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Departure from Nîmes SNCF station; paid parking under the Esplanade Charles de Gaulle or free spaces in the streets adjacent to the station.
(S/E) From the station entrance/exit, cross Boulevard Talabot and follow Avenue Feuchère opposite, walking along the central footpath. A little further on, on the left, is the Gard Prefecture. At the end, before entering the Esplanade Charles de Gaulle, turn right onto the path running alongside Boulevard de Pragues. Pass an entrance to the underground car park and continue a short way until you see the Church of Sainte-Perpétue and Sainte Félicité on your right.
(1) Return to the esplanade, cross Boulevard de la Libération and turn left at the fast-food restaurant into Rue de la Couronne. After Place de la Salamandre, continue straight on along Rue des Fourbisseurs until you reach Place de l’Hôtel de Ville. Look to the left of the square at the façade of a building with its jack-in-the-box.
Walk along the left-hand side of the Town Hall, then turn right under a porch into Rue de la Trésorerie. Turn right into Rue Dorée to find yourself behind the Town Hall; at No. 10 stands the Hôtel Villard. This street is lined with many other bourgeois buildings. Walk to the end of the street, where you’ll find the Lapidary Museum opposite and the Jesuit Chapel to your right. Turn left onto the Grand’Rue and look out for the Hôtel Rivet (Nîmes School of Fine Arts) at number 10 on the left.
Turn left into Rue du Chapitre and look a little further along on the left, at No. 14, for the Hôtel de Régis. Pass Rue de la Prévôte on your right and walk a few steps to No. 12. Turn right, go under a porch, climb two flights of stairs and turn right into the museum garden. Exit by passing to the left of a pizzeria to arrive at a square with overflowing fountains.
Turn left after the fountains to go round them and arrive in front of the Musée du Vieux Nîmes. Head right to reach Place aux Herbes in front of the Cathedral of Notre-Dame and Saint-Castor.
(2) Turn right onto Rue Saint-Castor and admire the Presbytery on the left at No. 9. Arrive at Place Bellecroix, follow it to the right and continue along Rue Curaterie, which leads to Place du Grand Temple. Turn left to see the building, then left again after it to follow Boulevard Amiral Courbet. Look out for a very pretty covered passageway shortly afterwards on the left.
Continue and cross Rue Nationale (Via Domitia) to arrive in front of the Roman ruins of the Porte Auguste (remains of the ramparts). Turn right opposite the ruins, cross the boulevard and visit the Church of Saint-Baudile.
(3) After leaving the church, turn right, then cross the boulevard and head left onto Boulevard Gambetta. Follow this boulevard, keeping to the well-paved left-hand side. Opposite No. 40 is the Church of Saint-Charles. Continue to No. 32, then turn left onto Rue de Corconne. Turn right at No. 9 to cross the market halls and emerge onto Rue Guizot.
Turn left onto this street, cross Rue du Général Perrier and head towards the Clock Tower. Turn right onto Rue de l’Horloge and look out for the Hôtel Besserié at No. 13. Cross Rue du Grand Couvent and look to your left at the magnificent Théâtre de Nîmes. Continue straight on to reach Place de la Maison Carrée with the splendid monument of the same name, recently renovated. Turn right and then right again to arrive in front of the steps leading up to the Maison Carrée.
(4) Retrace your steps, cross Boulevard Alphonse Daudet to the right of the Carré d'Art and continue straight on along Rue Molière. Pass one street on the left and one on the right, then take Rue Gaston Boissier to reach Place d'Assas. Take a stroll around this very distinctive square. Turn right back onto Rue Gaston Boissier, which leads to Quai de la Fontaine. Cross over and turn right onto the bridge spanning the canal. Turn left onto the other bank of Quai de la Fontaine, walk along Place Pablo Picasso and continue along the canal to the entrance to the Jardins de la Fontaine.
Enter the park and follow the path to the right after the toilets. Go up the stairs and turn right, following the signs for Tour Magne. Generally speaking, stick to the paths furthest to the right without ever leaving the park, until you reach the highest point at Tour Magne.
(5) Head back down, always taking the paths on the right. 100m past the tower, in front of a pink house, there is a lovely viewpoint offering a view of the park and Avenue Jean-Jaurès in a straight line. Continue down the path on the right to reach the bottom of the gardens in front of the Temple of Diana.
(6) Take the central path to exit the park via the Quai de la Fontaine gate, cross the quay and head straight on along the central path of Avenue Jean-Jaurès. Follow it for about 350m and turn left after No. 25bis to follow Rue Émile Jamais all the way (many art galleries). At the end of the street is Saint-Paul’s Church.
Cross Boulevard Victor Hugo and turn right onto the pavement until you reach the Amphitheatre (arena) of Nîmes. Turn left onto Boulevard des Arènes to go round the building and find yourself at Place des Arènes.
(7) After admiring the arena, with your back to it, turn left to cross Boulevard de la République and reach the Pradier Fountain on Esplanade Charles de Gaulle. Turn right and follow the central lane of Avenue Feuchère to return to the station (S/E).
Visorando Member
Moderate 
