About Nîmes

There is evidence that there was some form of settlement in what is now known as Nîmes as far back as 4,000 years, though it was at the end of the first century BC that it became a flourishing Roman colony with the city believed to have a population of some 60,000 inhabitants at the time of Augustus, compared to over 140,000 today. The city remained under Roman rule until captured by the Visigoths at the end of the 4th century, which was then taken over by the Corolingian King, Pepin, at the end of the 7th century. Thereafter the city fell in to decline, suffered during the French Wars of Religion and did not begin to prosper again until the 17th century, further economic crisis during the time of the French Revolution, but recovering to become one of France’s more prosperous towns thereafter.

As mentioned, remains of Roman architecture dominate the city and provide many of the main sights and buildings to explore. The MaisonCarrée is probably one of the best preserved Roman temples in the world, dating back to 19Bc, while the Roman amphitheatre is believed to date back to the first century. In medieval times the amphitheatre served as a place of safety with many homes created within the exterior walls which remained there until the times of Napoleon, while today it proves a popular venue both for concerts as well as bull-fighting. Though predominantly known for its ancient buildings, Nîmes has moved with the times, yet retaining a rich cultural heritage, with the inclusion of dramatic modern architecture, including the Norman Foster designed Carré d’Art built in 1986 and which is a museum of modern art , the Nemausus, a post-modern collection of residential houses designed by Jean Nouvel and KishoKurokawa’s hemicycle building which was constructed to reflect the amphitheatre.

Nîmes is also home to a bi-annual feria which is one of the most popular in the region. These ferias have a distinctly Spanish feel to them with music and dance included alongside bullfighting and bull runs. May is the time for the annual Roman Games, while there are garden night festivals of music and dance in the open air during June and July.Throughout July and August, every Thursday night sees the city come alive with music, stalls and markets in many of the city’s squares, the Festival of Nîmes also taking place between July and August with a series of concerts in the amphitheatre. In November in Nîmes there is the craft show Nîmagine, which comprises two hundred of the best artisans offering their works for sale.

Food plays a great part in French life and every region, if not every city has its own specialities. In Nîmes, aside from traditional Provençale dishes, there are three local specialities. The first is Brandade de Morue, which is a dish which has existed for over 250 years and which comprises de-salted salt cod poached in olive oil and milk and either served in a puff pastry or plain with vegetables. Then there is the Gardianne de Taureau, which basically comprises local bull's meat marinated in Costières de Nîmes red wine. Finally there is Agneau deNîmeswhich is local suckling lamb which should be no older than three months and which is prized for its pale colour meat.