Leaving Avignon and Palais des Papes behind, we take the direction of Villeneuve-les-Avignon. We go over Pont de l’Europe to get on the RN100 then follow the D981 to Pont du Gard. Road signs are clearly marked and offer a choice of arriving on the right or the left bank. We take the rive gauche, pay our entrance fee and park.
Le Pont du Gard is an imposing structure. The three tiered aqueduct was built in the 9th century BC by the emperor Agrippa as part of a 48 kilometre canal supplying waters of the fountain of Eure to go from Uzès to Nîmes.
We walk across the bridge which has stood there since Roman times, absorbing the sights of the river Gardon, the little villages in the distance. The Mistral is still blowing around us and people swimming and sun bathing in the clear waters beneath. This is the ideal position to spend all day enjoying a pique-nique gourmande and a delicious bottle of Cotes du Rhone under the strong provençal sun. Colourful papillons flutter around us. Here, in the land of fragrant lavender and herbs, we breathe and feel Provence.
A little café provides us with respite and a chance to refuel since breakfast in Avignon. We find a table in the shade under a few trees and enjoy a quiche lorraine and Perrier, the only decent food in the café, while we ponder over making France our home.
Nearby, a woman is in a state of panic over the sudden disappearance of her daughter. She is arguing with the patron of the café demanding he contacts the gendarmes.
After a brief rest, we follow the path to the lookout to gain a panoramic view of Pont du Gard and its verdant surrounds. We are captivated by the beauty of the land and the palette of colours that nature exhibits.
We could easily spend the entire day relaxing in the sun but alas there is more driving and sights to visit. Our next destination is Fontvieille. We take the direction of Arles and feel confident that we are heading in the right direction.
The road leads us through Remoulins in the centre of a dusty coloured village with a narrow main street and a few shop signs. We take an exit towards Beaucaire and continue. This time we are certain to be heading in the right direction. The sun is shining on us, French music is filling the air and we feel relaxed and happy to be alive.
Two minutes later, we are back in the main street of Remoulins. This time we take another direction, even more certain that it is the way to Fontvielle only to find ourselves back in Remoulins.
I suddenly remember an old Dr Who episode where a segment of time repeats itself and I feel we’re caught in one. C’est drôle! We try again. This time we take no exit and break the Dr Who time travel hiccup. We end up on the D986 travelling in the right direction.
The next stop on our itinerary is long anticipated.
… continues tomorrow
‘Le Tour de France Gourmantic’ series is the story of a young couple from Australia who took to the French roads on a whirlwind Tour of France back when the internet wasn’t at everyone’s fingertips, phones were still attached to sockets, GPS was an unfamiliar acronym, digital cameras were a pipe dream and the Euro hadn’t replaced French Francs. With just one fold-out map of France and boundless enthusiasm, they took their Renault 19 and went on a cultural and culinary discovery.
Travel Resources
The Pont du Gard Website (in English)
Very cool, I would love to be swimming and relaxing around the river looking up at the ancient aqueduct. It does look like a glorious spot for a pique-nique gourmande!
Mark, imagine it in the heat of summer without the Mistral wind. I don’t think I’d want to leave!
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lovely! When we were down there a few weeks ago a group of us packed up picnic supplies, rented canoes and went down the river and under it. It was the first time I had seen it that way & highly recommend it if you’re up for a bit of a paddle. Actually where they drop you off to paddle back isn’t too bad – we did it in a couple of hours with a leisurely swim and picnic stop.
That sounds like a perfect day in the height of summer. I’d love to eat, swim and observe the surrounding nature. Such a pretty spot!
[…] dancing on the Pont d’Avignon, visiting the Roman aqueduct in Pont du Gard and taking a nostalgic trip to the windmill of Daudet, it is time to bid farewell to Provence and […]
[…] in the past. Now, we clink glasses and cheer Santé to the long day that took us from Avignon, to Pont du Gard, to Fontvieille, to the long stretch of autoroutes that brought us to […]