Map roman arausio8/30/2023 ![]() They also lead site management to reduce the amount of visual interpretative material like signage and plans. I personally hate those things and believe that they detract from the overall visitor experience. Like many other historic sites in France and elsewhere, nearly every visitor to the site was running around with audio guide hand pieces. I didn't want to take photographs as the authenticity of the area seemed diminished by its modern usage. Don't get me wrong - the structure itself is magnificent, but the fact that they have put massive scaffolding over the main audience area and laid down particle board seating over the original stonework spoils the overall feel of the space. The amphitheatre or Arènes ( is referred to as the best preserved in the Roman world, but after a visit there, I was left feeling rather deflated and unimpressed. Locals here pride themselves on their antiquity and are the first to point out that they are indeed a "Roman" city. ![]() The city of Nîmes is best known as being the home of denim, but two thousand years ago, it was a flourishing large Roman city. Built, arguably, at the time of Emperor Augustus, today it sits in the middle of a busy roundabout with cars zooming past, barely paying attention to the impressive monument. A 15-minute walk from the theatre leads you to a significant triumphal arch that graces the city's original entry point. Next door to the theatre are the remnants of a temple and religious buildings, but most of the area isn't accessible to visitors, except from behind a barrier at the theatre's exit. Pay for three tickets and get one child's entry for free. If you arrive an hour before closing time, you get €1 ($1.55) off the ticket price. Entry to the theatre includes a ticket for the Archaeological museum located across the road and cost €7.70 ($12) for adults and €5.90 ($9.20) for children over the age of seven. There were very few tourists which made the visit more pleasurable. It is considered the best preserved Roman theatre in Europe and the tiered seats of its gallery, the stage, and the impressive original stage wall are basically in tact (minus a bit of ornamentation). When we visited, a bulldozer was removing the last of the sand after a beach volleyball tournament there the previous day. The Roman Theatre of Orange ( may not have the reputation of some of the grander amphitheatres in neighboring cities, but it is a fine example of Roman construction and the monument is a designated UNESCO World Heritage site. The town itself is quite lovely and you can stumble upon its original Roman center without too much effort or a map. Orange was a Roman military colony called Arausio, founded in 40 BC and developed into a larger city, complete with sizeable public buildings by the 1st century AD. We started our Roman adventure in the city of Orange. ![]() The Romans' first settlement and provincial capital in Gaul was the city of Narbonne in the late 2nd century BC and although there are still remnants of their military stronghold of Narbo in existence in the form of parts of the Via Domitia in the main square and the well-preserved underground merchants' warehouses of L'Horreum, there are several more grandiose and impressive Roman remains located elsewhere. What remains today are some outstanding examples of Roman engineering, town planning, architecture and grandeur in a variety of sites dotted around the countryside. In the 1st century BC to 3rd century AD there were literally hundreds of Roman cities, towns, colonies, and settlements in what are now the regions of Provence and Languedoc-Roussillon. The Ancient Romans were prolific builders and imperialists and France (ancient Gaul), especially the south, was one of their favorite stomping grounds. ![]()
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