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Voykit pocket guide · France
Nîmes
Spend one full day in Nîmes to see the main Roman sites; add a half‑day for Pont du Gard if you have extra time.
Nîmes is a compact Roman city in the Gard department. Its three core monuments – the Amphitheatre, Maison Carrée and Tour Magne – lie within a 15‑minute walk of each other, so a single day covers the highlights. A short bus or car ride reaches the Pont du Gard aqueduct, a good half‑day add‑on.
- Country
- France
- Best months
- Apr–Jun, Sep–Oct
- Avoid
- Jul–Aug (heat)
- Stay
- 1 night
Checked 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change; anything marked (check) is not confirmed.
Essentials
- Currency
- EUR
- Money
- Currency is the euro (EUR, €). Contactless cards work in most shops, cafés and restaurants.
- Daily spend
- Budget €55–€70 excl. bed · Mid €85–€110 excl. bed · High €130+ excl. bed (estimate; check)
- SIM and data
- Orange, SFR, Bouygues Télécom and Free sell prepaid SIMs in their shops and at tabacs; ID is required to register.
- Emergency
- Police 17 · Fire and ambulance 18 · General emergency 112
- Plugs
- Types C, E · 230 V · 50 Hz · Round two-pin plugs; type E sockets have an earth pin sticking out, so Schuko (type F) plugs need a C/E hybrid or an adapter.
- Tipping
- Café or bar: Leave small change, €0.20–1.; Restaurant: Service is included; leave 5–10% in cash for good service.; Taxi: Round up to the next euro or two.; Hotel porter or housekeeping: €1–2 per bag or per night.; Tour guide: €5–10 per person for a half day, more for private guides.
- Water
- Tap water is safe everywhere unless signed otherwise. Restaurants must serve a free carafe of tap water on request.
- Toilets
- Paris has free automatic public toilets (sanisettes); elsewhere use cafés (buy a coffee), museums and stations, where some charge €0.50–1.
What things cost
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| Coffee | €2–€3 |
| Croque‑monsieur | €6–€9 |
| Bottle of local wine (glass) | €4–€7 |
| Public bus ticket | €1.50 |
| Combined Roman sites ticket | €12 |
Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.
Get in
By air
- FNI · Nîmes–Alès–Camargue–Cévennes Airport
- ≈20 km (12 mi) from centre; Ryanair flights; shuttle €6.80 one‑way (check times).≈12 mi (20 km) from centre; Ryanair flights; shuttle €6.80 one‑way (check times).
Show 7 more sections and the pocket cardHideGet around, See and do, Sleep, Language, Etiquette, safety and scams, One and two days, Sources, Pocket card
Get around
The historic core is walkable; city bus lines (liO) connect the train station, the airport shuttle stop and Pont du Gard. Buy a single‑ticket €1.50 (check schedule).
See and do
Known for
- Roman Amphitheatre
- Maison Carrée
- Tour Magne
- Temple de Diane
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Pont du Gard | liO bus from Nîmes bus station, about 30 min ride, then a 10‑min walk to the aqueduct | ≈45 min each way |
Sleep
- Grand Hôtel de Nîmes
- Central, near the Amphitheatre; good for one night.
- Mercure Nîmes Centre
- Mid‑range, close to the train station.
- Ibis Nîmes
- Budget chain, 10‑minute walk to the historic centre.
- FUAJ youth hostel
- Friendly staff, cheap dorms, 15 min walk.
Language
French is the language of daily life. In Paris hotels, museums and restaurants near sights, English works; in rural France it thins quickly. A greeting in French (bonjour, merci, s'il vous plaît) matters more than fluency, and many people switch to English once you have tried.
- Use 'vous' with anyone you do not know; 'tu' is for friends, children and people who invite you to use it.
- Regional languages survive: Breton, Alsatian, Occitan, Basque and Corsican appear on signs and in names.
- Numbers from 70 to 99 are built by addition (soixante-dix = 60+10); check prices in writing.
Etiquette, safety and scams
Etiquette
- Greeting: Say 'bonjour madame/monsieur' on entering any shop, bus or office; avoid: Asking a question before saying bonjour — it is read as rude
- Cheek kisses (la bise): Follow the other person's lead; one to four kisses depending on region; avoid: Initiating la bise with strangers or in business
- Addressing people: Use 'vous' and titles until invited otherwise; avoid: First names and 'tu' with older people or staff
- Restaurants: Wait to be seated in restaurants; call the waiter 'monsieur' or 'madame'; avoid: 'Garçon', snapping fingers, asking for the bill before you are finished
- Conversation: Debate is a pleasure; food, politics and philosophy are fair game; avoid: Asking about salary or religion; loud voices on trains
- Dinner at a home: Bring flowers (not chrysanthemums), chocolates or a good bottle; arrive 10–15 minutes late; avoid: Cutting the tip off a cheese wedge or asking for ketchup
- Dress: Smart-casual in cities; covered shoulders in churches; avoid: Beachwear in town centres
Scams and watch-outs
- Pickpockets near the Amphitheatre on busy days – keep valuables close.
- Bus single‑ticket €1.50; check schedule for Pont du Gard connections.
- July–August heat can be intense; stay hydrated and use shade.
Nîmes is generally safe; pickpockets appear near the Amphitheatre on busy days – keep valuables close.
One and two days
No timed day plan for Nîmes yet. Suggested stay: 1 night. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.
- Roman Amphitheatre
- Maison Carrée
- Tour Magne
- Temple de Diane
Sources
Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.
- Wikivoyage: Nîmes, revision 5243443 (CC BY-SA 4.0): en.wikivoyage.org/w/index.php?oldid=5243443
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
Printed from Voykit (/nimes). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.