Destinations · Europe · 5 guides
Nice, Nîmes, and a day trip to the Pont du Gard — the south of France leg of our Europe trip, where the kids picked up toy bows and swam under a Roman aqueduct.
Covering Arles · Pont du Gard · Nîmes · Nice
We took the 7:15 train from Nîmes to Arles for a private Camargue safari, then stayed on for a Roman arena, two playgrounds, and three stories of free twin slides at LUMA Arles.
The best way to reach the Pont du Gard from Nîmes without a car is a direct €2 bus. Here's how it works, what to pack for a swim under the aqueduct, and how we'd plan the day with a 7- and 2-year-old.
A slow weekend in Nîmes with a 7- and 2-year-old: brunch, the climb up Tour Magne through the Jardins de la Fontaine, a market picnic at a natural playground, and one creaky carousel ride.
Two days in Nîmes exploring the best-preserved Roman amphitheatre in the world, letting the kids pick souvenir bow-and-arrows from the gift shop, and a day trip to the Pont du Gard that started with an accidental Uber and ended with a swim under a 2,000-year-old aqueduct.
We stopped in Nice just long enough for a rocky beach and our first French dinner, then navigated three trains, a cancelled connection, and the moment we stepped off in Nîmes and knew we were going to love it.
