If the city of Nîmes is not on your radar yet, it certainly needs to be! Aside from having excellent quality Costières de Nîmes wines for you to try, this city, just 30 minutes from the Mediterranean Sea, boasts 2000 years of history with some of the best preserved Roman architecture and so much more to see, do experience and indulge on!
Here are 5 reasons to add Nîmes, also known as the ‘French Rome,’ to your destination wish list asap!
1. Rich History
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Nîmes was located on the strategic Via Domitia, the road that first connected Italy to Spain by traversing France. This location allowed Nîmes to develop into a bustling colony lead by emperor Augustus in the 1st century B.C. Many of the famous monuments built in the Roman era still exist today and are iconic landmarks in the city.
These include the arènes, which is one of the most well preserved Roman amphitheatres in the world! It is still in use today for all sorts of events!
The Roman Amphitheatre, one of the best preserved monuments of the Roman world.The Maison Carrée, a perfectly-preserved temple from Antiquity. This architecture is not actually a “square house,” but a Roman Temple, built in honour of Augustus’s grandsons, Lucius and Gaius. This monument inspired other buildings like the église de la Madeleine in Paris and the Virginia State Capitol, which was designed by Thomas Jefferson, diplomat to and lover of France.
The Maison Carrée
The Temple of the Goddess Diana, which is located within the grounds of the 18th Century Jardins de la Fontaine, set around a Roman sanctuary. The shelves inside the temple suggest that is was once used as a library.
2. Food scene
If you are a foodie you will be spoiled for choice and one stop you must make is a visit to the big covered marketplace called les halles . From fresh fruits, seafood, cheese to the dreamiest Chantilly cream, you will find absolute gems of produce here!
When walking around the old town you will notice a lack of westernised or commercialised fast food or touristy places. 
I absolutely loved this and adored seeing small artisan stores and cafes dotted around. Perfect spot to perch yourself and people watch with a glass of Costières de Nîmes red, white or rosé in hand!
A speciality to try is Brandade,” which is a smooth purée made with salt cod poached in milk.
3. Incredible Wine
The Costières de Nîmes red, white or rosé wines are a must try. You can either find them served at bars and cafes across the city or make a trip to some of the wine producers to see the wine estates and have a wine tasting!
The terroir is different and are characterised by galets roulés, which are larger, rounded stones smoothed by both glacial and fluvial actions over time and deposited in the region by the Rhône river.
They are thought to be integral to the growth of vines and more importantly the ripening of the fruit by absorbing the heat from the daytime sunshine and then releasing that heat slowly overnight due to their natural capacity for heat retention and transmission.
At Château Mourgues du Grès, owned by the Collards family, we tried a selection of their wines which included:
- Galets Dorés – white 2021
- Capitelle – white 2018
- Galets Rosés – rosé 2021
- Capitelle – Rosé 2020
- Terres d’Argence – red 2019
- Terre de Feu – red 2019
Other wine producers I recommend visiting are Chateau l’Ermite d’Auzan, who are biodynamic, Chateau de Nages, which is exploring regenerative farming viticulture, Château Guiot and Chateau de Campuget, which actually has accommodation on site.
Other wines I tried and loved include Auzan – rosé 2021, Château de Nages Héritage 2021 – Rosé, Tradition – rosé 2021 from Château Guiot and 1753 Syrah Grenache – red from Chateau de Campuget.
I wasn’t even a big rosé drinker but trying the rosés on this trip truly converted me so if you do spot a rosé from Costières de Nîmes, definitely try it!
4. Les Vignes toquées – Gastronomical Hike Through Vineyards
Try and plan your visit around the annual Les Vignes toquées – a much loved and anticipated event. This year it started off with an intimate evening in the vineyards by the collective Gard aux Chefs.
You then get to explore the southern landscapes of the vineyards and get to taste amazing food, including dishes by Michelin starred chefs.
I love the sound of a gastronomical hike through the Vineyards, with a wine glass and cutlery, tasting along the way. The best thing is Nîmes experiences 300 days of sunshine a year and so you are most certainly guaranteed brilliant weather.
I was lucky enough to be able to preview this year’s food and wine and it was an amazing experience.
It definitely has me temped to go for the next one!
5. Attend a concert at the Roman Amphitheatre “Les Arènes de Nîmes”
From Sting to The Black Eyed Peas, the Roman Amphitheatre in Nîmes has played host to a lot of incredible concerts, performances and events!
You could plan a trip around one of the upcoming ones to get a sense of the magnificence of the structure as well as experience its ambience, vastness and amazing acoustics!
Other things you should know:
- Nîmes is easy to get to by train from Marseille. The closest station is gare de Nîmes
- Nîmes is a very walkable city
- The textile denim came from the area: denim= de Nîmes
- A day trip to see Pont du Gard, an iconic monument left over from the Roman occupation of France, is worth it! This remnant of the Aqueduct of Nîmes, is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and is the tallest Roman Aqueduct.
- Around the city you may spot the symbol of Nîmes, which is a crocodile chained to a palm tree. This emblem dates back to Roman times and represents its defeat over Egypt.
You can read my other blog about Nîmes here: https://www.binnysfoodandtravel.com/2022/05/24/wine-history-incredible-food-a-guide-to-costieres-de-nimes/
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