Nîmes is Roman, classical and contemporary all at once. Designated a town of art and history, dynamic and conscious of the treasures it holds, it has managed to preserve a great many vestiges of its rich past and also today looks to contemporary art to perfect its beauty.
Places to see
- The Amphitheatre (Arènes) (1st century AD)
- Maison Carrée (Roman temple, AD 5)
- Tour Magne (16 BC)
- Jardins de la Fontaine (18th C)
- The Carré d’Art, designed by Sir Norman Foster (museum of contemporary art and library)
- Pont du Gard
- Musée des Beaux-Arts (fine arts) (second in Languedoc in terms of the number and quality of works it houses)
- Musée des Cultures Taurines (bullfighting traditions). Open from Ascension Day to end of September
- Musée du Vieux Nîmes (history of the city)
- Musée Archéologique and Musée d’Histoire Naturelle (archaeology and natural history)
- Planetarium
Getting there
- Train station in the city centre: Mediterranean high-speed train (2 hrs 50 mins from Paris)
- Airport: Nîmes-Arles-Camargue (10 mins from the city centre)
- Motorways: A9, A54
Cities to Visit in France