Travel to Tuscany

Day 1 Barcelona - Salses - Nîmes - Cannes (638 Km.)

(in 207 Km.) Fort de Salses: As in some previous trip, we make our first stop, already in French territory, in the rest area of the Salses Fort, located about two hours from Barcelona. We stop for breakfast and take a short walk around this fortress whose current building dates from 1497. Outside, a 15-meter-wide and 7-meter-deep moat protects the Château de Salses. Inside the complex is a square, the governor´s house, the chapel (dedicated to St. Sebastian, austere, with pediment and pilasters at the altar), the prison, the stables and the royal palace.

(in 185 Km.) Nimes: Our next stop is in Nimes. We park near the Arena of Nimes, a Roman amphitheater built in the late 1st century AD. Throughout history the amphitheater underwent numerous interior reforms since the viscounts of Nîmes built their palace-fortress inside the amphitheater. Later a small neighborhood was erected inside, which had about one hundred houses and two chapels. These buildings remained until the 18th century when it was decided to remove them to restore their original appearance. It is considered the best preserved amphitheater in the world. At present it is remodeled and is used as a bullfighting arena for the celebration of bullfights since 1863.

We continue through the wooded Boulevad Victor Hugo, and after passing in front of the church of Saint Paul, we arrive at La Maison Carrée, a temple built in the year 2 AD. by Augustus. The temple stands on a large podium and a central staircase that gives access to the porticoed facade from the forum. It is a hexastyle building (with six columns in the front), on the sides eight of the ten columns are integrated into the walls. It was built in Corinthian order with marble. It is the only fully preserved ancient temple.

At the end of the boulevard are the Jardins de la Fontaine, built in 1745 in the Roman area of La Source. They are considered the oldest public gardens in Europe. The gardens are filled with 17th-century and Roman buildings, including the Tour Magne and the Temple of Diana among many others. In it we can find neoclassical fountains, statues, stairs, avenues and balustrades. We take advantage of these gardens to have a picnic.

The Tour Magne ("Great Tower") was built in the year 15 BC., was the highest and most prestigious tower on the entire wall and is visible from almost anywhere in Nîmes, being nestled on top of Mount Cavalier. Today it is located in the Jardins de la Fontaine. It was a kind of lighthouse and landmark for the city, signaling the presence of the sanctuary of the spring, surely the pre-Roman place of worship. The tower with its two levels rises 32 meters, although previously it had three.

(in 246 Km.) Cannes: We slept a few kilometers from the border with Italy, at the Mimozas Resort Cannes. We arrived at this accommodation somewhat early to enjoy the complex's pool for a while.