August 20, 2023: Enroute to Collioure, Jean and I revisited the magnificent Pont du Gard, standing tall two millennia after the Romans built it to support their growing empire.
“The resounding impact of my steps as I walk beneath these mighty arches made me think I could almost hear the voices of those who built them. I was lost, like an insect, in its immensity.”
Philosopher Jean-Jacques Rousseau on le Pont du Gard
Roman Nîmes
Celtic tribes founded the southern French city of Nîmes about 500 BC. And if you were wondering, the answer is “yes.” These are the same Celtic (Gallic in Latin) tribes that settled in today’s Ireland. They were a well-travelled bunch.
When Julius Caesar conquered Gaul (France) for Rome ~58BC, Nîmes become a regional capital. With such standing, the city merited investment – a strong defensive wall, an impressive arena, a temple, and gardens. Nîmes lay on the Via Domita, the Roman Road to Hispania (Spain), an important trading route. In a few short decades, the population swelled to over 50,000.
The Aqueduct
The Romans named Nîmes after a Celtic god who protected a local spring. Ironically, as the city grew, the spring was insufficient to the city needs. So in about 19BC, the city built an aqueduct to carry water from the Uzès mountains. Amazingly, the Uzès source is only 56’ higher than the castellum (basin) in Nîmes. For Roman engineers, this was enough to let gravity do its work transporting the water 31 miles to the city. From the castellum, stone and lead pipes distributed water to public wells, wealthy private homes, and public fountains. The local museum highlights the engineering innovations that made it all possible.
Pont du Gard
To reach the city, the aqueduct had to cross the deep Gard River. So, the Romans built the massive 3-tier Pont du Gard (“Bridge of the Gard”). It stands over 50 yards high and 300 yards long. The Gard River, swollen in flood, has at times engulfed the bottom tier. The Pont du Gard, built 2000 years ago without mortar, still stands. After the fall of the Roman empire, the aqueduct fell into disuse: keeping the channel clear of calcite and vegetation was labor intensive and could not be sustained without Roman bureaucracy. Napoleon III repaired the bridge in the 1850’s, and UNESCO designated it a cultural site in 1985.
Nîmes and Pont du Gard Today
In 2017, Jean and I visited and found Nîmes a charming city, better for a stay than more well-known neighbors Arles, Orange and Avignon. The people and food were wonderful, and the pace relaxed. At the center of town, bullfighters still fill the Arena. Other well-preserved historical sites see less action. An aside: Thomas Jefferson visited Nîmes in 1785 as the Foreign Minister to France. The Maison Carrée inspired his design for the Virginia Statehouse. I find these historical connections fascinating!
We revisited Pont du Gard in August 2023. As you can see from the photos, locals enjoy the river to escape the heat. Nearby a sign states: “No jumping from the bridge or rocks.” It utterly fails to dissuade the kids, as you can see. The August heat tempted to join them! But instead cranked up the AC and drove three hours on to Collioure and our stay.
