Department
Museums, galleries and heritage in Gard
75 places to discover across Gard.
Including Fort Saint-André, Cathédrale Notre-Dame-et-Saint-Castor and Chartreuse du Val-de-Bénédiction.
Towns to explore
Aigues-Mortes · Alès · Aubais · Bagnols-sur-Cèze · Laudun-l'Ardoise · Le Vigan · Manduel · Nîmes · Pont-Saint-Esprit · Rousson · Saint-Christol-lez-Alès · Saint-Gilles · Saint-Jean-du-Gard · Saint-Quentin-la-Poterie · Sauve · Sommières · Sumène · Uzès · Vers-Pont-du-Gard ·
A Department Between Antiquity and Contemporary Creation
The Gard owes much of its international reputation to two Roman monuments inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List: the Pont du Gard, a first-century aqueduct bridge near Vers-Pont-du-Gard, and La Maison Carrée de Nîmes, a remarkably intact Roman temple added to the list in 2023. Together they anchor a dense concentration of Roman-era heritage rarely matched outside Italy.
In Nîmes itself, this antique legacy is complemented by the Musée de la Romanité, which traces twenty-five centuries of local history from Gallic origins to the present, and by the Carré d'art-musée d'art contemporain, set on the very square facing the Maison Carrée and dedicated to contemporary art. The Musée des beaux-arts rounds out the city's offer with 3,800 works spanning Italian, Nordic and French schools from the 15th to the 20th century.
Beyond Nîmes, the department's museum network reflects distinct local identities: natural sciences and prehistory at the Préhistorama in Rousson and the
Nîmes, Uzès, Bagnols-sur-Cèze: Three Distinct Cultural Hubs
Nîmes concentrates the department's largest museums around its Roman core, while also hosting an active contemporary art scene through spaces such as CACN - Centre d'Art Contemporain de Nîmes, NegPos and Corps et Ame Gallery.
Uzès, a smaller town northwest of Nîmes, has developed a notably dense gallery cluster relative to its size, including Jamin David, Prestaart Gallery Uzès, Galerie Urbaine and the Maison des Artisans d'Art d'Uzès, alongside the Musée municipal Georges Borias, housed in the former bishop's palace.
Bagnols-sur-Cèze, further east, pairs two museums within walking distance of each other: the
Frequently asked questions
How much time should I plan to visit the Pont du Gard and Nîmes' Roman sites?
Allow half a day for the Pont du Gard site itself, and a full day in Nîmes to cover the Maison Carrée, the Musée de la Romanité and the Carré d'art, which sit within a few minutes' walk of each other.
Is the Pont du Gard free to visit?
Access to view the aqueduct from the surrounding park is free; a paid ticket is required for the on-site museum, the panoramic walkway and parking.
What is the best time of year to visit the Gard?
Spring (April-June) and early autumn (September-October) offer mild temperatures for outdoor sites like the Pont du Gard, avoiding both summer crowds and heat.
Which town is best for gallery-hopping in the Gard?
Uzès concentrates the highest density of independent galleries and craft ateliers in a compact, walkable historic center, making it the easiest base for a gallery circuit.
Are the Gard's museums accessible without a car?
Nîmes' main museums (Musée de la Romanité, Carré d'art, Musée des beaux-arts) are within walking distance of the train station, but rural sites like the Musée des vallées cévenoles or the Pont du Gard are easier to reach by car.
