The Pont du gard aqueduct: its history
The Pont du Gard, built in halfway through the first century AD, is an exceptionally preserved roman aqueduct. With a height of around 50 meters, a length of over 360 meters and a major arch gap of 25 meters (one of the biggest of the antique world), the Pont du Gard is considered as a true masterpiece and a perfect example of the Roman ingenuity.
The Pont du Gard is part of a 50 kilometers long aqueduct that was built to provide enough drinking water for the ever expanding Nîmes, a prosperous Roman colony at the time, that saw its population peak at 20.000 inhabitants, as the local water source was not sufficient anymore.
Today a UNESCO World heritage site, the Pont du Gard allows to discover and understand the true cleverness and incredible organization that was needed to build this monument.
What to expect
There are two riversides to Pont du Gard: the left bank and the right bank that allow you to discover this monument in two differents atmospheres.
The Left Bank
It is where you can find the car park, the museum, the shops and the restaurants: a perfect area to get all the useful information about the aqueduct and why it is such an important monument.
The Right Bank
where you can enjoy walking on tracks in the middle of the famous garrigues, an unique ecosytem of the south of France, along the river.
From both banks, you can enjoy and incredible view of this aqueduct, pillar to the expansion of Nîmes at that time.
Accessibility
Close to Avignon (only 25km away) and accessible to the public (entrance fees however), the Pont du Gard has become a must-see when travelling to Provence. Enjoy walking or cycling along the aqueduct vestige and even on the Pont du Gard itself.
