2000 years and always here. Renoved partially. Also for family with children. To see also maison carrée near of the arenes
The Arena of Nîmes is a Roman amphitheater situated in the French city of Nîmes. Built around 70 AD,renovation started in XIX century. Nowadays twice a year you can see there bullfights. The rest of the year its just a monument where you can be just surprised by curious history of this place and spectacular look.
Nimes Arena is worth a visit. Use the Audio-guide for at least the first seven stops throughout the roman arena to get a taste for what it may have been like to actually to attend an event in the coliseum in the day of the gladiators. The architecture is amazing.
The amphitheater/arènes was a good visit, and hard not to go to as it's considered THE thing to see in Nîmes. The inside is a little disappointing if you've been to the Roman Colosseum and are comparing the two. If you've been to the Roman Colosseum and are short on money, then this would be something that I'd say is skippable. I got in for the student price of 7,50€, which I felt in the end was not worth the price.
Went here twice , once with my family visiting nimes . It was great to walk around history , I know corny right but great to soak in . I also went here to see the bull fight. I have never been so scared by an experience ever. I think you have to grow up in this environment to enjoy it! But the atmosphere was electric . The crowd was baying for blood but if the bull fighter didn't get it right God help him !
We venture onto Nimes where we visit the roman arena. I am horrified to find that bullfighting is still a regular occurrence in the ancient arena. We line up and d purchase tour tickets and make our way down along the vaulted corridor out into the seating area of the arena. The tour is really a waste of time and we are not impressed as we all sit on the hard benches in the blazing sun and listen to a recording of the history of the arena. So we wander discreetly away and find a cafe for coffee and croissant.
If you are in Nimes take time to visit the arena and just sit and absorb the atmosphere. When you think of the sights, sounds and smells that would have filled this space it is quite extraordinary to be able to sit or stand in the same place that the Roman's occupied to watch the fights.The arena is in very good structural condition but has been eroded by time and weather. It is currently being cleaned and restored - slightly overdone in my opinion. This looks more like renovation than conservation and it will be a real shame if too much is done to the stonework. Nimes itself is worth at least a day of sight-seeing but the arena is the jewel.
This is a City of sharp contrasts. Leaving the station, which I arrived at from Salon de Provence, you walk up a modern clean wide mall with flowing water raceway to the left, leafy trees the length of it, and at the top end a Piazza like area and an impressive war memorial......and all this just a very short walk from the best preserved Roman amphitheatre in the world. The movie Gladiator was made here, There are seasonal bullfights still, and theatre and musical shows too. In June when I was there the stage and lighting were all set up as were hundreds of seats in serried rows. After you have explored that side of the top end of the Mall. It is worth going to the other end, and have a coffee in an attractive open air cafe where there are side and aerial trellises with plants and flowers. I would have liked a lot more time in Nimes, perhaps two more days , but I had to get back to Salon and the return journey was via Aix, which was quite a long return trip. While you are in this part of the world, do not miss Pont du Gard. I will return to both Arles and Nimes.
This is a must-see, self-guided Colosseum, dating back to the first century. The audio guide provided was very interesting. Count on at least two hours for a thorough visit. Not suitable for mobility-restricted persons. Take care to closely supervise young children.
This is the only place to see such a great example of an intact Roman arena. You can stand next to it and see the scale and large this building must of been when it was constructed. It is still used for events.