The autumn sun illuminated the rocky landscape as two kayakers plied the waters of the Gard River in Southern France. Crimson and yellow trees danced on the gentle breeze, alongside a tree bearing one over-ripe pomegranate. The pair of kayakers continued their journey down the calm river and eventually glided underneath an arch of France’s magnificent Pont du Gard. Up until that point, I was content taking in this architectural marvel from land, but now I suddenly wished I was also in a kayak seeing it from a different perspective.
Built more than 2,000 years ago, the Pont du Gard (translation: Bridge of the Gard) is a three-tiered aqueduct bridge that once carried water to the city of Nîmes, a Roman colony. It took 5 years and approximately 1,000 men to build this ancient masterpiece.
The Pont du Gard boasts more than 52 graceful arches and was added to UNESCO’s World Heritage List in 1985.
A few years ago, Shawn, his parents, and I ended up spending half a day at the Pont du Gard. We weren’t able to access the bridge’s top level to see the channel that once carried the water. Nevertheless, we spent a memorable afternoon at the site. We picnicked. We admired several ancient olive trees, including one that was transplanted from Spain when it was more than 1,000 years old!
Finally, we spent several hours inside the Pont du Gard Museum, which gives a great overview of the 50-km-long (30-mile-long) aqueduct, and how engineers decided upon this location to build the Pont du Gard.
The museum is well-worth an extended visit. However, if you’re short on time, be sure to simply explore the Pont du Gard’s rugged landscape. As you do, keep your eyes open for those ancient olive trees, as well as graffiti carved into the Pont du Gard’s honey-colored limestone several centuries ago.
Further Reading:
- Description des Monumens Antiques du Midi de la France (Description of the Ancient Monuments of the South of France), engravings of the Pont du Gard from a book published in 1819. Available on the Internet Archive website.
- OmnesViae: Roman Routeplanner and Vici: If you’re interested in old Roman routes and history, be sure to explore these two websites, which allow you to plot out a route and glimpse what Roman sites are along the way.
- Pont du Gard, an entry designed for teachers and students on the Khan Academy website.
- Pont du Gard, an engraving from a book published in 1717. Available on Internet Archive.
- Pont du Gard, 360-degree footage — and more — on the Google Arts & Culture website.
- Pont du Gard — Roman Aqueduct, a description on the UNESCO World Heritage List website.
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Photography & text © Tricia A. Mitchell. All Rights Reserved.