pont du Gard visit
Built in the 1st century AD, the Pont du Gard, near Nîmes, is without doubt the most spectacular work of art on the aqueduct, which is on UNESCO's World Heritage List. To cross the Gardon valley, the Roman builders constructed a bridge of exceptional proportions. At 49 metres, it is the highest Roman aqueduct bridge in the world. It is made up of 3 rows of arches one above the other (6 arches on the first level, 11 arches on the second level and originally 47 arches), which is also a rare achievement for its time. Finally, it is remarkable for its excellent state of preservation, which means that today it is admired as a masterpiece of human creative genius. It is the only example of an ancient 3-storey bridge still standing today. Nearly a thousand men worked on this colossal project, which took just 5 years to complete.
The Grand Site operation launched in 2000 has restored the site to its original state, free from the traffic and buildings that had proliferated in the surrounding area. The entrance ticket to the site gives access to the facilities on both banks of the Gardon.
A superb underground museum space on the left bank of the bridge tells the fascinating story of the construction of the aqueduct and its role in Roman lifestyles in a fun and educational way. A total of 4,500 m² of learning space, with films, exhibitions, virtual reconstructions, etc.
From June to August, the thousand-year-old monument will be illuminated from dusk, offering the public a magnificent moment of contemplation. The work is all about perspective, light and colour, with graphic and symbolic images that respond, collide, overlap and tell their own story.