Timeline

Heritage classified

Key figures

Origin and history

The French gate, built in the 1st century BC, was part of the Roman enclosure of Nîmes under the High Empire. Although modest compared to the main doors (Augustus door, Cadereau door), it was equipped with a harrow and served as a secondary road, not the Domitian as previously believed. Its state of conservation makes it today a rare testimony of the ancient fortifications of the city.

Ranked a historic monument since 1840, the gate of France is characterized by a unique passage in a full arch, topped by vestiges of four pilasters and a cornice. Unlike the other similar doors that disappeared, it survived the centuries and gave its name to the crossing street, rue Porte de France. Its urban environment is changing: the street should become pedestrian from 2024.

Integrated with the Nîmes heritage, this door illustrates Roman provincial urbanism. Its sober structure, without sumptuous ornamentation, reflects its functional role in the defensive and old network of Nemaususus (Antique Nimes). Recent excavations and studies have made it possible to specify its use, distinct from major axes such as the path to Hispania.

External links