Vers-Pont-du-Gard can be explored through two specific themes: Roman water supply and the use of stone in the landscape. There is also a freely accessible nature trail, Romanesque features in the village and a cycle route that passes close to the Pont du Gard. When planning your visit, it is therefore helpful to consider whether you want to focus on aqueduct history, cultural heritage or paths through the landscape.
Roman aqueduct remains and the Pont du Gard
Remains of the Roman aqueduct run through the municipality north and east of the village; at the Pont du Gard, they cross the Gardon. The municipal circular route “En route vers les vestiges de l’aqueduc et le Pont du Gard” follows part of the ancient route and leads to or near various aqueduct remains. You can then explore the Pont du Gard. This circular route therefore focuses on the remains and course of the structure, without equating its destination with the monument itself.
The museum at the Pont du Gard offers a different way to explore the subject. Through immersive displays, it explains the importance of water in Roman daily life and the construction of the ancient aqueduct of Nîmes. The circular route draws attention to the aqueduct’s course and remains, while the museum explains the use of water and the construction of the aqueduct. Those interested in Roman engineering will find two different ways to explore the topic.
Landscape trails between the garrigue and stone
Mémoires de Garrigue is a freely accessible open-air discovery trail on the left bank of the Pont du Gard site. The area comprises 15 hectares of restored former agricultural plots; the nature trail is 1.4 kilometres long. Together, the plots and the path make the area’s former agricultural character a tangible part of the landscape experience. The trail therefore offers a different focus from routes that deal directly with the aqueduct remains.
The municipal circular route “En route vers les carrières et les capitelles” passes through stone and garrigue landscapes to former quarries, dry-stone walls and several capitelles. The Sentier d’interprétation de la Pierre also begins in the village of Vers-Pont-du-Gard. It presents the history of stone, from the construction of the Pont du Gard to its use today. These two routes put stone centre stage: one through quarries and traces of construction in the landscape, the other through the history and use of the material.
Village history and rural heritage
The church of Saint-Pierre-aux-Liens preserves Romanesque features dating from the 11th century: the base of the bell tower and the wall behind the altar. Some capitals in Vers-Pont-du-Gard have also been preserved or restored and form part of the rural heritage associated with the municipality’s landscapes. The Tour de l’Horloge, as it stands today, recalls how the village was organised in the past. Together, these structures reveal different facets of local history, without requiring any one period to take precedence.
The landscape also gives the village a clear geographical setting: the Gardon forms the municipality’s southern boundary, while limestone hills lie to the north. This contrast between the river and the limestone uplands complements the themes of the walking routes and rural heritage. When choosing your excursions, you can therefore decide whether to focus first on a particular structure, the history of stone or the landscape itself.
A cycle route as a longer alternative
For cycling, the 32-kilometre green route between Beaucaire and Uzès passes very close to the Pont du Gard. It is therefore clearly different in length and mode of transport from the 1.4-kilometre Mémoires de Garrigue nature trail. These figures help distinguish between different types of route: a regional cycle route on the one hand and a short nature trail on the other. No additional specific timings or connections between these routes are implied.
Discover more destinations: Chusclan, Saint-Hyppolyte-De-Fort, Aramon, Corconne, Le Pin, Aujargues, Saint-Paulet-De-Caisson, Mejannes Les Ales.
For the general travel overview: Gard.
