Things to do in Nîmes
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Roman Amphitheatre
Built around AD 100 to seat 24,000 spectators, this magnificent amphitheatre is wonderfully preserved, even retaining its upper storey. Its system of passages and exits are engagingly called vomitories and were designed so patricians attending combats never had to rub shoulders with the plebs up top. It lives on as Les Arènes, a sporting and cultural venue.
Les Arènes lives on as a frequent sporting and cultural venue - an excellent thing in itself though the scaffolding and temporary barriers do detract from its appeal as a historical site. Buy your ticket at the reception point, tucked into its northern walls.
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Les Arènes
Nîmes’ magnificent Roman amphitheatre, the best preserved in the whole of the Roman Empire, was built around AD 100 to seat 24,000 spectators. It’s easy to forget, as one marvels at the architectural accomplishments of the Romans, what a nasty streak they had too. The arena hosted animal fights to the death, stag hunts, man against lion or bear confrontations and, of course, gladiatorial combats. In the contemporary arena, it’s only the bulls that get killed. An advance of a kind, you might say.
There’s a mock-up of the gladiators’ quarters and, if you time it right, you’ll see a couple of actors in full combat gear slugging it out in the arena.
Buy your tick…
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Restaurant Le Menestrel
The husband and wife team who have taken over the Menestrel offer a range of gastronomic delights. Meat and fish are of the freshest and all desserts are homemade. Peek at the guest book with its multilingual tributes to the quality of the cuisine and observe yourself in the giant overhead mirror as you tuck in. There's always a choice for vegetarians and menus are in both English and French.
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Le Marché sur la Table
You could just pop in for a glass of wine at this friendly spot, run by up-and-coming young chef Éric Vidal (see his impressive culinary credentials on the toilet wall, no less) and his partner, Caroline. But you'd be missing a lot. Éric buys fresh and organic from the nearby food market, his fish is never farmed and Caroline maintains a large selection of local wines. Eat in the attractively furnished interior or quiet, green rear courtyard.
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Le Bouchon et L'Assiette
Refined cuisine indeed. Dishes are attractively presented and described sotto voce as they're slipped before you. For dessert, go for the blanc manger, a smooth, creamy confection of white chocolate beneath a bed of stewed berries and worlds away from the synthetic blancmange of childhood parties. Service can be slow so come with a thick book or a scintillating companion.
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Archaeological Museum
The Musée d'Archéologie has some interesting Roman and pre-Roman tombs, mosaics, inscriptions and artefacts unearthed around Nîmes. It also houses a hotchpotch of artefacts from Africa, piled high and tagged with yellowing captions such as 'Abyssinia' and 'Dahomey'. In the same building, the Natural History Museum has a musty collection of stuffed animals.
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Tour Magne
The crumbling shell of the 30m-high Tour Magne was raised around 15 BC. Built as a display of imperial power, it’s the largest of a chain of towers that once punctuated the city’s 7km-long Roman ramparts. At the top of its 140 steps, there’s an orientation table to help you interpret the magnificent panorama of Nîmes.
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Maison Carrée
The Maison Carrée is a remarkably well preserved rectangular Roman temple, constructed around AD 5 to honour Emperor Augustus’ two adopted sons. Within, a 22-minute 3D film, Héros de Nîmes, is screened every half-hour. An epic piece of flummery subtitled in English and French, it calls up characters from the city’s history.
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Côte Bleue
Decked in attractive Provençal blues and deep yellows, tiny and bustling, it's as attractive inside as on its summer terrace. Save a cranny for the gâteau de marrons et noix, a dessert that looks like sludge, tastes like ambrosia and comes with a generous squirt of Chantilly cream.
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Carré d'Art
This is a place to enjoy exceptional cuisine in sublimely tasteful surroundings. The classical decor with its gilded mirrors and moulded ceilings blends harmoniously with fresh flowers, bright, contemporary artwork, cascading, feather-light chandeliers and sotto voce canned jazz.
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Grand Café de la Bourse
Great for breakfast or a quick coffee. Sit on the terrace or inside this vast, flamboyant café bang opposite Les Arènes. It was closed when we visited (the proprietor was having a spot of bother with the law), but it should again be serving, in his or his successor's hands soon.
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Au Plaisir des Halles
Ingredients here are the freshest and the lunchtime three-course menu (€20) is excellent value. The photo portraits around the walls are of the winegrowers whose produce features on its impressive list of Languedoc vintages. Located just along the road from the covered market.
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Le 9
Have a meal or simply drop in for a drink at this mildly eccentric place, tucked away behind high green doors with just a sign swinging outside. Eat in the vast, arched former stables or in the leafy, vine-clad courtyard. Everything except the lunch menu is à la carte.
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Musée Archéologique
Nîmes' archaeological museum brings together Roman and pre-Roman tombs, mosaics, inscriptions and artefacts unearthed in and around the city. It also houses a hotchpotch of artefacts from Africa, piled high and tagged with yellowing captions such as 'Abyssinia' and 'Dahomey'.
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Musée d'Histoire Naturelle
Sharing the same building as the Musée Archéologique, this museum has a musty collection of stuffed animals gazing bleakly out. Only the custodians, protected from visitors inside their own glass case, have life.
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La Truye qui Filhe
Within the vaults of a restored 14th-century inn, this, the bargain of Nîmes, blends a self-service format with a homely atmosphere and does a superb-value menu (fixed-price meal with two or more courses) that changes daily.
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Le Ciel de Nîmes
Beneath a metallic-covered terrace, this chic rooftop hang-out at the Carrée d’Art is favoured by fashionable Nîmois. Reasons for making your way here are threefold: to admire the stunning view of Nîmes’ Roman temple and city panorama; to take a break from sightseeing with afternoon tea and sinfully delicious cakes; or to sample the small but exemplary lunch and dinner menus.
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Musée du Vieux Nîmes
In the 17th-century episcopal palace, this small museum has, in addition to the usual period costumes and furniture, a whole room showcasing denim, with smiling pin-ups of Elvis, James Dean and Marilyn Monroe.
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Musée des Beaux-Arts
The city's fine-arts museum has a wonderfully preserved Roman mosaic (look down upon it from the 1st floor). This apart, it houses a fairly pedestrian collection of Flemish, Italian and French works.
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Musée d'Art Contemporain
Within the Carré d'Art, the museum houses both permanent and rotating exhibitions of modern art. It merits a visit in its own right and to prowl the innards of this striking building.
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Les Olivades
To the rear of this excellent wine shop, which alone justifies a visit, there's an intimate dining area, where Madame in the kitchen and her husband as maître will treat you royally.
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La Bodeguita
With a Spanish click of the heels and attached to the Royal Hôtel, this is a popular venue for the local intelligentsia. On summer evenings, there's often live music.
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Maison Villaret
This family bakery makes 25 different kinds of bread, cakes, biscuits and local specialities such as caladons (honey and almond-studded biscuits).
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Café Carré
Overlooking Maison Carré. Lounge on one of the terrace's wicker chairs or sit inside, with fresh flowers on the table and lots of gleaming aluminium.
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Grand Café de la Bourse et du Commerce
This vast, flamboyant café, right opposite Les Arènes, is a great spot for breakfast, a quick coffee or a sundowner, either on the terrace or inside.
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