Avignon, France

Pont du Gard Aqueduct

One of Ancient Rome’s Great Architectural Marvels See the magnificent three-tiered structure built without mortar by Romans 2,000 years ago. One of the most ambitious engineering projects of its time, the Pont du Gard aqueduct carried water to the Roman outpost of Nimes from the springs of Uzes, 31 miles away. It stands today as the greatest legacy of Marcus Vipsanius Agrippa, son-in-law of Augustus. Some of its stones weigh six tons and were lifted as high as 160 feet. You will journey to the aqueduct, which straddles the wooded banks of the Gardon River. Spend time at the site’s museum, where you can observe the marriage of modern and ancient at fascinating, interactive exhibits. Then marvel at the huge structure that channeled 44 million gallons of water each day over a tiny gradient of 25 inches per mile for 31 miles. For form and function, it is surely one of the Roman Empire’s most breathtaking remains. * Moderate - Walking portions may be long and somewhat challenging with occasional step-ups, stairs and inclines. Total time walking or standing normally ranges from 1.5 to 3 hours.