Trip to Millau Viaduc

Driving thru Aix-en-Provence, Arles, Nimes and Montpellier

Millau, is a town about 5 hour drive north/west of Grasse. We got up really early in the morning and started driving…it was a long drive and we stopped in Nimes to see a few sights - and then drove to Pont du Gard.

Maison Caree - Nimes

The Maison Carrée , or Square House, is a remarkably preserved rectangular Roman temple, constructed around AD 5 to honour Emperor Augustus' two adopted sons. It has survived the centuries as a medieval meeting hall, private residence, stable, church and, after the revolution, an archive.

Roman Amphitheatre (Arenes) Nimes

Nimes is the French capital of bullfighting. Built around AD 100 to seat 24,000 spectators, this magnificent amphitheatre is wonderfully preserved, even retaining its upper storey. The amphitheatre is 133 m long and 101 m wide. The outer facade is 21 metres high, made up of two levels of arcades and divided into 60 spans. Numerous staircases and five circular galleries provide optimum circulation. The monument was turned into a fortress in the Middle Ages, forming a refuge for the population in case of danger. The inner part was later filled by private houses until the nineteenth century. In 1809, houses, chapels and the chateau of the viscounts of Nîmes were demolished to give the monument its initial appearance. Today, the amphitheatre forms a fine venue for many events. It is used as a venue for bullfights, congresses, concerts and sports events.

Pont du Gard

The Pont du Gard is located 25 kilometers from Nîmes, in the direction of Avignon. Inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List since 1985, the Pont du Gard is visited by more than 1,250,000 tourists every year. The bridge is part of the aqueduct built around the year 50 to transport water from the Eure spring near Uzès to Nîmes, a distance of over 50 kilometers.

Viaduc de Millau

Tallest in the world and taller than the Eiffel Tower, slung across the valley of the river Tarn in Southern France, with one mast's summit at 343 meters, the Viaduct de Millau is the chosen solution for taking the A75 Motorway from Clermont-Ferraud south to Beziers, cheaper than the alternative of tunnelling through the hills flanking the river. The Millau Viaduct is currently the longest cable-stayed bridge in the world. It has a steel deck, rather than the more usual concrete roadbed. It was formally dedicated on 14 December, 2004 and opened to traffic two days later. The views from here are really great.

Gorges du Tarn

Driving along here we sometimes wondered whether there was “ any more road” drove from Millau along River Tarn to LeRozier, Les Vignes, towards St. Hilaire to Point Sublime, the place to get the

best view of the gorges.

A house on the edge