NÎMES & THE GARD la Soietells thestoryofsilkwormfarming, thearea’s traditionalcottageindustry. repository the Musée de oflostruraltradesandtools,whilenearby,atSt-Hippolyte duFort, CornichedesCévennes,the spectacular istheMuséedesVallées Cévenoles, afascinating pin andbrightwithflowersinsummer. InSt-Jean duGard,gateway toHaut-Languedoc via a sweettooth.DeeperinlandisAlès,proudofitscoal-mininghistory,yetcleanasnew while itsMuséeduBonbon,aconfectionery museum,isamustforchildren andanyonewith whole Languedoc-Roussilloncoastline. galore andthemostextensive forwatermarina; opportunities beachesalongthe sports; sailed fromitsharbourforthecrusades. todayaswhenSt Louis withitscrenellated isasintact up lunch.Aigues-Mortes ramparts salt pans,herdsofsemi-wildbullsroam,horsessplashandflockspinkflamingosscoop two formWestern Europe’s largest river delta. Here, where canalscuttheirwaybesidestill modified PontRomain. only yesterday. AndSommières, adelightfullittleprovincial town,boastsitsownmuch- the highestbridgeinRomanEmpire, might have beenslungacrosstheRiver Gard main town,boastsFrance’sbest-preserved Romanarena. The PontduGardaqueduct, ofLanguedoc-RoussilloncanclaimsucharichRomanheritage. Nîmes,the No otherpart Nîmes &the Gard 68 © LonelyPlanetPublications Inland isUzès. PlaceauxHerbes,itsarcadedcentralsquare, isoneofthecutest inallFrance, Le Camargue, GrauduRoi,thearea’s coastalholidaymecca,hasPort agiant, ultramodern La Petite Camargue isthejuniorsister toProvence’s Camargue insize alone. Together,the
HIGHLIGHTS
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Pic St- NÎMES & AROUND NÎMES & AROUND handful of stunning modern constructions handful of You’ll need to plough your way through its true heart, still beating where the Romans the Romans true heart, still beating where millennia than two established a town more France’s best- you’ll find some of Here, ago. preserved with a classical buildings, together bleak, traffic-clogged outskirts to reach its its bleak, traffic-clogged outskirts to reach lavender and thyme) is a little bit Provençal and thyme) is a little bit Provençal lavender but with a soul as Languedocien as cassoulet Nîmes, ringed by vineyards and Nîmes, ringed with rosemary,(prickly scrub, headily scented NÎMES NÎMES pop 145,000 lonelyplanet.com