Of course, it’s Tuesday, so it must be market day. Dick has already informed me before breakfast that he will be pursuing a crepe from the crepe lady whilst in the market. So, breakfast is just yogurt and juice. We have a short list, but specific. We are taking a road trip tomorrow, so we want to have provisions for the drive. We get some great jambon from one vendor and find a nice girl selling cheese that she hand-slices for us. Both will be used for a sandwich for our picnic tomorrow. We also pick up some fruit for the next several mornings and a lovely bunch of grapes to go with our picnic.
After dropping our purchases off at the apartment, we head to Nimes. An ancient Roman settlement from the mid first century, it boasts some of the most intact Roman ruins within the original Roman Empire.
Denim (as in jeans) originated in this town. De Nimes (of Nimes) produced the cloth by which jeans were eventually made in the United States. Levi Strauss was originally an imported of the indigo died fabric made here and purchased the patent to the rivet-reinforced denim pant from Jacob W. Davis, a tailor from Nevada, who manufactured the first pair of rivet-reinforced denim pants.
The two important Roman monuments here are the Arena (yes, still in use) and the Maison Carree. Both built in the first century A.D. and very impressive examples of Roman architecture. The Arena is an impressive area and was a center of Roman life in Nimes. Gladiator fights and other spectacles took place here on a daily basis for many hundreds of years.
The Maison Carree was built in the traditional Roman architecture of ‘Six by Eleven’ (describing the number of columns) and was used as a temple. It is one of the best-preserved Roman temple façades to be found in the territory of the former Roman Empire.
We return to Aix later in the evening and retire to our home court, Le Novo, for dinner.
M.
We really get a kick out of the local market. There aren’t many days left before we head out, so we were hoping to pick up some Provence craft items and stuff for picnics for the next couple of days. The hunting went well, plus I was able to satisfy my craving for a strawberry crepe!
We decided to take a drive out to Nimes, an easy hour & a quarter drive along good highways (tolls though). It’s the same old story with parking – geez! These old towns just aren’t made for cars and once we get into the city its nothing but one-way streets and packed parking garages. After what seemed like a half-dozen loops through the old quarter, we get lucky and find a spot along the road almost two car lengths deep. Perfect for a parallel-parking challenged driver like me!
I’ve yet to establish the connection between Nimes and the existentialist philosopher Albert Camus. There’s definitely something there though as there is a large piece of artwork near where we parked dedicated to him, at least one school in his name, and a ‘Rue de Albert Camus’. Research required.
The amphitheater in Nimes is considered the best preserved of all of the Roman arenas and is quite a treat to explore. From the upper ramparts, the entire city comes into view. Spectacular. A walk through the narrow alleys of the old quarter with its shops and restaurants to the temple of ‘Maison Carree’ is good fun. The temple itself is attractive and imposing from the courtyard.
A perfectly timed return to Aix finds us in the heat of rush hour. Actually, it’s not too bad coming from the north west as we have. Dinner is at the small restaurant just down the street we’ve come to frequent often. Another relaxing evening with perfect weather.
D.