Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
PONT DU GARD
The Romans didn't do anything on a small scale and this awe-inspiring aqueduct is no ex-
ception. At 50m, it's the world's highest Roman monument. Walk across for a bird's-eye
view over the river.
Sights & Activities
Pont du Gard
ROMAN SITES
( 04 66 37 50 99;
www.pontdugard.fr
; car & up to 5 passengers €18, after
8pm €10, cyclists & walkers free; visitors centre & museum 9am-7pm Jun-Sep,
9am-6pm Mar-May & Sep, 9am-5pm Oct-Feb, parking lots 9am-1am)
A Unesco World
Heritage Site, this exceptionally well-preserved, three-tiered Roman aqueduct was once
part of a 50km-long system of channels, built c 19BC, to move water from nearby Uzès to
Nîmes. The scale is huge: 35 arches comprise its 275m-long upper-tier span, 50m above
the River Gard; it once carried 20,000cu metres of water daily.
The visitors centre and main entrance are on the left, northern bank -
rive gauche
; to
reach the bridge from parking on either bank requires a 400m walk, with excellent wheel-
chair access. You can cross the main tier any time, but can tour the upper tier's tunnels
only from June to mid-September via
guided tour
(adult/child €10/6; reservations re-
quired)
. The best, least encumbered view is upstream. There's swimming in summer; life-
guards are posted downstream on the
rive droite
(right, southern bank).
Museo de la Romanité
(incl in Pont du Gard admission, up to 5 cyclists/walkers €15)
The hugely informative
high-tech Museum of the Roman World has signage in English. The cinema shows a
15-minute large-screen
film
of the bridge from land and air. Children get their own, dedic-
ated learning area at
Ludo
.
ROMAN MUSEUM
WALK
Mémoires de Garrigue
Ditch the crowds along this 1.4km interpretive trail through Mediterranean scrub. Explan-
atory English-language booklets (€4) interpret the trail.
Canoeing on the River Gard
CANOEING
