Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
By Bus
The bus station
(gare routière)
is just past and below Hôtel Ibis, to the right as you exit
the train station. Nearly all buses leave from this station (a few leave from the ring road
reduced or nonexistent on Sundays and holidays. Check your departure time beforehand,
and make sure to verify your destination with the driver.
From Avignon to Pont du Gard:
Buses go to this famous Roman aqueduct (3/day,
50 minutes, departs from bus station and possibly from TGV station in high season, ask
about round-trip ticket that includes Pont du Gard entry, see below); I'd also consider a
taxi one-way and bus back.
By Bus to Other Regional Destinations: Arles
(8/day, 1 hour, leaves from TGV
Station);
Aix-en-Provence
(6/day Mon-Sat, 2/day Sun, 75 minutes, faster and easier
than train),
Uzès
(3-5/day, 60-80 minutes, stops at Pont du Gard);
St-Rémy-de-Provence
(Cartreize #57 bus, 6/day, 45 minutes, stall #2, handy way to visit its Wed market);
Orange
(Mon-Sat hourly, none Sun, 45 minutes—take the train instead);
Isle-sur-la-
Sorgue
(6-8/dayMon-Sat,3-4/daySun,45minutes,stall#13,someleavefromringroad);
Châteauneuf-du-Pape
(2/day Mon-Sat, none Sun, 45 minutes). For the
Côtes du Rhône
area, the bus runs to
Vaison la Romaine, Nyons, Sablet,
and
Séguret
(5/day during the
school year—called
période scolaire,
3/day otherwise, and 1/day from TGV Station; 1.5
hours, all buses pass through Orange—faster to take train to Orange, and transfer to bus
there). For the
Luberon
area—including
Lourmarin, Roussillon,
and
Gordes
—take the
bus to Cavaillon, then take bus #8 toward Pertuis for Lourmarin (3/day) or bus #15 for
Gordes/Roussillon (only 1/day).
Throughout the ancient world, aqueducts were like flags of stone that heralded the great-
nessofRome.Avisittothissightstillworkstoproclaimthewondersofthatage.Thisper-
fectlypreservedRomanaqueductwasbuiltinabout19
B.C
.asthecriticallinkofa30-mile
canal that, by dropping one inch for every 350 feet, supplied nine million gallons of water
per day (about 100 gallons per second) to Nîmes—one of ancient Europe's largest cities.
Though most of the aqueduct is on or below the ground, at Pont du Gard it spans a canyon
on a massive bridge—one of the most remarkable surviving Roman ruins anywhere. Wear
sturdy shoes if you want to climb around the aqueduct (footing is tricky), and bring swim-
wear and flip-flops if you plan to backstroke with views of the monument.
