We will be staying in Arles a few days prior to a river cruise.
Any suggestion for the best way to get to Pont du Gard, preferably on public transit?
and once there, is it possible to hike down to the river to view the Pont from below?
Posted by
Twin Cities, Minnesota
2136 posts
I was there a little over a year ago and I walked down to the river and sat in the river bed (it is shallow) and gazed up at the Pont du Gard. Not sure of public transportation options, but I know there are some. I hope other folks let you know specifics on these.
Posted by
Folsom, California, USA
330 posts
We had a rental car when we were there in 2023 so I can't answer about the public transit but: 1) there is a good museum there about how it was built, and 2) we kayaked with a group called Canoe Collias. It was a wow memory to kayak under that amazing bridge. An easy kayak trip too.
Posted by
Corvallis OR
7210 posts
You can take a train to Avignon and then a bus that comes close to Pont du Gard, but there would be a short walk (about 15 mins according to Rome2Rio so maybe 2 km or so) to the actual site - total time a little over 2 hrs. If cost is not an issue you could take a taxi from Arles but it might cost as much as renting a car for the day. Another option is to look for a guided tour from Arles to the Pont.
Posted by
France Southwest
2745 posts
You need to take the train to Nimes (30 minute journey), then bus line 121 towards Pont Saint Esprit which leaves from the Nimes bus station ( right next to the train station).
Get off at the "Vers Pont du Gard" stop (45-minute bus ride)
Regional bus map:
Bus line 121 timetable:
https://storage.googleapis.com/is-wp-90-prod/uploads-prod/2024/12/30-FH-121-0125.pdf
Note that since buses are also used for school transportation, their schedules change depending on the time of year (school holidays or not). The PDF includes a calendar showing these school/holiday periods.
In the bus timetable: The "LàV" at the top of the column means Monday to Friday, S for Saturday, and D for Sunday.
From Collias (located 8 kilometers from the bridge) you can rent a canoe or a kayak to pass under the arches of the Bridge
Posted by
1132 posts
It’s been some years, but public transportation to Pont du Garde is via bus and infrequent at best. When I was there, that particular bus line was on strike. As an alternative, I took a half day van tour that included Pont du Garde, a quick stop near St. Remy with some ruins (Gladius?) and some time at Les Baux. I would highly recommend doing this over trying it in your own. Provence is really best done by car, and we covered a lot of ground in the same amount of time it would have taken as a DIY trip. I booked it same day at the very helpful Avignon tourist office.