. Constructed within the 1st century AD, it was excavated within the 18th century throughout building work for the Les Jardins de la Fontaine. Regardless of its identify, there isn’t any proof that it was a temple devoted to the Goddess Diana. As a substitute, specialists imagine it was a library.
Temple de Diane
Tour Magne
On the finish of the park are a collection of low hills, certainly one of which is topped by one other Nîmes attraction, the Tour Magne. This 32 meter tall tower was a part of town partitions constructed by Augustus within the 1st century BC. Guests can climb its 140 steps to the highest for panoramic views of Nîmes.
Tour Magne (picture courtesy of Wikimedia Commons)
The tower is a couple of 10-minute uphill stroll from the park. As a lot as I wished to go to the tower and take a look at the view, I couldn’t deliver myself to climb the hill within the 40 levels Celsius warmth.
Tour de l’Horloge
From the park, I continued my stroll alongside the Quai de la Fontaine in direction of the Les Halles market. Sadly, the market was closed (opening instances: 6am-1:30pm) so I proceeded to Place de l’Horloge, with its sixteenth century clock tower, Tour de l’Horloge.
Tour de l’Horloge
Cathedral of Nîmes
My subsequent cease was the Cathedral of Nîmes, or quite, the Cathédrale Notre-Dame-et-Saint-Castor de Nîmes. This seventeenth century Romanesque-Gothic cathedral is believed to have been constructed on the foundations of an historic Augustinian temple.
Contained in the Cathedral
Porte d’Auguste
My final cease was Porte d’Auguste. One among two Roman metropolis gates that also exist immediately, Porte d’Auguste dates again to the first century BC. It was one of many entry factors of the Through Domitia. Not a lot stays of this historic gate but it surely’s nonetheless fascinating to see these partitions, arches and inscriptions which can be greater than 2,000 years outdated.
Porte d’Auguste (picture courtesy of Wikimedia Commons).
Pont du Gard
Nîmes can simply be reached by prepare from many cities within the south of France akin to Marseille, Montpellier and Avignon. When you’ve got a automobile, don’t miss visiting one other spectacular Roman monument close to Nîmes: Pont du Gard.
Pont du Gard (picture courtesy of J.Bezanger/Unsplash)
This three-tier aqueduct bridge was constructed within the 1st century AD to move water to Nîmes. It’s the tallest of all Roman aqueduct bridges and is a UNESCO World Heritage web site. The aqueduct is a 35-minute drive from Nîmes.
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