Wandering Through Time in Nîmes, France

Vibrant Bird of Paradise Bush with red filaments and yellow blooms photographed in Nîmes, France, with a blurred bokeh background.

This week, I found myself back in Nîmes, France — a place where the past and present hang out like old drinking buddies. It had been over a decade since my last visit which was in 2013. But here we are, 2025, and the city’s ancient stones haven’t aged a day. Thank goodness !

If you’ve never been to Nîmes, it’s basically Roman history with a French twist. I mean, where else can you see a Roman amphitheater from the 1st century AD right next to a modern café selling pricey iced lattes? The Arena of Nîmes is still standing proud, looking like it could host a Gladiator reboot any minute now. I’d pay to see that, but they'd have to substitute the blood with ketchup for obvious reasons.

Then there’s the Maison Carrée, one of the best-preserved Roman temples in the world. It’s a building so good-looking it could have its own influencer account. I took quite a few photos of it because every angle seemed like the right angle. That’s one of the perks of being a photographer obsessed with old ruins — you can convince yourself that every shot is necessary.

I also made my way to the Tour Magne, a Roman tower perched on a hill that gives you sweeping views of Nîmes. Of course, to get those views you have to climb a bunch of narrow, ancient stairs, and let’s just say my legs still haven’t forgiven me. It has a sad story of how it was town apart because of a prophecy from Nostradamus. A local gardener got permission to look for a so called treasure under the tower after reading a prophecy from Nostradamus. The local kind at the time King Henri IV gave him permission to go digging and sadly without thoughts of preserving the site, the Roman tower nor the inner Iron Age tower were preserved very much. No treasure was ever found.

But it wasn’t all history lessons and ancient architecture. Nîmes is packed with great little restaurants and cafés. I treated myself through the cobbled streets with a belly too full for someone who still had one more ruin to see. Yeah, I really enjoyed the food all around the city.

It struck me how this city manages to feel alive with the past, but totally modern at the same time.

If you’re into photography, Roman history, or just like wandering aimlessly in beautiful places (with snack breaks), Nîmes should be on your list. I’m already planning my next trip — and I’m not waiting another twelve years this time.