Jardin de la Fontaine

The Jardin de la Fontaine in Nîmes is built around a spring that has drawn people for more than two thousand years. The Gauls worshipped the spirit of the source, called Nemausus, and when the Romans took over they turned the site into a sanctuary with a theatre-like terrace, a temple and a water basin. The name of the city comes from that deity. Today the surviving Roman structures sit in a landscape that was laid out in the eighteenth century, which gives the garden an unusual mix of antiquity and classical French design.

The garden was created from 1745, when the royal engineer Jacques-Philippe Mareschal was asked to clear the area and organise the water. He designed stone quays, balustrades, stairways and pools in the French manner, using the flowing spring as the main feature. It is often described as one of the first public gardens in Europe, built for the people of Nîmes to enjoy rather than for a single noble owner. Long canals with stone edges carry the spring water from a basin, where carp and ducks swim in the shade of tall trees, down toward the town.

The Roman ruins add depth. The so-called Temple of Diana, a ruined building with fine vaulting, stands among the trees, and its true function is still debated. Above the formal garden, paths climb the hill of Mont Cavalier through Mediterranean planting of Aleppo pine, holm oak and aromatic shrubs, and at the top stands the Tour Magne, a Roman tower that was part of the ancient town wall of Nemausus. The climb rewards visitors with views over the city, the Arènes de Nîmes and the Maison Carrée in the distance. The shaded paths, rock garden and small corners make it easy to wander without a plan.

The garden is a good break from the monuments below. A short walk away are the Arènes, the Maison Carrée, the Carré d'Art, the Musée de la Romanité and the Théâtre Antique, so it fits easily into a day in the city. The Cathédrale Saint-Castor and the Piscines de Nîmes offer other stops. In summer the shade is welcome, and in spring the flowers and fresh green give it a gentler feel.

It is a free, easy and attractive place for families, picnickers and anyone interested in the layers of Nîmes' history. Opening hours change with the season, so check them before you go.