Combine Uzès and Pont du Gard which is one hour from the holiday home.
Several walks have been traced in the nature reserve around the Pont du Gard. You'll pass remnants of the aqueduct, historic buildings, and of course, lots of beautiful scenery. In summer, small beaches are open around the Pont du Gard where visitors can swim and cool off in the Gardon. In summer, the bridge is also beautifully illuminated at night.
You can park for 20 minutes in the car park and cross the Pont du Gard on foot for free without having access to the museum or cinema. Or leave by car from the holiday home and rent bikes from a of the nearest villages.
Le Pont du Gard is 64 km from the holiday home.
In the first century, the Romans built an ingenious aqueduct from the Source d'Eure, near Uzès, to the town of Nîmes. It not only powered the city's thermal baths and fountains, but also provided drinking water to 20,000 residents. The rich had running water in their villas, which was very rare at the time! No less than 1,000 workers took nearly 5 years to build the aqueduct from 50,000 tons of limestone from Vers.
The aqueduct is a true technical feat. Transporting water from one city to another was a real challenge, as there were mountains between the two cities. The water supply system therefore had to be built around the mountains and no less than 50 kilometers of water pipes were built! But the biggest obstacle was crossing the Gardon River. To solve this problem, the impressive Pont du Gard aqueduct was built near the town of Vers. Roman architects also had to take into account the difference in altitude between Ucetia and Nemausus. The canal therefore had to be designed so that the water would never stop, which was done by lowering the level of each kilometer by 23 centimeters.
The aqueduct brought 35 million liters of water per day to Nîmes, but it had to be stopped because it was clogged with minerals and waste. Fortunately, the impressive Pont du Gard remained in use as a toll bridge. For a small fee, residents could cross the Gardon and thus contribute to the maintenance of the bridge.
The Pont du Gard is a true masterpiece. With a height of 48.8 meters, it is one of the highest bridges in the world.
The lower level is already enormous, with six arches with a length of 142 meters and a height of 22 meters.
The magnificent 18th century pedestrian bridge is right next door.
The second row of arches is perhaps even more imposing, with 11 arches and a length of 242 meters!
The upper level was originally even larger, with 35 arches, but today "only" 27 remain.
It remains nonetheless fascinating, with a third row of arches 275 meters long and 7 meters high.
At the very top, a gutter 1.8 meters high and 1.2 meters wide was used to convey the water.
The Pont du Gard was included on the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1985. It has become increasingly popular with tourists and traffic has continued to increase. Fortunately, in 1996 it was decided to protect the area around the bridge. Buildings were demolished and traffic was diverted, so that a magnificent natural area of no less than 165 hectares can be found around the bridge today. Come and enjoy all the beauty of the Pont du Gard.
The reception center
The architect Jean-Paul Viguier had a reception center built on the north bank, approximately 500 meters from the Pont du Gard. You can visit a museum, the Ludo, and watch a documentary on the viaduct.
The museum tells the story of the design and construction of the aqueduct and showcases life in Nemausus during Roman times. It also explains the political power of water at the time and the importance of the Pont du Gard over the centuries.
Ludo is a discovery space for children aged 5 to 12. Children discover the Romans, the aqueduct and the surroundings of the Pont du Gard in a fun way.
