Nîmes with Kids: Parks, Playgrounds & Tour Magne

We had a great last few days in Nîmes, the kind of days you only get when you're traveling slowly and leave extra time for the unplanned. After the arena, the Maison Carrée, and the Pont du Gard, we gave ourselves a weekend with two loose plans: parks, playgrounds, and the last monument on our pass on Saturday, then the market and a picnic on Sunday.

Brunch at Farmers

Saturday we got brunch at Farmers, a nice place near our Airbnb, with açaí bowls, granola, and Dani's soft-boiled eggs with avocado and toast. Arlo's toy truck came along too, as it does to every meal.

Two açaí and granola bowls topped with banana, fig, and coconut on a wooden table beside a coffee, with Arlo's hand pushing a small red toy truck at the edge of the frame — Açaí and granola bowls, a coffee, and a toy truck making its way across the table.

Jardins de la Fontaine, the walk up to Tour Magne

Our plan was to explore the gardens and trains of Parc de la Fontaine. We set off into the park and found lookouts, a playground, and lots of open space on our way up to the last of the three monuments on our 3-attraction pass, Tour Magne.

Remi smiling back over her shoulder at the camera as she leans on a mossy stone wall, with fountains spraying in the canal behind her and cream-colored buildings across the water — Remi at the canal fountains on the way to the park.

The only bathrooms we found in the Jardins de la Fontaine were near the entrance at the bottom of the hill, on the city side. Plan accordingly, and go before you start the climb.

A view from the wooded hillside of the Jardins de la Fontaine looking out through pine and plane trees to a tree-lined avenue and the buildings of Nîmes below

A parent walking up a sunlit lane between old stone walls and trees with Remi riding on their shoulders

Two parents sitting close together and smiling on a worn stone bench in the dappled shade of olive trees, a dry-stone wall behind them

One of the lookouts on the way up, Remi getting a shoulder ride between stops, and a photo of the two of us on a stone bench that Remi took.

Climbing the Tour Magne

This ancient lookout has had a few lives, and it dates back to even before Roman times. We climbed the many stairs, with Arlo mostly in my arms, and stood on the small platform at the top to look out over the city. It's worth the trip, but my legs are feeling it!

The weathered stone walls and arched openings of the Tour Magne rising against a blue sky, seen from the gravel ground at its base

Looking up inside the Tour Magne at a curving staircase winding around a stone column, with red Panorama banners hanging on the rough stone walls

Arlo held on a hip in the narrow stone stairwell of the Tour Magne, reaching one hand out toward the curving stone wall

The tower from the outside, the staircase inside, and Arlo getting a lift on the older, steeper steps.

The whole family crowded together on the Tour Magne lookout platform in sunglasses, Arlo held up in one parent's arms and Remi grinning in front, with the city of Nîmes and green hills behind — Top of the Tour Magne: worth every step.

Playgrounds by the central fountain

We walked back into the city center and visited a few playgrounds near the central fountain and the train station, with no big plans. We cooked dinner at the Airbnb again, with a plan to venture out for gelato, but Arlo fell asleep on the couch at 6:30 and decided we all needed an early night. Dani and I browsed other day trip ideas and booked a safari tour for Monday in the Camargue, a national park outside of Nîmes.

Les Halles and a natural playground

Sunday we planned another park day, this time stopping first at Les Halles for picnic supplies. It's a large indoor market open every morning, with stalls for all the necessities: fish, olives and tapenades, cheese, rotisserie chicken, fruits and veggies, and of course macarons.

A produce stall inside Les Halles de Nîmes with baskets of green beans, lettuces, leeks, and vegetables, and shoppers browsing the aisle beyond

A long glass cheese counter at Les Halles filled with wedges, wheels, and small rounds of cheese, with Remi in a red shirt waiting among other shoppers

Remi in a red jersey standing beside a parent at an olive and tapenade stall, rows of small jars stacked on the counter and a smiling vendor behind it

Remi from behind pointing at trays of marinated squid, octopus, and seafood at a Les Halles prepared-food counter

Produce, a very serious cheese counter, olives and tapenades, and Remi picking out what looked good at the seafood stall.

Remi was in her element at the market, because she loves olives and capers. At the tapenade stall she asked for the large capers, and the woman behind the counter was so shocked that a kid wanted them that she gave Remi the small bag for free.

We loaded up and started the walk, uphill again, to a park we passed yesterday but didn't stop at.

Parc Meynier de Salinelles is near the university and small, but perfect, with a natural playground, picnic tables, some paths to explore, and bathrooms. It was a great place to spread out a market lunch while the kids explored, and Arlo got to eat his macaron on the playground.

Arlo taking a big bite of a yellow macaron with both hands, a yellow playground structure and gravel behind him — Macaron secured, playground unlocked.

One creaky carousel ride

We walked around again afterward, browsing a few shops, and ended up near the central fountain once more. This time we said yes to the carousel that was running and took two spins. It's overpriced and feels ancient, creaking and moving slowly, but it's still a thrill for little kids, and a fun way to end a slow weekend before Monday's safari in the Camargue.

Arlo and Remi riding together in a red and yellow dalmatian fire-truck car on a lit-up, ornate carousel

Arlo beaming at the camera from his seat on the carousel while a parent smiles over his shoulder

Two spins on the carousel, with Arlo delighted about both of them.

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