After a long drive from Eze we arrived in the Roman city of Nîmes in the – Languedoc-Roussillon department on a cool afternoon. We parked on a rather suburban street which could have been anywhere in the world. But once we’d knocked on the pretty inconspicuous door to Jardins Secrets we were whisked off to an ethereal secret garden full of charm and mystery.
As you climb through the entrance to Jardins Secrets you enter into the heart of the property which is the stunning gardens. To your left is a small, tranquil pool surround by tall, glass candle lanterns and shaded by beautiful trees and plants. As we meandered through to reception we passed the house cats and (close your ears animal activists) many birdcages filled with tiny chirruping ornithological specimens. The place is very magical and in an instant we had forgotten about that suburban street and our long motorway drive from Eze.
We were upgraded on arrival – it being our honeymoon and all, and so stayed in a junior suite. Our room was a very dark red with an ornate canopy over the bed. A very sensual room – the type you’d expect a King of France to hide his courtesan away in. After check in and a quick shower in the decadent marble bathroom we decided to stretch our legs and headed into town for a walkabout:
Our top finds in Nîmes were:
The Amphitheatre:
A fabulous example of the perfection of Roman engineers in designing and constructing such a complex building. It demonstrates perfect symmetry: oval-shaped, measuring 133 metres long and 101 metres wide, with an arena of 68 by 38 metres. 21 metres high, its exterior façade comprises two floors of sixty superimposed arches and an attic, separated by a cornice. It is much fun to ramble around on a hot day. We chased each other all over the place imagining we were gladiators heading into the arena for our final battle. It is in a far better state than the Coliseum in Rome and was such a treat.
Les Quais de la Fontaine:
We stumbled upon this totally accidentally but we were very glad we did. Les Quais de la Fontaine is a public park with a water garden and garden à la française created in 1738-1755 around a spring which provided water to the city since Roman times. It was one of the first public gardens in France. We were lured in by the sound of drums and voices – two romany weddings were taking place. We sat for well over an hour hypnotised by their whirring calls and thumping beats. The women were decadently dressed in rich fabrics and the brides were so, so young. It was quite a treat for the eyes and we felt like two little birds spying on the afternoons celebrations.
Breakfast at Jardins Secrets:
The bar at Jardins Secrets:
Gypset Travellers 