A Magical Night at the Pont Du Gard

These wonderful nighttime shows are taking place to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the Pont du Gard's listing as a UNESCO world heritage site. On a beautiful hot summer night, you can't go wrong with this impressive light show!

The production was put on by the amazing artists of Groupe F - known around the world for their incredible light shows. From start to finish, the bridge and the riverbank were a feast for the eyes with colourful lights, an interesting storyline and impressive pyrotechnics. There was even a soundtrack from start to finish with powerful music to help tell the story. It's not often you get such amazing sound accompanying such a stunning visual show.

With four shows in total, Friday was the first performance of the 'Mondes Magiques'. If possible, I highly recommend picking up tickets for next weekend. The last two shows will take place on June 12th and 13th and if you are in the area, you won't regret the visit. The event itself was really well organized and thoroughly enjoyable.

Once the sky went completely dark, the lights and music gradually came on to get the crowd in the mood. In addition to lights and fireworks, there was a special 'host' dressed up in a crazy white costume that was illuminated with his own special light. He stood on top of a rock where the whole audience could see him and with his voice projected throughout the venue, told the story of the Pont du Gard and other majestic monuments from around the world.

The story was a journey through time introducing the other wonders of the world, like the Pont du Gard, that we as a civilization have a duty to preserve and protect. They honoured monuments like the ancient pyramids of Egypt, the Alhambra and the Eiffel Tower, to name a few. Groupe F used the magnificent stone structure to project images of these other structures. And along with these projections there were some seriously awesome fireworks throughout.

Entertaining from start to finish, my favourite part of the spectacle was seeing the different colourful patterns and images projected on the bridge. They even projected animated images on the riverbank – it was really cool how the artists used the entire landscape as their stage, not just the bridge itself. Everything was timed perfectly with the music, so the whole show was a really immersive and engaging experience.

If you really want to make a night of it, follow the lead of the French audience members and bring a picnic to enjoy before the show. Upon my arrival, I quickly realized the mistake I had made by bringing... nothing. When I saw a woman at the front gate with five baguettes balanced on her stroller, I knew I was ill prepared for the evening. As I walked up to the main area (right bank of the river), everyone I passed had packed elaborate dinners with cheese, bread, wine, chips, fruit, snacks, etc.

Another thing I forgot was insect repellant. This was perhaps my biggest mistake. Not having a chair was manageable, but the bugs were pretty brutal (the mosquitoes in Provence absolutely love me). Once the sun went down they mostly disappeared, but I would still advise you to come prepared.

If you are interested in having a picnic, you can arrive at 19h and pick the best spot to picnic and watch the show. The river is great for swimming, so if you have kids or fancy a dip, I highly recommend bringing a bathing suit. At around 20h30 it starts to get busy, but you can still find a good spot if you arrive before 21h. Even though it's really hot in Provence right now, remember that it gets a bit chilly at night so a sweater is a good idea.

For those, like me, who don't have the foresight to pack a picnic, they have a few food stands on the riverbank. You can buy fresh pizza (whole or slice), sandwiches, ice cream, pop, beer/wine, crisps etc. certainly enough to make your own quick picnic.

Parking for the event was actually pretty painless and well organized. They have free parking on-site and there was little traffic at the end. If you are driving from Avignon, it is very clearly marked the whole way.

The Pont du Gard is a Roman monument that was built midway through the 1st century AD. This architectural masterpiece is an ancient aqueduct with three levels that measures 50m high and the bridge itself measures 360m along the top. When you stand up close, it certainly is a masterpiece to behold!

Tickets can be purchased online here or at the venue. The costs is 26,32€ for an adult ticket or 13,32€ for children (other discounts for groups or people with mobility restrictions are available). The spectacle will take place on the right bank of the Pont du Gard. The main event is from 22:30-23:30, or as soon as it gets dark enough for the lights to appear.

The Pont du Gard is located between Remoulins (RN 100) and Vers-Pont du Gard (D 81). It is recommended that you travel by car, as the event will run late and train times may not be as regular.

By car: From the A9 motorway, take exit 23 at Remoulins towards Uzès, then follow the signs to the right or left banks. Location: Nîmes is 27 km away, Avignon is 21 km away.

By train: Nîmes and Avignon train stations are served by the TGV. The Paris–Nîmes TGV train, which has been running since June 2001, takes 2 hours 50 minutes.

By bus: Departure from Avignon or Alès (Line A15), Departure from Nîmes (Line B21)

Take a look at the teaser for the even in the video below.

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Other illuminations are also taking place at the Pont du Gard over the summer, until 13th September 2015.