See the magnificent three-tiered structure built without mortar by Romans 2,000 years ago. One of the most ambitious engineering projects of its time, the Pont du Gard aqueduct carried water to the Roman outpost of Nimes from the springs of Uzes, 31 miles away. It stands today as the greatest legacy of Marcus Vipsanius Agrippa, son-in-law of Augustus. Some of its stones weigh six tons and were lifted as high as 160 feet. You will journey to the aqueduct, which straddles the wooded banks of the Gardon River. Spend time at the site’s museum, where you can observe the marriage of modern and ancient at fascinating, interactive exhibits. Then marvel at the huge structure that channeled 44 million gallons of water each day over a tiny gradient of 25 inches per mile for 31 miles. For form and function, it is surely one of the Roman Empire’s most breathtaking remains.
Tim elected to stay behind for the optional shore excursion to the Pont du Gard Aqueduct, but I was so glad I went. This UNESCO World Heritage Site is such a remarkable structure, and I find it mind-boggling that it has survived since the first century AD.
Because the forecast called for rain, our guide decided that we would visit the aqueduct first and tour the museum later. As we walked along the river, we caught our first glimpse of the aqueduct, but we could only see its upper two tiers. As we got closer, the lower tier came into view, and we then walked part way across the bridge, gazing upwards at the massive stones.
 |
| Our First View of the Pont du Gard |
 |
| The Romans Were Amazing Engineers |
Our guide then directed us to the other side of the aqueduct to reach the best viewpoint. Wow! We were at the river level, and this elegant arched structure towered over us. The view was so amazing that we didn’t even mind the rain.
 |
| The Picture Postcard View |
 |
| What an Amazing Structure! |
Getting back to the museum complex was a bit of a challenge for me, however. There was a super steep step near the bridge, and I almost didn’t make it up because of my knee. Everyone was kind and pulled and pushed me until I reached the top. How embarrassing, although I guess it would have been even more embarrassing had I fallen backwards!!
The state-of-the-art museum was very well done. Here, a series of exhibits on daily life focused on the critical role that fresh water played in Roman life. Next, using models, full-scale reconstructions, and multimedia screens, the focus turned to Roman engineering and the story of the construction of the Pont du Gard.
 |
| Water Was So Important to the Romans |
 |
| Roman Engineering and the Story of the Pont du Gard |
After returning to the ship, I closed on the sale of my Miami condo! I’ll write about that in a separate post. I think it goes without saying that I celebrated with Tim and enjoyed a cocktail in the Lounge!
Tonight’s dinner was a “Taste of Provence,” a buffet that featured Provençal cuisine that is dependent on intensely flavored, fresh local ingredients. The food on our ship has been excellent and has far exceeded my expectations. In fact, our meals have been so much better than the meals that we had in some of the highly touted restaurants on our pre-cruise trip. Unfortunately, I have neglected to take photographs.
We cast off from Avignon this evening and enjoyed a beautiful sailing on the Rhône River. A dramatic sunset was a perfect way to end the day.
 |
| A Beautiful Sunset on the Rhône, and the Silhouette of a Castle |
No comments:
Post a Comment