Thursday’s excursion takes us to a site that defines "magnificence." To understand the Pont du Gard, it helps to put its scale into perspective: imagine the Eiffel Tower. While the Eiffel Tower, built in 1889, is a symbol of modern industrial France, the Pont du Gard is its ancient equivalent~ a staggering feat of Roman engineering that has stood for nearly 2,000 years.
Built in the mid-1st century AD, this three-tiered aqueduct bridge was designed to carry water over the Gardon River to the city of Nîmes. It is a testament to human ingenuity, constructed with such precision that the water flowed across its 31-mile journey with a slope of only a few inches.
Orientation: The National Park Experience
The Pont du Gard is one of France's most treasured & visited National Parks. The site is a sprawling, protected landscape where history and nature coexist. To ensure you truly appreciate the scale of what you’re seeing, our first stop will be the on-site Museum.
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While the Eiffel Tower and Empire State Building dominate the sky vertically, the Pont du Gard was designed to dominate the landscape horizontally.
To put it in perspective, the bridge is roughly 900 feet (275 meters) long, which means if you laid the Eiffel Tower on its side, the Pont du Gard would almost match it end-to-end... and it would take nearly three full city blocks in Manhattan (based on the width of the Empire State Building) to cover the same distance.
After The Museum, we'll all hike out together on an Orientation Walk to the Pont du Gard. We'll point out the various areas of The Park, and walk you down to the Gardon River, where you actually get the very best views of the monument...
Pro Tip: consider bringing water shoes and/or swimming suit if you want to cool off in the River!
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Mid-Day Lunching in the Park
Lunch today is on your own & at your leisure, allowing you to choose the pace of your afternoon. The park offers several distinct options:
- The Rive Gauche Visitor Hub: A walk-up Snack Bar perfect for a quick, convenient bite or gelato in the arrival visitor hub (which includes the ticket offices, museum, gift shops, restrooms, etc)
- Bistro du Pont: The Bridge-Side (Rive Droite) Snack Bar: A casual spot located right near the monument... a small cafeteria style snack bar - with open seating outside... ideal if you want to grab something quick & simple and get back to exploring the riverbanks.
Les Terrasses: This is the slightly more upscale, but very casual Bistro located on the Rive Droite right over the bridge. It offers tables with waiter service on a beautiful terrace with views of the monument, a wonderful spot if you’d like a sit-down meal and a glass of rosé while soaking in the scenery.
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Afternoon Adventures
You'll have free time this afternoon & the choice is yours; You can just relax with a long leisurely lunch with a spritz or glass of wine at one of the Bistros... You can grab a take out sandwich & a beer and go have a picnic on the riverbank... You can wander the "Mémoires de Garrigue"~ a beautiful walking trail that showcases the Mediterranean landscape ~ or find a flat stone by the water for a quick dip.
Whether you are hiking the upper trails for that "Eiffel Tower-esque" view or relaxing by the river, you are standing in the presence of one of the greatest wonders of the ancient world...
We’ll all meet up back at The Visitors Hub in the afternoon and head back to the Villa for another Happy Hour Swim Party, where we can toast to the Romans and their incredible legacy!
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Happy Hours Swim Party, Dinner & All Night Fun
Back at Chateau du Soleil, we'll have the bars set up down at the pool for a late afternoon dip... And we'll gather later in The Solarium for Appetizers and then of course we'll head over to the loggia for another wonderful Dinner Party with fabulous foods & wines prepared by our Chefs Fabian & Coralie! It just keeps getting better! On a day like this, you'll be walking on sunshine!
