Day 8 - Nîmes

After Normandy we moved to Provence in the south of France.  Our first day was a trip out of Provence to Nîmes . Dubbed the most Roman city outside Italy, Nîmes has a rich history dating back to the Roman Empire when the city was a regional capital, and home to 50,000–60,000 people. Several famous monuments are in Nîmes, such as the Nîmes Arena and the Maison Carrée. Because of this, Nîmes is often referred to as the French Rome.

Pont du Gard

The Pont du Gard is an ancient Roman aqueduct that crosses the Gardon River near the town of Vers-Pont-du-Gard in southern France. The Pont du Gard is the highest of all elevated Roman aqueducts, and one of the best preserved. The aqueduct bridge is part of the Nîmes aqueduct, a 50-kilometre (31 mi) system built in the first century AD to carry water from a spring at Uzès to the Roman colony of Nemausus (Nîmes).  

Nimes

Nîmes became a Roman colony sometime before 28 BC, as witnessed by the earliest coins, which bear the abbreviation NEM. COL, "Colony of Nemausus". Some years later a sanctuary and other constructions connected with the fountain were raised on the site. Nîmes was already under Roman influence, though it was Augustus who made the city the capital of Narbonne province, and gave it all its glory. It was also known as the birthplace of the family of Roman Emperor Antoninus Pius.

Veterans of the Roman legions who had served Julius Caesar in his Nile campaigns, at the end of fifteen years of soldiering, were given plots of land to cultivate on the plain of Nîmes.

Arena

The amphitheatre dates from the end of the 2nd century AD and was one of the largest amphitheatres in the Empire.  The Arena of Nîmes is the site of two annual bullfights during the Feria de Nîmes.

There was bright sun and dark shade on the boulevard when I took this picture.  But...

through the power of HDR software you can see that Carol was there, in the Carol pose.

Maison Carrée

The Maison Carrée (Square House), a small Roman temple dedicated to sons of Agrippa was built c. 19 BC. It is one of the best-preserved Roman temples anywhere. 

Just walking down the street in Nîmes, you turn a corner and run into motorcycles and a 2000 year old temple.

Carol on the steps gives you a feeling for the size of it

Jardins de la Fontaine

The 18th-century Jardins de la Fontaine (Gardens of the Fountain)
Remarkable garden and the first public garden in Europe, the Jardins de la Fontaine stretch out over 15 hectares and are divided into two parts: a classical garden created in the 1800s and a landscaped Mediterranean garden created in the 1900s.

Garden and Canals

Beginning the climb to the Magne Tower (see below). Yes, Carol is in the picture somewhere.

We stumbled upon a lily pond.

Taking a picture of froggy.

Froggy

A single lily

A break in the shade

Temple of Diana

Me taking the previous picture

Magne Tower

The Magne Tower is the only remaining vestige of the ancient fortifications of Nîmes built by the emperor Augustus. Standing on Mount Cavalier, the highest point in the city, the tower overlooked the plain and the trade routes.

Food

We ate outside in the plaza at L'Agape in Avignon.  It was exquisite.  Eat there next time you're in Avignon!

Hurry!  The food's getting cold!

Le burp!

Odds and Ends

The French still throw their cigarette butts on the street.  It reminds me of America in the 60s and 70s.  This was right outside the 2000 year-old Maison Carrée