Close to the Arena, as everything is in this compact town centre, the Place du Marché features two figures from the Nîmes coat of arms: a crocodile and a palm tree symbolising the Emperor August’ defeat of his arch rival Marc Antony and his lover Cleopatra, Queen of Egypt. They’re embedded in metal stamps in the ground, created by France’s favourite designer, Philippe Starck. In fact, you’re likely to see these emblems in several places, including in the town hall where giant crocodiles hang in a rather macabre circle above your head.
Summer is wickedly hot in Nîmes (whatever you do when you book accommodation – make sure you get air conditioning). Winter can be cold when the famous Mistral wind is blowing, so much so that rumour has it that Nîmes’s iconic palm trees are kept warm with a heater.
It's not often that you see a Roman temple next to an über modern Norman Foster designed building but in Nimes architectural surprises abound. The Carré d'Art-Museum of Contemporary Art is next to the Maison Carré Roman temple. Home to a fabulous collection of art, modern art fans will love its clean lines and the cool white and glass interior which makes the artworks pop.
The Denim connection
The Musée du Vieux Nîmes (Place aux Herbes, free entrance) has a room devoted to the city’s most famous export - denim. The rough cotton fabric started out to create tough clothes for labourers but is now the uniform of the world. (You can read more about Denim from France here).
What to see and do in Nimes