A Whistle End Tour of the Gard

Observe in the footsteps of the Romans and medieval pilgrims who as soon as traversed this superb landscape, from its rugged gorges and verdant pastures to the windswept wilds of the Camargue.

Heart OF HERITAGE

UNESCO Earth Heritage web-site the Pont du Gard is, not surprisingly, the jewel in the Gard’s crown. Constructed 2,000 years back, it is a remnant of the 52km Roman aqueduct that once carried water to the then 20,000 inhabitants of Nîmes. Certain to blow you absent, it’s the environment for quite a few reveals, concert events, exhibitions, fireworks and popular balls in the course of the year.

The 12th-century Abbey of Saint-Gilles is detailed by UNESCO for getting a phase on the Santiago de Compostela. Treading in the footsteps of medieval pilgrims, you will 1st be struck by the a lot of carvings on the Romanesque façade and the imposing crimson doorways, the 50m nave and monumental crypt.

ROMAN NÎMES

The Romans certainly remaining their mark on Nîmes, proper down to the sewers! But of program, their most well known legacy is the 24,000-seat amphitheatre, the greatest preserved in the Roman environment, designed for the duration of the reign of Augustus. Then there’s the wonderfully intact Maison Carrée, wherever you can find out about the city’s historical past from its inception, the Magne Tower, part of the original metropolis partitions and a terrific place for views of Nîmes and its environs, and the castellum, the distribution basin for the drinking water from the aqueduct which would be piped about the metropolis.

As a ville d’art et d’histoire, society vultures can delight in a packed itinerary, with several museums and the modern artwork museum, the Carré d’Art to though absent the hours. Or if paying is your issue, Nîmes is an unbelievable purchasing destination… effectively, it is the dwelling of denim (de Nîmes) soon after all.

VILLAGE Life

Four of France’s Moreover Beaux Villages can be discovered in the Gard, in the northeast of the département. At the edge of the Ardèche is Aiguèze, an 11th-century fortress the medieval village of Montclus, the place a square dungeon is the only remnant of the initial castle, sits beside the Cèze river the stone properties of La Roque-sur-Cèze are set among the the vineyards, gazing down at the Sautadet waterfalls and Lussan, perched on a rocky peak, delivers the entice of a medieval town surrounded by ramparts.

You’ll also obtain Villages of Character, these as Barjac, house to two fantastic flea markets, and Vézénobres, a perched medieval town with attractive Romanesque mansions linked by steep alleys. Figs are harvested below, with festivities in August and Oct.

Normal Wonders

The Causses and Cévennes, listed in 2011 as a UNESCO Globe Heritage Internet site for their “cultural landscape of Mediterranean agro-pastoralism”, cover extra than 300,000 hectares. You will uncover windswept plateaus, steep valleys and blunt peaks preserved by the sheep, goat and cattle that graze below and are farmed employing the classic transhumance method. It is the fantastic position for hiking and biking.

In the planet-popular Camargue, with its marshes and reed beds and countless shorelines, you can find the flora and fauna by strolling the Marette trail, either guided or by itself. A fantastic starting off issue is the Maison du Grand Website de France de la Camargue Gardoise, an eco-museum at Aigues-Mortes, with a discovery trail, exhibitions and other functions and routines.

Or pop above to the Gardon Gorges, one more Grand Web-site de France, and explore its exceptional ecosystem of garrigue, cliffs and caves, oak forests and farmland.

Metropolis Tradition

Alongside Nîmes, Uzès and Beaucaire are also villes d’art et d’histoire. Beaucaire is a river port with a charming marina and an historic centre with mansions courting to the 17th century. If you’re not much too tired, climb to the fortress for a spectacular perspective of the metropolis. In historic Uzès, really don’t pass up the iconic 11th-century Romanesque Tour Fenestrelle (‘Window Tower’), France’s only round bell tower, or the incredible Saturday marketplace.