• Our route to Nimes, returning by way of Château de Flaugergues for wine tasting

• We began our walking tour of Nimes at the Tour Magne at the north end of Les Jardins de La Fontaine.

• Tour Magne is a watchtower that was part of the Roman city wall that was built during the Augustinian era.

• We walked downhill...

• ...past a John Deere tractor...

• ...into a naturaized botanical garden...

• ...transitioning to the formal garden...

• ...and to the fountain.

• The Temple of Diane - It is now thought this building was a library rather than a temple.

• These niches were designed to display papyrus scrolls in the library.

• A pediment for a column with a column 'resting' in the background

• Thanks to Marian for telling Doug about this swan nest

• The crocodile and palm are symbols of Nimes

• Another example of the crocodile and palm symbol

• Young people playing Pétanque.

• Young people playing Pétanque.

• The Maison Carrée (Square House), a small Roman temple dedicated to sons of Agrippa, was built c. 19 BCE. It is one of the best-preserved Roman temples anywhere.

• Skip, Dawn, Julia and Doug at the temple

• Temple detail

• Temple detail

• In black is our local guide Chloe.

• At the Roman temple in Nimes

• au flan coco restaurant - our lunch stop

• Lunch at au flan coco restaurant

• It rained briefly during our lunch in the garden.

• The meat pie was a specialty. It was delicious.

• This dessert tasted as good as it looks.

• Julia passed these Roman coins around at lunch

• Another example of the crocodile and palm symbol of Nimes

• Just your everyday Roman Coliseum on the street corner. No wonder Nimes is called the Rome of France.

• Provence-style bull fights take place in the coliseum. It is also a concert venue.

• Entering the coliseum

• Ground level corridor

• Ceiling detail

• An overview of the interior of the coliseum

• Second level corridor

• Passage from second to first level

• Another passage down to the ground level

• Stonework detail

• View of the coliseum from the top row

• View of the coliseum from the top row

• A school group at the top of the coliseum

• A view of the city and the Tour Magne from the top of the coliseum

• A view of the street from the coliseum

• A view of the Etruscan Museum from the coliseum

• At the end of the day, we stopped at Château de Flaugergues for a wine tasting. We were in the heart of the Languedoc wine region of France.

• Entrance to the winery with the chateau in the background

• Château de Flaugergues mansion and gardens

• Tasting room courtyard

• Wine tasting at Château de Flaugergues (photo from Julia)

• We tasted a selection of wines from this list.

• Heading back to the van