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If you are expecting to travel to the beautiful Provence region of south-central France we recommend side trips to the many small villages you would find here.
We rented a car from Europcar, which did a wonderful job with our reservation, ahead of our arrival in Avignon. We were able to pick that rental up at the train station, the process was fast and easy. The car we rented was a Hybrid – Automatic Toyota SUV with navigation ( a definite must-have option).
Nimes
One of the first places we decided to visit was the city of Nimes. It’s about a 40-minute ride southeast of Avignon.
Nimes is typically called the Frech Rome as it is home to many amazingly preserved Roman sites. One of these marvels is the Maison Carrée – a fully preserved classical Roman temple, one of the few remaining in the world.
It was constructed between 20 and 12 BC during the reign of Emperor Augustus and inspired by the temples of Apollo and Mars Ultor in Rome.
Probably the most amazing site is an ancient Roman Amphitheater called Arènes. This impressive structure dates all the way back to the 1st century AD. It is one of the best preserved Roman amphitheaters next to the famous Colosseum in Rome.
Known for chariot racing and gladiatorial combats back in the day, it now is home to the Festival de Nîmes. This festival has featured world-renown musical artists such as Neil Young, David Bowie, Santana, Björk, Metallica, and Depeche Mode.
Pont Du Gard
Heading back towards Avignon you need to make a stop at the truly impressive Pont Gu Gard. This is an ancient Roman aqueduct bridge built in the first century AD. It was built to carry water over 31 miles to the then Roman colony of Nemausus, which is known now as the town of Nimes! This Roman aqueduct is the tallest of all the aqueducts and is one of the best preserved.
The Pont du Gard has been a tourist attraction for many centuries. It was visited by King Charles IX of France in 1564, Louis XIV in 1660, and even Napolean III in the 1850s.
Today, the Pont Du Gard is a quiet and peaceful location. The area around the Pont du Gard is now a park-like setting and features a modern underground museum on the left bank that provides a fun and educational look back at how the aqueduct was built, and the role it played in Roman times. The Pont du Gard is today one of France’s top five tourist attractions.
