Unsure about your French table manners? Click Here to download > > How to avoid these 10 food etiquette mistakes !

Flipboard
logo on offbeatfrance
logo on offbeatfrance
logo on offbeatfrance
logo on offbeatfrance

Follow me on

  1. Home
    2. ›
  2. Culture & Civilization
    3. ›
  3. Roman France
    4. ›
  4. Nîmes

The Nimes Arena And Its Forgotten Roman Treasures

Published 16 March 2025 by Leyla Alyanak — Parisian by birth, Lyonnaise by adoption, historian by passion

Nîmes is home to some of the best-preserved Roman ruins in France, including the Arena of Nîmes, Maison Carrée, and the Pont du Gard. This article explores these ancient structures, their history, and how to visit them today.

If you're keen on Roman ruins in France, Nimes will spoil you, a bit like walking into an open-air museum with massive monuments around every corner.

Often nicknamed the “French Rome”, Nimes is one of France’s best preserved Roman cities, along with Arles, Orange and Lyon. 

NOTE: Yes, the “î” in Nîmes does carry what we call the “accent circonflexe”, or circumflex accent. When I write it in French, I always spell it Nîmes, but in English, for ease of typing, I’ll spell it the way you usually see it, Nimes, without the accent. I don’t love this compromise, but…

The Nimes Arena

Beyond the arena: Nimes’ other marvels

Nîmes on foot

Roman influence beyond the stones 

The Nimes Arena, or amphitheater, or colosseum

All these names are used interchangeably and all refer to the same place: the Colosseum of Nimes, which a quick look at the photo below will instantly explain.

nimes colosseum

It’s smaller than the one in Rome, but the Arena of Nimes is actually in better shape, with much of it still standing. In fact, it is one of the best-preserved Roman amphitheaters in the world.

It is also more or less the same age as Rome’s, built around 70 CE during Emperor Vespasian’s rule.

It was designed to hold around 24,000 spectators and entrance was free, one of the many tactics used by Rome to control its population.

The arena featured advanced crowd control systems (126 staircases!), underground tunnels, and, of all things, a velarium or retractable awning to shield spectators from the sun.

But it had plenty of secrets too…

Like many Roman amphitheaters, it would have had hidden underground tunnels. 

We’re not sure what they were for: some historians believe they were used to lead animals and gladiators to the arena floor, while others see them as secret escape routes for VIP spectators in case of emergency. There haven’t been enough excavations to confirm this but some of the tunnels may have connected the arena to other nearby Roman structures.

Of course something this old is bound to have stories of buried treasure, perhaps left behind by the Visigoths, who sacked parts of Gaul in the 5th century, or by Roman officials fleeing the city. But no, it hasn’t been found yet.

Nor have the ghosts, of whom there are several: a Roman gladiator eternally bound to where he died, a medieval knight trapped between life and death, or even a black dog – it is often believed that the fallen gladiators manifest as animals…

After Rome

With the Roman Empire gone, the gladiators disappeared. 

To seek protection from incessant warfare, people moved inside the arena walls and by the 12th century, nearly 150 houses, shops and two churches (Saint-Pierre and Saint-Martin) had been built inside. This self-contained village would last for centuries.

In the Middle Ages, a local lord turned the arena into a defensive fortress and over time, not surprisingly, things became a little crowded and unsanitary. Still, it would take until the 18th century, under Louis XVI, to evacuate the village and begin restoring the arena.

But the French Revolution intervened, and we know what happened to Louis, so restoration work was interrupted until 1812 under Napoleon. 

The gladiators may be gone, but they’ve been replaced by bullfights (not an admirer), historical re-enactments, and plenty of modern concerts – Santana and Elton John both performed in this 2000-year-old entertainment venue.

Beyond the arena: Nimes’ other marvels

While the Nimes arena is spectacular, it has plenty of rivals in the city.

The Musée de la Romanité

Standing across from the Nimes Arena, the Musée de la Romanité (roughly translated it is the Museum of Romanity, as in Roman Empire) either excites or disgruntles. While some see its smooth, modern lines as an ideal 21st-century complement to the city’s antiquity, others consider it a desacration of the historical amphitheater you can glimpse through its windows, as in my photo below.

I’ll be wishy-washy on this one and agree with both points of view.

Nimes arena view from Museum

But we’re not necessarily here for the architecture, because this museum houses an extraordinary collection of Roman remnants.

Here are five things not to miss in this museum:

  • The Mosaic Collection – Stunning, nearly intact Roman mosaics, including the famous Pentheus Mosaic that rivals those of Pompeii
  • The Roman Domus Reconstruction – A life-size recreation of a Roman house with frescoed walls and authentic furniture
  • The Trophy of Augustus – A massive carved frieze celebrating Rome’s victory over the Gauls
  • The Funerary Stelae – Ancient Roman tombstones, with glimpses into the names, professions, and lives of Nimes’ past inhabitants
  • The Rooftop Terrace – A breathtaking panoramic view of Nimes’ Roman landmarks, including the Arena and Maison Carrée
Famous Roman mosaic in Nimes Museum of RomaniteA small portion of the Pentheus Mosaic

Maison Carrée

This discreet temple is the best-preserved Roman temple in the world, even more intact than those in Rome. Translated, it means “Square House”, even though it is neither square (it’s a rectangle) nor a house.

Built in the year 4 AD, the Maison Carrée was dedicated to Gaius and Lucius Caesar, the grandsons and adopted sons of Emperor Augustus (yes, it was hard to get my head around that too). Its near-perfect state is rare − most Roman temples survive only as ruins.

A portico, Corinthian columns and intricate friezes – all very classical. It isn’t very big − in fact, it looks bigger on the inside (with explanatory panels) than it does from the outside, but size doesn't matter. Its "perfection" inspired Thomas Jefferson’s Virginia State Capitol and countless neoclassical buildings worldwide. 

Exterior of Maison Carree in Nimes

As the French Revolution swept across France, vandalizing and destroying many religious monuments, the Maison Carrée was spared because it had been turned into a government archive and administrative office, and therefore useful to revolutionary authorities.

Over the centuries, it served as a church, town hall, and even a stable, and these secular uses ironically helped preserve it. 

Les Jardins de la Fontaine

This is one of Europe’s first public parks, built in the 18th century on the site of an ancient Roman sanctuary. 

The gardens were designed around the Source de la Fontaine, a sacred spring central to the Roman water system. In Roman times, Nimes was called Colonia Nemausus. The name comes from Nemausus, the local water deity associated with the spring.

Jardins de la Fontaine in Nimes

It’s extremely pleasant to walk around, although in fairness, there isn’t much Roman about it − other than the Temple of Diana.

Temple of Diana in Nimes

The temple is one of two Roman structures that remain in the park. It is pretty much in ruins, and little is known about it. Was it a temple, a library, or part of a larger bath complex?

Was it even dedicated to Diana, or did they just pull the name out of a hat?

Higher up, behind the park, the Tour Magne is a watchtower that apparently offers sweeping views of Nimes and the surrounding countryside (I say apparently because the day I visited, a cold wind was blowing and I hid in a café instead). Once part of the city’s defensive walls, it is still a reminder of Nimes’ once strategic importance.

Tour Magne in Nimes, in the Jardin de la Fontaine

The Pont du Gard

I first saw this amazing structure when I was a little girl, dragged off by my parents to “see the sights”. 

And what a sight it was, a three-storied aqueduct that once carried water for 50km (31mi) from Uzès to Nimes, supplying the city with fresh water for over 400 years.

It’s still the world’s tallest surviving roman aqueduct at 49m (160ft), and is, unsurprisingly, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Its main arch is the largest ever built by Rome, anywhere… and not a speck of mortar in sight. 

Usually, when we see Roman structures, they’ve somewhat crumbled, but not here. It dominates the landscape and looks (almost) as pristine as when Caesar’s son-in-law, Marcus Vipsanius Agrippa, first drew up its plans in the first century of the Christian Era.

By the 4th or 5th century CE, as the Western Roman Empire weakened, the aqueduct system fell into disrepair, and mineral deposits clogged the water channels. By the 9th century, the Pont du Gard was no longer in use as an aqueduct. But it remained standing and was later used as a toll bridge in the Middle Ages, which helped preserve it.

Pont du Gard

Gazing at it today, you can see how truly amazing it is − mortar-free, its stones fitting so precisely that it has managed to withstand floods, wars, and centuries of erosion.

It is now one of France’s most visited ancient sites.

You can walk along it, or swim or even kayak under it. And at sunset, watch it glow as the light grows dim.

Frankly, the hardest part is getting there.

Driving is easiest, a half-hour from Nimes.

There’s also bus #121, which leaves from the bus station (behind the train station) and stops at Vers-Pont-du-Gard. It’ll take about 20 minutes to get to the aqueduct, but check the latest schedules here (under Gard) because the bus isn’t particularly frequent. 

Unfortunately I haven't been able to find day tours from Nimes (they all seem to leave from Avignon and beyond) unless there are several of you and you decide to hire a private driver and car like here or here.

Here’s a handy map showing you how to visit those sites that are in downtown Nimes on foot.

google maps luberon itineraryClick to enlarge

Roman influence beyond the stones 

A city with such a depth of Roman history is bound to be influenced by more than art and architecture − and you’ll find plenty of reminders of Rome well beyond the sights.

The Feria de Nimes

A good example of this is the Feria de Nimes, the annual bullfighting festival that grips the entire city. Its main event takes place in the Nimes Arena.

It was once used for gladiator games, animal hunts and public spectacles and today, 2000 years later, man and beast still meet here in a public fight as people throng the streets, much as things were under Rome.

It's no wonder the city is nicknamed the “French Rome”.

Denim’s Roman connection

While Nimes was a thriving trade and manufacturing hub under Rome, it would eventually become known for a durable textile called "serge de Nimes," a sturdy cotton fabric with a diagonal weave. 

While not a Roman invention, the city's legacy as a Roman commercial center helped establish it as a key player in textile production. Over time, this "serge de Nimes" turned into denim, the fabric that would later be exported to the USA and transformed into the modern blue jeans we know today. 

Before you go…

The best time to visit Nimes is spring and fall − summers are hot and best spent out of town, away from the crowds.

From Nimes to Arles is just half an hour by train, so if you can, do try to visit. Arles is home to another impressive amphitheater, a separate Roman theater, and an underground cryptoporticus, among others. It also has a fantastic Roman museum, for those of you who simply can't get enough of this era!

Did you enjoy this article? I'd love if you shared it!