Le Pont du Gard - Roman Aqueduct

 My first visit to Pont du Gard was in 1989.  I was studying in Avignon and I wanted to visit as many monuments and cities as possible.  Back then we climbed up to the very top of the aqueduct and walked across the river Gard.  It was impressive!  It still is!  Le Pont du Gard is a Roman aqueduct built sometime in the 1st century AD.  It is actually one of many structures along a 50km aqueduct that supplied water to the city of Nimes.  After exploring the museum near the entrance on the right bank of this classified historical monument, I was amazed to learn about the aqueduct system, the mechanics of the water distribution and the human effort needed to make such a beautiful structure. I was totally awed by the model of the whole aqueduct system and pictures of the current day state of the structures.  Some of them are all but remnants in the hillsides while others have been employed by the local population as bridges or walls.  

On this particularly beautiful day we arrived at Pont du Gard around 3pm.  It was sunny and warm.  It costs 18 Euro per car to visit the site, but we upgraded to a year membership so we can come back with friends (hint, hint).  We took a small bag with water and my electronics with us and made the short walk to the bridge.  You can no longer walk on top of the aqueduct by yourself. It seems that there are guided walks twice a day to visit different parts of the structure.  It didn't matter because Sophia was more interested in the water flowing below the bridge than the bridge itself.  The banks of the river were full of sunbathers, waders, swimmers and kayakers.  

Neither of us wanted to walk all the way back over the bridge and back to the car to get our bathing suits, so, what did we do?  Well, I waded and Sophia went swimming in her clothes, of course!  She had a blast wading in the shallow currents of the Gard and when she found a natural slip-and-slide, she was overjoyed!  At one point I asked her to turn around and look at the bridge and understand that she was bathing in the shadow of history.  She looked but quickly she returned to her slipping and sliding!  She has asked me multiple times if we can return to go swimming in the Gard but it is 2 hours from where we live.  We will find other swimming holes to visit in France but this one most definitely takes the cake!

If you get a chance, you should check out the official Pont du Gard website, it has great pictures and tons of information.   And if you want to go with me, I have a season's pass!
http://www.pontdugard.fr/en