Pont du Gard
Located near Nîmes, Uzés and Avignon, the Pont du Gard is the most visited ancient monument in France. The Pont du Gard served as an aqueduct until the 6th century before becoming a tollgate in the Middle Ages and finally a road bridge from the 18th to 20th century. The aqueduct is considered a masterpiece of engineering that demonstrates the technical skill of people in antiquity. It is 48 metres high, 273 metres long,and has three vertical rows of arches. It took 21,000 m3 of stones mined from the ancient Roman quarries to build the Pont du Gard. Anchored in the rock base, the rock solid foundation allowed it to withstand the perils of time and the ferocious flooding on the Gardon river.
Visiting the Pont du Gard now means visiting its museum which retraces the history of the aqueduct and its contribution to everyday life during the Roman era, viewing a 2000 years old outdoor show about people in the region, a tour of Ludo children's entertainment and education center, and temporary exhibits of art and science on the aqueduct and French cuisine on the Gardon river.
