Travel bucket list idea:
Vers-Pont-du-Gard, Occitaine, France
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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.
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.
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.
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.
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