We visited Nîmes sort of on a lark. It’s a smaller city (we tend to like those best), it has some sweet looking Roman relics, and it’s the birthplace of denim (the fabric “de Nîmes”), which we thought was pretty cool.
We also discovered it has the oldest designed public park in Europe, inspired by Versailles, but for the plebes. We spent a couple days just walking the sculpted grounds, around fountains with fish and swans, throwing balls for local dogs, and generally shade-hopping to sketching vantage points.
The Roman ruins are indeed the highlight of this locale, though. There are several well-preserved sites to tour, including an amphitheater which hosted several big name bands (Kiss, Sting, Ben Harper, amount others). It was fun to go sit in front of the arena and watch different kinds of concert goers line up, and then listen to the start of each show from outside. (The girls have never heard so many curse words in a row as at the Sum 41 opening!)
But there’s also a guard tower on a hill (with 140 steps to the grand view at the top), and several temples, and just a general feel of Roman influence.
There is even a segment of aqueduct over the Gardon River, just a cheap 45-minute bus ride away (which is an experience, really, all by itself). We went twice. Because it was near 100 degrees outside of the cool river, and also because — I mean — swimming under a Roman aqueduct!
We found frogs and fish and swam right underneath an arch and jumped off the rock walls into the deep cool water and counted our lucky stars.
We’re now on our way to Carcassonne. (We will miss the Tour de France by only a few days. Darn!) Just a quick stop. But don’t worry — we brought the board game with us so we can play on the ramparts!
Magrilless 