The city of Nîmes in Provence

Nimes, only 30 minutes away from Avignon or Arles, is also a witness of the French Roman heritage. A bit less touristy than Avignon, Nimes is appreciated for its pleasant weather. The city located along the Via Domitia (Roman way joining Spain and Italy) is home of some of the finest Roman architecture such as the most visited attraction: les Arènes - Nimes arenas. Nimes is also known for its controverted passion for bullfighting – still taking place in the Roman arenas – which are most appreciated by locals and very much criticized by other French people or foreigners.

We have prepared a walking itinerary for you to explore Nîmes at your own pace. We can include a day in Nîmes and the nearby area to any of our Provence itineraries.

Nîmes is also famous for its “Maison Carrée” a jewel-like temple, celebrated for its harmony of proportion. Built in 5 AD, it is dedicated to the adopted sons of Emperor Augustus. It is being said that Napoleon would have taken it as the model for the church of the Madeleine in Paris (near Concorde).

 

Maison Carrée in Nimes

La Maison Carré Temple in Nimes - ©FJFY

Nîmes is also the French city where the “denim” blue jeans where invented: literally denim means "de Nimes" (from Nimes). They are wore by the cowboys in the Camargue. Many Provencal fabric shop can be found in Nimes, along with the famous colorful Provencal tablecloths.

 

Pont du Gard Roman Bridge

At a 30 minute drive, you will reach the dramatic Pont du Gard, the tallest and best conserved of all Roman aqueducts.

Close to Nimes and Avignon, the Pont du Gard is a three stories Roman aqueduct which was added to the UNESCO world heritage sites in 1985. It was built in 19 BC by the Romans under the commandment of Marcus Vipsanius Agrippa, the son-in-law of Augustus. During ancient times, Romans could transport water through the Roman aqueduct from the springs near Uzès.

 

Pont du Gard roman bridge provence

Pont du Gard Roman Bridge - ©Kirk Fisher

 

The history of the Pont du Gard is fascinating: built without mortar, the ancient aqueduct still thrive over the age, despite multiple flooding and occasional negligence. This masterpiece of Roman engineering is a very popular attraction in Provence and we will tell you where to take the best shots - avoiding parts of the crowds.

We will also recommend you another Roman bridge – much smaller – but totally unknown from the tourists in Provence. 

 

Discover Provence Heritage on a self-drive trip :

Duration
10 days
Price
US$ 4965
pp
Region
in Paris & Provence

Explore two very typical and stunning regions of France and get a real feel for our beautiful country.

French Countryside
Art & Museums
Duration
13 days
Price
US$ 6260
pp
Region
in Provence & French Riviera

Enjoy the sweet scents, vivid colors, flavorful tastes, sunshine and warm wind of Provence & the Riviera. To save time and energy, we recommend you fly in and out of Marseille (or Nice) International Airport. Otherwise, we can also help with TGV train tickets.

Gourmet Food
French Countryside
Art & Museums
You discovered France Just For You...
and used only to plan my trip and manage our relationship.
My contact information will not be shared with 3rd parties.
Friendly reminder : please, check your spam folder

Our Travelers’ Reviews

Marjorie
My husband and I found France Just For You on the internet, while trying to plan a trip to France. We knew, given our desire to see both Normandy and the south of France, that we would spend hours deliberating about the details. We provided Emily with a budget, the duration of our vacation and a few must-sees and she provided us with a three-week …
Naomi
My boyfriend and I spent a week in Paris last month and we decided that we would do a couple of day-tours outside of the city during our trip. We really wanted to avoid the typical tour-bus day-tour and the crowds that come along with these kinds of tours – we wanted something more personalized that would allow us to go at our own pace. I found the …
Eileen
Thank you, Emilie! This was just the trip that we had envisioned. The B&B's that you booked for us were perfect. The excursions were fabulous. The amazingly detailed books that you prepared for us were our guides and will forever remind us of our trip. You listened to what we wanted and arranged a trip just for us. I cannot imagine how this trip …

Our Travelers’ Photos

Kathy & Bill
From the US
Biking in Burgundy for a day - near Chateau de la Rochepot
Sharon & Maroun
from the US
in Burgundy
Heather
From Australia
At her ancestor's gravestone on Northern France
Sheena & Anna
From the US
In Provence
Mona, Yvette, Vernon, David
from the US
in Mont Saint Michel Bay in Normandy
Jim
From Australia
At the top of the Rhune mount in the Basque Country
Linda
From Australia
Celebrating her 40th birthday in the Loire Valley
Sally & Mike
From the US
With their hosts in the Loire Valley
Rory
From the US
Enjoying a croissant at the B&B in Burgundy
Leslie & Bill
from the US
Behing the giant clock in Orsay museum
Shelley, Andy, Dianne & Bob
from the US
On the Eiffel Tower in Paris
Dina & Jim
from the US
Who just received their travel pack at home

Last Blog Articles