Ancient Roman aqueduct over the Gardon
Three tiers of honey-coloured stone arches spanning the Gardon river valley. Built in the first century, Pont du Gard was part of a 50-kilometre (31-mile) Roman aqueduct.
What makes it even more remarkable is the engineering behind it. Nîmes needed water – for its baths, fountains, and tens of thousands of residents. So the Romans tapped a spring 50 kilometres (31 miles) away, Uzès, and channelled it here using nothing but gravity.
The Pont du Gard was the solution to the one obstacle they couldn’t route around – a deep river gorge. They built up. Three tiers of arches, nearly 49 metres (161 feet) high, carrying the water channel across the top.
Almost no mortar is holding it together. Some of those stones weigh six tonnes. And it’s been standing for 2,000 years. Are you impressed? Because we are. Think of the floods, wars, and endless visitors over that time – and it’s still standing proud.
The setting makes it even more dramatic. The aqueduct straddles a natural gorge surrounded by limestone cliffs and Mediterranean scrubland. That first glimpse through the trees is a genuine wow moment.
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