Pont du Gard, Provence  

Pont du Gard, Provence   by Rebecca Kelly

Located in the Gard department near Remoulins stands a great stonework three-level aqueduct. This Runs between Nimes and Uzes, Provence, France. The bridge was originally designed as part of an aqueduct to carry water from springs near Uzes to the Roman city of Nimes. Overall, it managed to supply about 400 litres per person per day to the town residents.
Translated, Pont du Gard truly means 'bridge of the Gard', Gard being the name of the river. Historians believe the bridge was built by Augustus' son-in-law sometime between the years 19BC and 60AD however, today, opinions remain split.
It was built with limestone blocks that weighed up to six tons each and surprisingly were fitted together without mortar and only secured with iron clamps. Evidence suggests the aqueduct took a staggering fifteen years to build, employing between 800 and 1,000 workers along the way. Since then, slight alterations have taken place on the bridge to accommodate for modern times. On the top of the bottom arches is a 7m wide road which was expanded for the traffic of cars in 1743.
Aqueducts and bridges like Pont du Gard in Roman period existed only in Rome, Merida, Segovia, Tarragon and Provence. Pont du Gard however is one of the highest Roman aqueduct and most famous as it has preserved its original style of the Augustus era.
The Pont du Gard is today one of France's top five tourist attractions; it was added to UNESCO's list of World Heritage Sites in 1985.
The option used to be available to cross the upper level of tiers up until recently, in order to preserve to bridge for as long as possible, this option is no longer available. Tourists however are most welcome to walk on the roadway on the lower tier where 18th-centure graffiti certifies how long tourists have been visiting!
Today, the Pont du Gard is visited by more than 1,250,000 tourists every year and is classed by many as a "must see" monument of any trip to Provence.
If you do plan on visiting this grand stonework, have a look at our experts recommendations of the best cheap hotels in Nice before your trip.

I am a keen skiier, having enjoyed many a holiday in France, Austria and Italy I am always on the look out for adventurous slopes to try. Working in northern France for three months during one summer, I came accustomed to the local culture and taste and look forward to visiting whenever possible. Now, working at simonseeks.com allows me to spend my days doing something I enjoy whilst being inspired for future trips.