Pont du Gard

The best-preserved three-tier Roman aqueduct bridge, 49 meters high, spanning the Gardon River. After two thousand years, it remains a marvel of Roman engineering.

The Pont du Gard lies 25 km west of Avignon. Administratively it belongs to the Gard department, but it is a must-see on any trip to Provence. It is the most spectacular section of a 50-km aqueduct that the Romans built in the 1st century CE to carry water to Nîmes. The three-tier arched bridge is 49 meters high and 275 meters long, built from 50,000 tons of limestone blocks dry-stacked without mortar. It remains in excellent condition and was inscribed as a World Heritage site in 1985. The visitor area has a left bank and a right bank, each with a car park (€9 per car, including admission for all passengers; about €6 to €7 admission for those arriving on foot or by bike). From the car park, it's a 10-minute walk to the bridge. You can cross the lower tier's 18th-century road bridge to the opposite bank. The museum on the right bank (included in admission) explains Roman hydraulic engineering with models and films. The viewing platform and riverbank upstream on the left bank are the best places to photograph the full panorama. In summer, you can swim in the Gardon River below the bridge, or rent a canoe in Collias upstream (about €25 for 2 hours) and float downstream through the arches. From June to August, light shows are held on some evenings. The aqueduct channel at the top of the bridge is open only during guided tours, which must be booked (about €10). Opening hours are 9:00 until sunset. The museum is open 9:00 to 19:00, and until 17:00 in winter. Getting there: take bus line A15 from Avignon (about 45 minutes, €1.50), or drive for 30 minutes. From Nîmes, it's about 25 minutes. Plan 2 to 3 hours, and combine it with a day trip to Avignon or Nîmes. In summer, bring swimwear and non-slip shoes. The midday sun is strong, and the riverbed stones are slippery.

Pont du Gard

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