Lozère (48) and Gard (30)

Pont du Gard is a Roman aqueduct that crosses the Gardon River. It is one of the best preserved aqueducts and part of the Nîmes aqueduct, a 50-kilometre system built in the first century AD to carry water from a spring at Uzès to Nîmes, a Roman colony named Nemausus. After the Roman Empire collapsed, the aqueduct fell into disuse. The Pont du Gard remained largely intact, due to the importance of its secondary function. It was used as a toll bridge, so for centuries the local lords and bishops were responsible for its upkeep. Starting in the 18th century the Pont du Gard became a tourist destination. Today it is one of France's most popular tourist attractions with about 1.4 million visitors per year, who all take photos... After I had swum through the Pont d'Arc the day before, I decided to do that again here - and it is possible. Easy!

Pont du Gard is a Roman aqueduct that crosses the Gardon River. It is one of the best preserved aqueducts and part of the Nîmes aqueduct, a 50-kilometre system built in the first century AD to carry water from a spring at Uzès to Nîmes, a Roman colony named Nemausus. After the Roman Empire collapsed, the aqueduct fell into disuse. The Pont du Gard remained largely intact, due to the importance of its secondary function. It was used as a toll bridge, so for centuries the local lords and bishops were responsible for its upkeep. Starting in the 18th century the Pont du Gard became a tourist destination. Today it is one of France's most popular tourist attractions with about 1.4 million visitors per year, who all take photos... After I had swum through the Pont d'Arc the day before, I decided to do that again here - and it is possible. Easy!

Pont du Gard is a Roman aqueduct that crosses the Gardon River. It is one of the best preserved aqueducts and part of the Nîmes aqueduct, a 50-kilometre system built in the first century AD to carry water from a spring at Uzès to Nîmes, a Roman colony named Nemausus. After the Roman Empire collapsed, the aqueduct fell into disuse. The Pont du Gard remained largely intact, due to the importance of its secondary function. It was used as a toll bridge, so for centuries the local lords and bishops were responsible for its upkeep. Starting in the 18th century the Pont du Gard became a tourist destination. Today it is one of France's most popular tourist attractions with about 1.4 million visitors per year, who all take photos... After I had swum through the Pont d'Arc the day before, I decided to do that again here - and it is possible. Easy!

Pont du Gard is a Roman aqueduct that crosses the Gardon River. It is one of the best preserved aqueducts and part of the Nîmes aqueduct, a 50-kilometre system built in the first century AD to carry water from a spring at Uzès to Nîmes, a Roman colony named Nemausus. After the Roman Empire collapsed, the aqueduct fell into disuse. The Pont du Gard remained largely intact, due to the importance of its secondary function. It was used as a toll bridge, so for centuries the local lords and bishops were responsible for its upkeep. Starting in the 18th century the Pont du Gard became a tourist destination. Today it is one of France's most popular tourist attractions with about 1.4 million visitors per year, who all take photos... For centuries, Pont du Gard was a huge, unattended structure, so it is no surprise, that it is covered by graffiti. Most date from the 19th century, when tourists came here, and "left" names and dates. This "horseshoe" may be older, as this kind of graffiti was in medieval times often carved in by pilgrims.

Pont du Gard is a Roman aqueduct that crosses the Gardon River. It is one of the best preserved aqueducts and part of the Nîmes aqueduct, a 50-kilometre system built in the first century AD to carry water from a spring at Uzès to Nîmes, a Roman colony named Nemausus. After the Roman Empire collapsed, the aqueduct fell into disuse. The Pont du Gard remained largely intact, due to the importance of its secondary function. It was used as a toll bridge, so for centuries the local lords and bishops were responsible for its upkeep. Starting in the 18th century the Pont du Gard became a tourist destination. Today it is one of France's most popular tourist attractions with about 1.4 million visitors per year, who all take photos... For centuries, Pont du Gard was a huge, unattended structure, so it is no surprise, that it is covered by graffiti. Most date from the 19th century, when tourists came here, and "left" names and dates. Here are three, that may have been carved by travelling smiths or roofers, as both guilds used a hammer as their symbol. In medieval times the "journeymen" had to travel - and learn for years, before they were allowed to settle down. Some such guilds still exist. "Die Freien Vogtländer" is a German guild www.freie-vogtlaender.eu/de/ This guild is a member of the "Conféderation Compagnonnages Europäische Gesellenzünfte" cceg.eu/?lang=en

Pont du Gard is a Roman aqueduct that crosses the Gardon River. It is one of the best preserved aqueducts and part of the Nîmes aqueduct, a 50-kilometre system built in the first century AD to carry water from a spring t Uzès to Nîmes, a Roman colony named Nemausus. After the Roman Empire collapsed, the aqueduct fell into disuse. The Pont du Gard remained largely intact, due to the importance of its secondary function. It was used as a toll bridge, so for centuries the local lords and bishops were responsible for its upkeep. Starting in the 18th century the Pont du Gard became a tourist destination. Today it is one of France's most popular tourist attractions with about 1.4 million visitors per year, who all take photos... For centuries, Pont du Gard was a huge, unattended structure, so it is no surprise, that it is covered by graffiti. Most date from the 19th century, when tourists came here, and "left" names and dates. More guild-symbols (maybe!), just like the three hammers (previous upload), here is another hammer (left). In the center is a hammer and two compasses. "Hammer and compass" was the guild symbol of bricklayers. It could as well be a Masonic symbol. The graffito is too old to stand for the national emblem of "East Germany" (GDR). In medieval times the "journeymen" had to travel - and learn for years, before they were allowed to settle down. Some such guilds still exist. "Die Freien Vogtländer" is a German guild www.freie-vogtlaender.eu/de/ This guild is a member of the "Conféderation Compagnonnages Europäische Gesellenzünfte" cceg.eu/?lang=en

The roman "Pont du Gard", more than 2000 years old, is not only one of the main touristic attractions, it is brilliant example of the abilities, the antique engineers had. The aqueduct was constructed to get fresh water from Uzès to Nîmes, a distance of only about 20kms, but full of obstacles like the valley of the Gardon. Here the Pont du Gard is seen from the beautiful village of Valliguières, about 8kms beeline away from the aqueduct.

...looking out of the window early morning. Bad surprise! It was snowing again. After a long breakfast mood and weather had improved...

...the very interesting romanesque church, built within the 12. century, and clearly visible altered a couple of times over the time..

Langogne has a nice covered market hall. More than 200 years old.

..a very modern version of Stevenson´s donkey Modestine. Seen outside a theatre (!!) in Saint-Flour-de-Mercoire...

The village Cheylard-l'Évêque lies "just around the corner" at the end of this valley.

..about an hour before I reached Luc, I walked along a little lake in the forest...

The well preserved ruins of the Château de Luc. The Virgin on top of the 800 years old Donjon has an eye on les Lucois, living in the village below.

.. the weather got really bad now, but the worst thing - the trail ended on a little river, the bridge was obviously taken away. It took me neary two hours walking, to find out, that there was no other bridge upstream. The only way, to come out of the trap was to climb up to the nearby railway embankment - cross the river tiptoeing over the rails - and climb down again.

Finally on the other side. The two concrete foundations of the bridge are clearly vsisible - but there is no construction connecting them. Maybe a special joke for April Fool´s Day. I reached La Bastide Puylaurent very late. One hotel was closed, the other under renovation....

The romanesque church in Chasseradès is built on the sheer rock. It has another entrance too..

..well worth a visit. The well perserved church has some archaic capitels. Here is an angel...