Introduction to Nimes

708km (440 miles) S of Paris; 43km (27 miles) W of Avignon

Nîmes, the ancient Nemausus, is a great place to view some of the world's finest Roman remains. The city grew to prominence during the reign of Caesar Augustus (27 B.C.-A.D. 14). Today it possesses one of the best preserved Roman amphitheaters in the world and a near-perfect Roman temple. The city of 135,000 is more like Provence than Languedoc, with a touch of Pamplona (Spain) here in the festivals of the corridas (bullfights) at the arena. The Spanish image is even stronger at night, when the bodegas fill with students drinking sangria and listening to the sounds of flamenco.