Top 10 Roman Sights
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1. Arles
Remnants of Provence’s most important Roman settlement can still be seen around this lovely town (see Roman Arles).
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2. Vaison-la-Romaine
Another Roman gem, discovered in 1907 (see Vaison-la-Romaine).
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3. Parc de la Colline St-Eutrope, Orange
One of the best preserved theatres from the Roman empire, built during the reign of Augustus (c.27–25 BC), is the highlight of the Parc de la Colline St-Eutrope. Nearby, a triumphal arch decorated with relief carvings commemorates Julius Caesar’s victories over Gaul (see Roman Theatre, Orange).
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4. Les Antiques de Glanum
Twin temples, a Roman forum, baths and a fortified gate can be seen at Glanum, near St-Rémy, which also reveals traces of a 4th-century Greek settlement. Another triumphal arch (10 BC) marks more Gallic victories (see St Rémy-de-Provence and Glanum).
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5. La Trophée des Alpes
This majestic Roman monument, built from local white stone, was erected in 6 BC to mark the boundary between Italy and Gaul and to honour Augustus’s Gallic conquests. Towering over the small village of La Turbie, high above Monte Carlo, with breathtaking views of the Riviera, it still has the power to impress (see La Trophée des Alpes).
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6. Les Arènes de Fréjus
Like other large Roman arenas in Provence, the amphitheatre at Fréjus (see Fréjus Old Town), which can seat up to 10,000 people, is still used regularly for bullfights and classical music concerts. It was originally built in the 1st–2nd centuries AD. Nearby are parts of the original Roman wall.
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7. Arc de Triomphe, Cavaillon
This twin-arched triumphal gate, lavishly adorned with carved vines and dramatic Corinthian columns, was built during the reign of the Emperor Augustus, in the 1st century AD. There are other interesting Roman finds in the town’s archaeological museum.
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8. Pont du Gard, Gard
The Romans considered this 49 m- (160 ft-) high three-tiered bridge to be clear testimony to their empire’s greatness. The top tier was part of an aqueduct that supplied Nimes with water for up to 500 years. Constructed from dressed stone blocks without mortar, the bridge is 275 m (900 ft) long and an enormous feat of engineering.
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9. Roche Taillée, Mons
This village aqueduct cut deep into solid rock is an impressive example of Roman civil engineering and an indication of how highly the Romans valued civilized comforts such as a reliable supply of running water. Those comforts unfortunately vanished with the fall of the Empire and were not regained until the 19th century.
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10. Temple of Apollo, Riez
The four Corinthian columns of the 1st-century-AD temple to Apollo, standing tall and alone among fields just outside Riez on the Valensole plateau, are all that remain of the once prosperous Roman settlement of Reia Apollinaris. Eight ancient pillars, perhaps scavenged from another Roman building, are now in the early Christian church nearby, which dates from the 4th–5th century BC and is one of the oldest surviving churches in France.
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