A walk in the Jardins de la Fontaine
An oasis of greenery, freshness, shade, and peace in the heart of the South
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The first public garden in Europe, the Jardins de la Fontaine (gardens of the fountain) was designed in the 18th century by Jacques Philippe Mareschal, an engineer who served King Louis XV.
Vue et perspective de la Fontaine de Nismes (1744)Nîmes, Ville d'art et d'histoire
A French formal garden in its lower part, on the slopes of Mount Cavalier, it evolved into an English landscape garden, designed in the 19th century.
Vue de la source (Entre 1745 et 1774) by Photographe Manon JeanjeanNîmes, Ville d'art et d'histoire
With the emergence of the textile industry in the 18th century, water was required to supply the dyeing workshops in the center of the city. The spring, located at the very heart of the existing gardens, represented a major economic stake.
The Mareschal plan
The works to improve the water supply at the time uncovered extraordinary ancient remains. The discovery was widely acclaimed in Europe, particularly among the scholars of the Enlightenment.
Mareschal proposed an ambitious landscaping program. It aimed to showcase these remains and create a garden-like walk in keeping with the new importance of the city. After 13 centuries of abandonment, the ancient site came back to life.
Gallo-Roman origins
The spring, near which the Arecomici (the first Gallic inhabitants) settled, has been the soul of the site since its foundation. A resurgence of underground rainwater, it symbolizes life in a city where water is invisible and yet everywhere.
A sacred place dedicated to the Gallic god Nemausus, who gave his name to the city of Nîmes, the spring, under the Romans, became part of a sanctuary built around 25 BCE and was dedicated to the imperial cult of Augustus—The Augusteum.
Bassin de la source (Entre 1745 et 1774)Nîmes, Ville d'art et d'histoire
Surrounding the spring, the Romans built a pond with two semi-circular stone staircases to add grandeur and scale. Having fallen into ruins at the end of the Roman Empire, buried under alluvium, it was restored to its original state in the 18th century.
The temple of Diana
Near the spring, the temple of Diana is one of the few remains of the ancient sanctuary. Partially preserved thanks to its continuous use—including as an abbey in the Middle Ages—it now looks more like a romantic ruin.
Temple de Diane aujourd'hui (27-25 av. J.C. 2018)Nîmes, Ville d'art et d'histoire
Neither temple, nor devoted to Diana, its original function remains mysterious: was it a library? Was it a worship hall? The pediments of the niches, where semi-circles and triangles alternate, inspired the classical architecture of the Renaissance and can be seen in many buildings in Nîmes.
Graffitis du temple de Diane (XVIIIème siècle)Nîmes, Ville d'art et d'histoire
The temple of Diana is also known for the array of graffiti engraved or traced here with iron oxide, some of which dates back to the 17th century. They are testimony to the compagnons du devoir, a French organization of craftsmen and artisans, during their tour of France, when they traveled around the country to complete apprenticeships with masters.
Vue du Nymphée (XVIIIème siècle)Nîmes, Ville d'art et d'histoire
The Nymphaeum
Close to the temple of Diana is the Nymphaeum, designed by Mareschal. It reproduces the structure of the ancient monument that once faced the imposing portico of the sanctuary, which has now disappeared. A part of the Augusteum's pediment can be seen at the entrance of the Musée de la Romanité (Roman Civilization Museum).
Placed in the center of the Nymphaeum, around which the water of the spring flows, an allegorical sculpture represents Nîmes. It is surrounded by vases and cherubs (putti) sitting on bales of fabric, a symbol of the thriving textile industry in Nîmes in the 18th century.
The regular parterres and symmetrical paths, highlighted by chestnut trees and balustrades, bring to mind French formal gardens. The vases and statues of the lower part come from the dismantling of the Castle of la Mosson's gardens, near Montpellier, in the 18th century.
Vue sur le Mont Cavalier (1819) by Maire Augustin Cavalier et photographe Manon JeanjeanNîmes, Ville d'art et d'histoire
The mineral aspect of this section of the gardens contrasts with the evergreen cover of the hill. The landscaping of the hill was carried out at the beginning of the 19th century by Augustin Cavalier, mayor of Nîmes, who gave his name to the hill … Mount Cavalier.
Vue de la grotte (1890)Nîmes, Ville d'art et d'histoire
Expressing a new kind of relationship with nature, which originated in England with its landscape style, Mount Cavalier can be explored through paths and alleys punctuated by circular lawns and groves. An artificial grotto, built in 1890, creates a picturesque effect, which is characteristic of the time.
Jardin de rocaille (1980)Nîmes, Ville d'art et d'histoire
The landscaping allows visitors to discover different compositions, such as the rock garden, a subtle blend of Mediterranean plants and artificial rocks, the Montgolfier pond with its aquatic plants, and the garden of the mazet (an occitan language name for a stonework construction), which brings to mind the typical Mediterranean scrubland called garrigue.
Climbing the hill leads to the Magne Tower, which overlooks the city and the gardens. Its sugarloaf shape is of Gallic origin, and became octagonal once inserted into the Roman rampart. Its height also doubled, from 59 feet (18 m) to 188 feet (36 m).
Tour Magne aujourd'hui (16-15 av. J.C. 2015)Nîmes, Ville d'art et d'histoire
Its upper floor has disappeared but, with its 108 feet (33 m) height, the tower still provides one of the most spectacular views over Nîmes. The shape and volume of the Gallic tower can be understood, like a negative, from the inside of the Magne Tower, which was hollowed out by a gardener from Nîmes in search of a treasure!
Arbres du Mont Cavalier (2011)Nîmes, Ville d'art et d'histoire
Oaks and pines dominate the vegetation of the hill, and evoke an Italian garden. One of the iconic trees of the gardens is the cedar of Lebanon, which is located on a square that bears the same name. Planted in 2011, it replaced a majestic cedar that was felled by the 2010 snowfall.
Escalier en ciment (XIXème siècle) by Photographe Manon JeanjeanNîmes, Ville d'art et d'histoire
The stairways, railings, planters, and garden furniture made of wood-like reinforced concrete are characteristic of rustic art that was all the rage at the end of the 19th century. Crafters became artists and these achievements testify to their importance in the development of gardens.
Realization: Ville de Nîmes, Centre d'interprétation de l"architecture et du patrimoine (https://nimesartethistoire.fr/) en collaboration avec l'Office du Tourisme
Iconography: © Ville de Nîmes
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