Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Thiswasthebiggestbridgeinthewhole30-mile-longaqueduct.Itseemsexceptional
because it is: The arches are twice the width of standard aqueducts, and the main arch is
the largest the Romans ever built—80 feet (so it wouldn't get its feet wet). The bridge is
about160feethighandwasoriginallyabout1,100feetlong.Today,12archesaremissing,
reducing the length to 790 feet.
Though the distance from the source (in Uzès) to Nîmes was only 12 miles as the
eagle flew, engineers chose the most economical route, winding and zigzagging 30 miles.
Thewatermadethetripin24hourswithadropofonly40feet.Ninetypercentoftheaque-
duct is on or under the ground, but a few river canyons like this required bridges. A stone
lid hides a four-foot-wide, six-foot-tall chamber lined with waterproof mortar that carried
the stream for more than 400 years. For 150 years, this system provided Nîmes with good
drinking water. Expert as the Romans were, they miscalculated the backup caused by a
downstream corner, and had to add the thin extra layer you can see just under the lid to
make the channel deeper.
The bridge and the river below provide great fun for holiday-goers. While parents
suntan on rocks, kids splash into the gorge from under the aqueduct. Some daredevils ac-
