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Bucket list experience:

Last updated: 09 November, 2022
Expert travel writer: Dana Facaros

The remarkably preserved Pont du Gard is a masterpiece of Roman engineering. Built in the 1st century BC as part of a 50km aqueduct, it once supplied 30,000m³ of water daily to Nimes and until recently was used as a car bridge.

There’s a small museum on site that documents the history of the aqueduct, and explains how it was built with a variety of models, virtual reconstructions, multimedia screens and sounds.

While you're there

From mid-June on, beaches with rafts and shades are set up 200m down from the Pont du Gard if you feel like some beach time and a paddle.

You can also kayak or canoe on the river. Based 8km upriver from the Pont du Gard, Canoe Collias hire out canoes or kayaks that allow you to paddle down and under the aqueduct – a more adventurous way to appreciate it. They’ll retrieve you two or three hours later, 500m beyond the aqueduct. They have longer routes too, up to 30km, that will take your further through the natural reserve of the Gorges du Gardon.

Around 10 kilometres downstream from the Pont du Gard, north of Sernhac, you can explore two extraordinary Roman tunnels, still bearing axe marks – one 60m and the other 65m long.

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Price from: £8.50
Minimum age: Any
Age suitable: 6+
When: All year around
Duration: -

Getting there & doing it

There are two car parks near the bridge: the main (left bank) one, off the D19/D981 Avignon and Uzes, and the second one (right bank) signposted a mile from Remoulins. From Avignon, take the A15 bus to Ales, which has a stop in easy walking distance of the Pont du Gard, but be sure to check the schedules before setting out.

From July to September, there are regular, 30-minute guided tours that take you up to the 3rd level channel. They start on the right bank. No booking required.

On site there’s a café, snack bar and bistro, and Les Terrasses restaurant on the right bank – with lovely views.

When to do it

The site is accessible all year round, seven days a week. In July and August, arrive early in the day to avoid the midday heat and the crowds. If you stay until the evening, you may catch the Sound & Light Show, a 30-minute spectacular, starting around 10.30pm.

Our selection of the best Viator tours of this attraction or activity

Half-Day Provence Pont du Gard and Wine Tasting Tour from Avignon

Half-Day Provence Pont du Gard and Wine Tasting Tour from Avignon

Avignon

Enjoy a small group tour from Avignon to discover two wonders of the ancient world: Pont du Gard and Roman Theater in Orange, and take the o...

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Nimes, Uzes & Pont du Gard Small Group Half-Day Tour from Avignon

Nimes, Uzes & Pont du Gard Small Group Half-Day Tour from Avignon

Avignon

Enjoy this half day tour from Avignon with an experienced local guide who will take you to places where you will discover some of the best p...

€75 | Rating 4.74 / 5 [70 ratings]

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Small-Group Day Trip from Avignon - Van Gogh's Provence and Roman History

Small-Group Day Trip from Avignon - Van Gogh's Provence and Roman History

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Discover UNESCO heritage sites like the Roman Arles and the aqueduct of Pont du Gard, following the footsteps of the great Dutch painter Vin...

€105 | Rating 4.91 / 5 [34 ratings]

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Roman Sites and Historical Places Small-Group Day Trip from Avignon

Roman Sites and Historical Places Small-Group Day Trip from Avignon

Avignon

Step back in time and discover thousands of years of civilization and heritage on this 8-hour Roman sites day trip from Avignon. Follow your...

€122 | Rating 4.06 / 5 [81 ratings]

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Our writer’s picks of the best places to stay near this experience, closest first

Hotel d’Europe

Avignon, Provence, France[21.5 miles]

An uber-luxury, boutique hotel set in a 16th-century mansion right in Avignon’s medieval centre. The city’s oldest hotel oozes elegance and class.

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Hotel Le Colbert

Avignon, Provence, France[21.8 miles]

Quirky, bohemian and great value boutique hotel conveniently located within easy walking distance of Avignon’s attractions. One for the budget-conscious traveller.

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La Mirande Hotel

Avignon, Provence, France[21.8 miles]

A magnificent, evocative and aristocratic luxury hotel, right next to Avignon’s Palace of the Popes.

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Destination guides including or relevant to this experience

Provence

Provence, France

Gorgeous landscapes peppered with beautiful villages, sunflowers and lavender, art-filled towns, lively cultural festivals and exquisite food and wine. Provence is everything you imagined it would be.

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Angladon Museum

Avignon, Provence, France[21.8 miles]

A superb private art collection in a townhouse, including the only Van Gogh in Provence. There are also paintings by Chardin, Manet, Cezanne, Degas, Modigliani, Sisley and Picasso.

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Palace of the Popes

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The world’s biggest Gothic palace was home to popes during their 14th-century exile from Rome. Seven reigned here until 1377, in a colourful period of greed and depravity.

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Avignon Festival

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Nearly a thousand shows and exhibitions over three weeks, showcasing world-class drama, music and dance. France’s answer to the UK’s Edinburgh Festival.

Best for ages: 13+ | Free | 3 weeks

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