The Arènes de Nîmes
The Arena of Nîmes is a landmark building of cultural tourism and the discovery of Ancient Roman civilisation in Nîmes.
The Arènes de Nîmes - a superb Roman amphitheatre
The Roman amphitheatre was built in the 1st century A.D., inspired by the Colosseum and designed mainly as a gladiator combat arena. Today it is the best-preserved amphitheatre from the Ancient World and, apart from bull fights and ‘courses camarguaises’, it is the venue of many prestigious events. These include the « Grands Jeux Romains », a reconstitution of combat and races from the Roman Era (late April-early May), son-et-lumière shows at Christmas and New Year, sporting events, escape games and concerts of widely varying styles of music, notably for National Music Day (June) and the Festival de Nîmes (July). The arena offers a unique setting with exceptional acoustics and some of its many performers have included Pink, Lenny Kravitz, Indochine, Julien Doré, Rammstein, Johnny Hallyday, David Bowie, Vanessa Paradis, Ennio Morricone, IAM and Michel Sardou.
Guided tours are available with audio-guides in 10 languages or augmented reality visits with tablets. This enables history enthusiasts to immerse themselves in history and discover the complex architecture and life in the amphitheatre during Roman times and also in the Middle Ages when it took on a defensive role and housed a whole village complete with 2 churches and a castle !
Other Roman attractions in the area
Continue your journey of discovery at the nearby Musée de la Romanité (Muesum of Roman Civilisation) which opened in 2018, the Maison Carrée (Roman temple), Jardins de la Fontaine and the Tour Magne (park and Gallo-Roman tower), Carré d’Art… A little further away, continuing with the Roman theme, don’t miss the Pont du Gard, the three-storey Roman aqueduct across the River Gardon, built to take water from Uzès to the Castellum at Nîmes. Take the opportunity to visit other museums in Nîmes (Musée des Beaux-Arts, Musée du Vieux Nîmes, Musée d’Histoire Naturelle, Musée des Cultures Taurines…), and also theatres, cinemas, art galleries, restaurants and various other leisure facilities.
« I strongly recommend going to a concert at the Arènes de Nîmes. Around fifteen different ones are scheduled between the end of June and end of July so there’s bound to be an artist or group you like. Experiencing a show under starlit skies in such an ancient building with 10,000 other spectators is a wonderfully thrilling and emotional experience..» says Laurence, employee at Gîtes de France, Nîmes.
The Arènes amphitheatre is open to visitors all year round except during ‘férias’ bullfighting festivals (Whitsun and Grape Harvest) or days when there are concerts, so it’s a good idea to check beforehand during summer. Admission to the site is managed by « Culturespaces » who offer different ticket packages for the Arènes, La Maison Carrée, the Tour Magne and even the ancient theatre at Orange. Tickets can be bought on-site, on the website www.arenes-nimes.com or via the FNAC network. The Roman arena is also part of many guided tours run by Nîmes Office de Tourisme. It is very easy to get to the amphitheatre as it is right in the centre of the city, just a few hundred metres from the station, bus stops and underground car parks."
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