Fountains of Nimes

Take a stroll in Nimes eastward on the Quai de la Fontaine. You leave the old city, having stocked up on cheese, bread, fruit and delicacies at the enormous indoor farmer’s market, La Coupole des Halles. Overhanging trees shade the wide stream gurgling down the center of a wide boulevard, under bridges and over little waterfalls. Ducks enjoy the water and the handouts. There is peace in the air.

We’d been told to expect something pretty marvelous at the end of this road, but I, at least, was blown away by the impossibly ambitious Jardins de la Fontaine. An enormous series of pools of water cascade hither and thither over maybe two or three acres, surrounded by statues and an ancient shrine and grottos and porticos and you name it, it was there. Laid out with 18^th century exuberance, the Jardins de la Fontaine are filled with statuary and old trees, chestnuts and elms, lying in the arms of a high mountain. The water is the basis of Nimes’ water supply, and what a spectacular way to take it to town! (Do click on the link to see more!)

Atop the mountain is Tour Magne, Nimes’ oldest Roman ruin, from which you can see the world. It’s reached by hiking up and up beautiful gardened and statue-filled pathways. We didn’t get all the way up because going just part way was tiring enough on a hot day.

However, having started up on the east side, we came down on the west side where the Temple of Diana is! I put an exclamation point there because she deserves it. I mentioned in the last blog that the Maison Carre temple was a lot bigger than I’d expected, so I should not have been so surprised that Diana’s was, also.

Picture the Lincoln monument. And then enlarge it a few times. People become little dolls against the tall columns and walls. All societies have done this to prove how much more powerful gods are than humans. But humans built the temples, not gods. And we did a fantastic job! The temple was set up for a concert later in the day. I was happy to see it being used for a joyful occasion. Sorry the pictures don’t show much, but most of it is covered with vegetation, giving it an authentic antique look. I’d love to see it restored, though, or maybe have a copy of it built in true scale

Crocodile statues lurk in squares, around corners, and near restaurants in Nimes. "Why?" I asked one native. He shrugged and said, "Maybe there used to be crocodiles here." In later research I learned that the Roman legions which founded the town had been stationed in Egypt where there are, indeed, crocs. The Legions subdued Egypt, so brought the symbol back in the form of a crocodile chained to a palm tree. That symbol survives on the official coat of arms of the city, while the unchained crocs roam the streets.

The next day we were going to Aix en Provence. Because it was still a holiday in France we weren’t sure when the trains would be running, so we got to the station super early. That was OK because we had bought a large loaf of superb seedy bread at the Halles, some fruit, and already had goat cheese. We sawed off pieces of bread – lest that sound less than tasty, let me assure you that French bread of any kind always has a tough, chewy crust protecting its inner ambrosial heart. This particular loaf being filled with seeds of all kinds, had a rich, dark flavor, quite different from the normal “baguette”. Our leisurely breakfast in the station was an exquisite way to start the day and leave the Roman ruins of Nimes.