Spring 2022

Pont du Gard
The Stunning Roman Aqueduct
The Pont du Gard was built over 2,000 years ago, to bring water to the city of Nîmes. It is so
big that Roman engineers had to build it on three levels, each with its own set of arches. The
aqueduct crosses over the Gard River and is as tall as the top of the Statue of Liberty’s torch!
For extra fun you can rent a kayak and float under it.
Birth of a River
Imagine that you
are walking on a
path next to a river,
going upstream.
You look up and
see that you are
coming to a high
cliff. You wonder
how the river gets
past it – maybe it
goes around? Then
you get to the cliff
Fontaine de Vaucluse
and you realize the
river is coming out of the ground, just bursting
forth. You’re at Fontaine-de-Vaucluse, one of
the largest springs in the world, and so deep
that even Jacques Cousteau couldn’t reach
the bottom.
A River of Sheep
Every year, thousands of sheep march
through the streets of St-Rémy,
accompanied by musicians, shepherds,
sheepdogs, and the occasional goat. It’s
like a river of sheep flowing through town!
Afterwards there are sheepdog trials. This is
a fun event for the whole family. It’s all part
of the annual transhumance festival that
commemorates the days when sheep used
to walk to higher pastures to escape the
summer heat.
Keith and Val Van Sickle live part of the year in
St-Rémy-de-Provence and have traveled widely
throughout the region. Keith is the author of An
Insider’s Guide to Provence (read our review).
The Good Life France | 77