Les Arênes de Nîmes (14 October 2024)

 

A sculpture in a park opposite the Les arênes

The exit from our apartment by car was not as stressful as the entry.  Soon we were travelling to Nîmes.  Just before Nîmes I spotted a supermarket and turned off to go and get some supplies for the next day or so.  Bev saw a boulangerie as we turned into the carpark so we had a coffee prior to the shopping expedition. 

Yes the car had to squeeze through that!

Driving into Nîmes was a little stressful as the road layouts are sometimes not as obvious as they should be and Amanda’s instructions are sometimes a little confusing and don’t quite match what the navigation unit is saying.  I’m also quite visual and want to be able to match it with what I am seeing on the moving map. 

We made it to our Airbnb without too much trouble and were greeted by our hostess Cathy.  She was a delight and had no English whatsoever.  However, she was able to convey the information we required. 

A glimpse of Les arênes

Nîmes is renowned for its well preserved Roman amphitheatre, les Arênes, which is still used for bull fighting twice a year.  Most of the original structure still stands after two millennia. 
The bullfighting ring - the initial tiers of seats are new

We took the bus to the site and were immediately impressed by the sheer scale of it and its beauty.  It is now used for bull fighting.   After spending an hour or two wandering around it we went to the equally impressive Musée de la Romanite.  The museum had a number of artefacts from the period and also told the story of Roman occupation of the area.  It was fascinating.  We were amongst the last to leave the museum. 

La musée de la Romanite


Bev and Graham doing the circuit


The original part of Les arénes




 

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