Great bus ride through little towns and small plots of low untrellised vineyards led us to Pont du Gard first. We hiked up the almost deserted road to the entrance and resource centre area of this Unesco world heritage site. Another coup for us late season travellers. No crowds, no lines yet the sun shone brightly. No entry fee either for off season visits. We wandered toward the tri leveled arches in the distance, past ancient large trunked olive trees and a few school kids out on a field trip taking in the marvel as well. The aquaducts were built somewhere around 40 BC to 20 AD and are an array of incredibly designed engineered arched bridges that carried water from Uzes to Nime along a slight grade. A marvel of technology, then and now.From Pont du Gard, we headed back on the public bus to visit Orange. This quaint french city is home to another unequalled Unesco World Heritage Site, a Roman Ampitheatre, the oldest one in existance still with it's massive rear stage wall intact. Built about 40 BC this place towers over the surrounding area and is built in the hillside, taking advantage of the terrain and the views. We toured using the audioguides again, and blissfully this site too was almost empty of tourists leaving us room and time to wander, sit in the theatre tiered seats, climb our way to the top tiers, the back hallways carved into rock and check out the displays and artifacts from centuries old performances to modern day rock concerts. Elvis Costello played here in 1980, is that not cool or what. Each summer season an opera festival has been held continuously since 1901. This site is a marvel all to its own. Eerie, massive and cloaked in mystery and intriuge through its many layers and levels and hallways and rooms. Glad I got to see it, especially in the late afternoon light as the sun moved across and through it's stage backdrop wall. Very cool.
