A lot of travellers visiting Southern France’s Provence region sing praises of the ancient architecture, art and culture of Avignon, the residence of Pope Clement V and Arles, one of the oldest cities of France. However, they often miss out on the treasure trove of history and culture nestled barely 50 km from Avignon, in the ancient Roman city of Nîmes.
About 700 km due south of Paris, Nîmes is a city adorned with ancient Roman relics, testaments to its notable textile heritage, stunning streets and a thriving nightlife and café culture.
In 121 BCE, Nîmes, then the capital of the Gauls, was conquered by the Romans who went on to build almost all of its major buildings that attract visitors today. Not just in terms of buildings, Nîmes bears a remarkable resemblance to the Roman Capital, including the fact that it is built on seven hills, earning it the sobriquet, the French Rome.
The French Rome
Although the local airport is about 10 km away from the city centre, one of the best ways to get to Nîmes is by the French highspeed trains, TGV, that take less than three hours from Paris to Nîmes, arriving at the local station that is just a short walk away, from one of the best preserved testaments to Roman architecture outside Italy, the amphitheatre of Nîmes.
The 69-foot (21 m) high arena that closely resembles the great Colosseum of Rome, features underground rooms, and a lift for hoisting animals for gladiator games. The top stairways of the arena provide a breath-taking view of the city and the surrounding seven hills, however getting there is no easy feat as one can easily get lost trying to navigate through the 60 passageways of the magnificent monument.
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