Located between the Mediterranean and the Cevennes, between the Camargue and Provence, Nîmes is more than a simple metropolis of the Midi; it is a land rich in heritage of the past that looks to the future. Over the centuries, the city of Nîmes has preserved remarkable ancient buildings such as the Arena, the Magne Tower and the Temple of Diana (inside the magnificent gardens of the Fountain) and the Maison Carrée. It is this topography that makes it the "French Rome" (legend has it that the capital of the Gard has seven hills but in reality there are only three).

In the 11th century B.C., Celtic populations began to settle around Mount Cavalier and the surrounding area, and other peoples settled on the oppidums of the Nîmes scrubland. On their promontories, the locals venerated the god Nemausus, associated with the sacred spring around which the city was formed, hence the current name of Nîmes.

Under Emperor Augustus, the city became the symbol of Romanity in Gaul and to affirm the triumph of the new civilization, it was decided to mint coins in Nîmes

Nowadays, with its annual férias, bullfights, flamenco festival and Camargue gastronomy, the city is oriented towards southern Spain, Cisalpine Italy and of course Occitania. The city with an accent, as it is nicknamed, is the multicultural conjunction of a heritage that is both Provencal, Cevennes and even Lozere and Ardèche.

A mosaic of cultures is thus found in the city of Nîmes. The city of Nîmes does its utmost to skilfully combine the conservation and transmission of the unique heritage of the past with the modernity necessary to any contemporary city. Thus, the Arena, a1st century amphitheater, now faces the Museum of Romanesque Art with its modern architecture; more than two thousand years of history face each other and respond harmoniously. Numerous concerts take place in the summer in the Arenas during the Nîmes Festival, which contributes to reinforcing this skilful combination of tradition and modernity. The same goes for the Maison Carrée and the Carré d'art; the ancient building stands proudly opposite the futuristic setting that houses the museum of contemporary art and the media library. But Nîmes is also a vast pedestrian area, medieval streets, shops, courtyards and patios. It is good to get lost there to discover how much the city is a crossroads of cultures in Latin Europe.

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Unclassifiable and mysterious, fierce and good-natured, the Gard is a department with a difference, a place on the bangs where time stands still. It offers a wealth of history and landscapes to adventurers and those seeking languor under the southern sun. Plural and diverse, its splendors are as much natural as they are heritage, and the wild character of the territory gives full meaning to the word "discover". It's best to take your time and whet your curiosity, as the many secrets it holds are still being revealed after many years. Seek and you will find in the Gard! Its history has been marked by upheavals, and today it's the many original initiatives that make its present dynamic, while remaining strong in its traditions. From the sea to the mountains and through the ages, you're invited to an encounter as unusual as it is convivial.

Pictures and images Nîmes

Les arènes de Nîmes. Office du tourisme Nîmes
Maison Carrée et Carré d'Art Norman Foster. Office de tourisme Nîmes DL
Le village de Sauve. Ludwig Deguffroy - iStockphoto.com
Les arènes de Nîmes. saiko3p - Shutterstock.com

The 12 keywords Nîmes

1. # Aïoli

Aïoli looks like mayonnaise, but is not. It's a garlic and olive oil-based sauce widely used in Mediterranean cuisine. It can also be served hot with an assortment of vegetables. Aïoli camarguaise, an essential dish in the Gard region, is a rouille made from octopus and potatoes mixed with aïoli.

2. # Cod brandade

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How did a North Sea and Atlantic fish become a Gard speciality?

Brandade de morue is a dish made from dried and salted cod. North Sea and Atlantic fishermen used this technique to preserve the fish. Then, they would come to Nîmes to trade the cod for salt from the Midi salt marshes.

3. # Costières de Nîmes

Aromatic, modern and elegant reds, fresh and delicate whites, fruity and festive rosés... Costières-de-Nîmes wines have in common this southern character which signs their origin. Rising value of the vineyards of the Rhone Valley, they are the reflection of their soil and are today an AOC. To be consumed with moderation.

4. # Crocodile

Crocodiles in the Gard? Yes, the crocodile is the emblem of Nîmes. Its presence is a bit incongruous and would go back to the time of the Romans. After the Egyptian campaign, Augustus' soldiers settled in Nîmes. Their victory was symbolized by a crocodile chained to a palm tree, a symbol that was later used on coins.

5. # Celebrations

Cultural festivals, historical re-enactments, gastronomic feasts: there's no shortage of opportunities to celebrate in the département. Local and large-scale festivities follow one another all year round. Not forgetting the férias in Nîmes and Alès. Whether for or against bullfighting, the féria attracts over a million visitors over five days.

6. # Fougasse

This flatbread is considered to be Provençal but don't be mistaken, it is an institution here!

The Gard distinguishes two types of fougasses: a savory one made of grattons which will divinely accompany the aperitif and a sweet one originating from Aigues-Mortes and which bears its name. The latter was placed, at Christmas, within the thirteen Provençal desserts.

7. # Small Nîmes pâté

This small pâté stuffed with veal and pork, or with brandade, is a specialty of the city. The legend says that it would have been created by grandmothers of Nîmes. In this dough in the shape of a cork, they put the remains of gardiane or other to taste it with the aperitif. Its notoriety has now exceeded the borders of the department.

8. # Picholine

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Listed as part of France's intangible heritage, these typically Gardoise olives are one of the region's gustatory treasures. With a particularly fruity taste and slightly peppery notes, their flavor is matched only by the brightness of their green. They give birth to an oil that is both bitter and pungent, with great nutritional value.

9. # Romanity

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In the department, it is not really our ancestors the Gauls but rather our ancestors the Romans! Indeed, the Roman settlers did not only bequeath some of the most grandiose monuments, such as the Pont du Gard, the arena of Nîmes or the Maison carrée, they also transmitted to the people of Gard a way of life and an open vision of the world.

10. # Salt of Camargue

This is a unique salt with naturally white, slightly moist crystals. It is harvested once a year in late summer from the Aigues-Mortes salt marsh. This exceptional, additive-free natural salt has been hand-picked since Antiquity. It's the perfect seasoning to enhance any dish: it's used as much as olive oil!

11. # Taurus

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Here, the bull is king! From the Camargue to the southern Cévennes, the bull is at the heart of many traditional events in the Gard: encierros, abrivados, fêtes votives and, of course, the famous bullfights. The love for this animal and all that goes with it is unconditional in the Gard, and there's even an expression for it: "fe di biou"!

12. # Truffle

No, you're not dreaming, the Gard is also truffle country. Truffles have been found in the limestone soils of Uzège since Roman times. Uzès has the privilege of being labelled a "Remarkable Taste Site". An exceptional distinction, since there are only three in the whole of France. Its annual market is very popular with connoisseurs.

You are from here, if...

You can imitate the song of the cicadas like no one else.

All your salads, indeed all your meals, are topped with olive oil.

You were lucky enough to be a gladiator in the Nîmes arena.

As soon as we hear your accent, we feel like we're already on vacation in the sun.

In your youth, you fancied yourself an adventurer, canoeing the Gardon gorges and the Collias waterfalls.

You must have avoided at least one wild boar while driving at night.

For you, the North is above the city of Lyon.

You've already taken a slightly tipsy nighttime dip in the fountain on Place aux Herbes in Nîmes.

Within a 5 km radius of your house, there's at least one vestige - menhir, dolmen, inscription, ruin, monument - dating back two thousand years or more.

Meals that last for hours are necessarily punctuated by a little siesta to the sound of cicadas.

For you, summer lasts ten months of the year.

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