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The Roman Genius: Water and Slope
The work on the aqueduct, started in the year 50 B.C. would permit the people of Nîmes to receive water in abundance...
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A Colossal Endeavor
Thousands of men, slaves and professionals, stone cutters, masons, ironworkers, and carpenters, were mobilized...
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The Pont du Gard: A Devil’s Work...
After the third destruction of his efforts, a mason lamented: “This could be enough to give oneself to the devil”. At the sound of these words, the devil appeared...
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The Gardens of the Fountain of Nîmes
The garden, designed in the eighteenth century, scrupulously respected the plans of the antique sanctuary laid out during the end of the first century B.C...
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The Hidden Origin of “Blue Jean or the Jean of Nîmes”
Did you know the origin of the “Blue Jean” is partly French...
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onjour! This month’s newsletter is dedicated to one of the most ancient cities of the Languedoc region, Nîmes, and one of the greatest architectural Roman
works that is still standing, the Pont du Gard. Over 2000 years of fascinating history are held within the walls that welcome more than 1,500,000 visitors each
year and the monument was classified as a “national heritage” by UNESCO is 1985.
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Nîmes: Antique City
More than 400 years B.C., a nomadic tribe first explored the borders of a providential spring to quench their thirst in this arid region.
Very quickly, the area around this sacred water source, according to legend, which never dries up, organized itself and a cult was born: the God Nemausus,
son of Hercules and of the Celt Pyrène, for whom the Pyrénées Mountains are named. In the year 31B.C., Octavius defeats Cleopatra and the city undergoes
a sudden expansion as it becomes a Roman colony. To celebrate the event, Octavius, now known as the Emperor Augustus, has money imprinted. On one side
of the coin is the figure of a crocodile chained to a palm. This symbol represents the conquest of Egypt and the ascension of Nemausus’ colony (Nîmes).
The Romans continue to honor the genius "Nemausus" and its sacred spring. The city revolves around two main monuments: the sanctuary of the Fountain,
dedicated to the cult of the Emperor, and the forum on which the "Square House" stands, a Roman temple built by Agrippa. The city endows itself with many
sumptuous Roman arenas and develops an incredible urban network, where the water theme is always present. The empire transforms this ancient city into
an aquatic one.
Nîmes: Aquatic City
If the city of Nîmes is born through water as legend says, as if gushing from the fountain, the Romans deserve the accolade of developing a truly aquatic city.
The local spring could not supply the needs of the grandiose projects of the Romans. It is quickly apparent that a new source is needed, located on the hillside
of the city; and thus the idea of building an aqueduct is put forth. It will allow the dwellers to dispose of a true network of canalization, obtaining water with
pressure, available in the homes of the wealthiest, as well as to workshops, thermal baths and fountains. The empire develops basins, sewerage, latrines and the
magnificent water parks. The city becomes more prestigious, and improves esthetically as well as in sanitation. However, as water runs freely to the luxurious
homes, it remains a discriminating factor socially, because the poor have to content themselves with the fountains, which quickly become a gathering place where
village women and water carriers "aquarii" meet.
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| Recipe
for September 2003 |
Prune Plum Clafoutis
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Cooking SOS !
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The Roman Genius: Water and Slope
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The work on the aqueduct, started in the year 50 B.C. would permit the people of Nîmes to receive water in abundance, but obstacles arose which were difficult
to surmount. First, the path of the aqueduct needed to follow the path of gravity. Therefore, if the spring of the Uzes River was quickly chosen, the slope between
it and the castle was quite slight at only 0.025m/kilometer. To insure a proper flow of the water, the Roman architects had to calculate the difference in height and
compensate somehow for the lack of slope while still obtaining an output of 35,000 cubic meters per day. As well, the distance, as the crow flies, was but 20
kilometers, and the path of the aqueduct was constrained by the physical limits and natural obstacles that the region presented. The final strategic placement of the
water was the result of the best compromise arrived at between the physical, technical and financial constraints. A compromise was reached that allowed in the end,
the construction of the impressive Pont du Gard.
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A Colossal Endeavor
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On the final course that the aqueduct was to be built, another major difficulty presented itself: the Gardon River. This capricious river with irregular flow could
ruin in one swift flood all the surrounding structures. The new bridge needed to be solidly anchored into the soil to resist any force of the current. The support piles
were therefore dug and set into the stone of the Gardon riverbanks, and streamlined to break the strength of the current flow. Thousands of men, slaves and
professionals, stone cutters, masons, ironworkers, and carpenters, were mobilized and worked without rest to complete this endeavor: a magnificent and gigantic
bridge resting on three levels. The first two, respectively, had six and eleven arches superimposed on each other that measured between 15 to 24 meters, and
were unique to the Roman architecture. On the third level, were 47 arches extending out 490 meters and on which the canal flowed. It took almost 5 years to
complete this colossal project, which measured 275 meters in length at the bottom and 48 meters in height, and having a lightly built appearance despite its 50,400 tons.
It would transform the lives of the people of Nîmes.
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The Pont du Gard: A Devil’s Work
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A Provençal legend credits the building of the Pont du Gard to the devil himself. In fact, no other human had succeeded in taming the Gardon River that engulfed
any beginning of construction. One night, after the third destruction of his efforts, a mason lamented: "This could be enough to give oneself to the devil".
At the sound of these words, the devil appeared and proposed to build a bridge that the Gardon could never destroy. The man accepted and in exchange
the devil asked for the first soul that would cross the bridge. Once the deal was sealed, with fists and daggers, the devil ascended the mountain, tore away
incredible blocs of stone and built an enormous bridge able to resist the "Gardonnades" or devastating floods of the Gardon. At dawn, the bridge was finished.
The mason’s wife had the brilliant idea of deceiving the devil and sent a hare onto the bridge. The devil, at the quick, swiftly grabbed the hare. Having realized
what he had, in his fury he plastered the animal into the bridge, and to this day, the contours are clearly visible. Legend says that women always trick the devil!
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The Gardens of the Fountain of Nîmes
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As pleasant as it is to stroll along the Pont du Gard, it is just as enjoyable to return to Nîmes and walk along the magnificent alleys of the French garden
decorated with marble or Lens stone statues. The garden, designed in the eighteenth century, scrupulously respected the plans of the antique sanctuary laid
out during the end of the first century B.C. around the divine spring that gave birth to the city. The high part of the gardens, Mount Cavalier was planted 100
hundred years later. From here, Mediterranean species tower all year long, pines, cypress, green oaks, boxwood and laurels. The garden also houses
the famous temple to the goddess Diana, one of the most romantic monuments in France. Above the gardens, the Magne Tower is still well preserved.
Clearly visible from far away, it signaled the presence of the imperial sanctuary. It was known to be the highest and most prestigious tower in the Roman camp.
Octagonal in shape, it was composed of three levels above the basement. Today, the last floor has disappeared and it now stands 32 meters high. From its top,
the view of the city of Nîmes is spectacular. On clear days, one can see the Mount Ventoux, the Alpilles and the plains of Vistre and Garrigue.
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The Hidden Origin of "Blue Jean or the Jean of Nîmes"
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Did you know the origin of the "Blue Jean" is partly French...
In fact, the fabric used in the initial conception of the hard-wearing pants by Levi Strauss in 1853 was imported
from Nîmes (from where comes "denim"). It was used as a tent cloth as well as for pants. In 1870, a tailor by the name
of Jacob Davis suggested the use of rivets to strengthen the pockets; he then associated himself with Levi Strauss.
The blue jean was born and was to be the source of satisfaction to many American Western pioneers. The oldest mention of
the word jean goes back to the middle Ages and would be a distortion of the word genoese, or "génois" in French.
A cross cotton fabric was indeed manufactured in Genoa, where the sailors carried trousers cut in this cotton coarse
linen whose screen, in the unbleached beginning, was tinted with indigo.
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In a typical Mediterranean way, the imposing structure of the Pont du Gard does not leave the visitor indifferent, even if one is not passionate about architecture.
"Impressive" may be the word that spontaneously comes to mind to describe this masterpiece that has withstood the test of time. Even the earthquake that shook
Nîmes in 1448 did not manage to disrupt this monument. Through it, the past has a voice that reaches today’s protests escaping the walls of the antique arenas
during the "Ferias"; but that is another story...
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