Nimes for under £100 a night

Known as ‘The Rome of France’, this city’s packed with culture and a charming old town

WE POUND THE STREETS ... YOU REAPTHEREWARDS!

NIMES is home to Roman ruins and a world-class collection of contemporary art and architecture. There’s an easily walkable old town with narrow streets and pleasant cafe-lined squares, making this southern French city appealing for a short break.

Where to stay

▪ Appart’City Nimes Arenes

FIVE minutes’ walk from Nimes Centre train station, this grand, 19th-century mansion — formerly the city’s post office — has been a comfortable apart-hotel since 2016. Rooms are decorated with contemporary furnishings — some have original features including fireplaces and parquet floors. All rooms have kitchenettes. Double rooms from £83 (appartcity.com).

▪ Hotel de l’Amphitheatre

THIS 11-room hotel near the Roman arena, created from two adjoining townhouses from the 17th and 18th century, has been renovated in a minimalist, southern-French style. There is no lift to reach the two upper floors, but at least you’ll work off the cooked-to-order breakfast. Double rooms from £78 (hotelde lamphitheatre.com).

▪ Square Hotel

APART from the fact that it’s spotlessly clean and has spacious rooms sleeping up to four people, the main attraction at this three-star hotel, on the east side of the old town, is its fourth-floor roof terrace.

It’s a great spot for breakfast or an evening drink, although you’ll have to bring your own booze because there’s no bar. Doubles from £57 (square hotel-nimes.com).

▪ Hotel des Tuileries

A HOMELY hotel, run by a British couple, on a residential street around the corner from the Philippe Starck-designed Abribus bus stop. Ask for a room with a little balcony so you can sit outside to enjoy a craft beer or wine from the ground-floor bar. Breakfast bread and pastries come from the neighbouring bakery. Doubles from £65 (hoteldestuileries.com).

Where to eat ▪ Le Nicolas

RUN by the same family for 62 years, this cosy restaurant with a beamed ceiling, stone walls and a brightly tiled floor, serves goodvalue regional dishes such as gardiane de taureau — bull meat slow cooked in red wine — from £13 (restaurant-nicolas-nimes.com).

▪ Le Bistrot de Tatie Agnes

YOU have to be quick to grab one of the few tables at this lunch-only ‘hole in the wall’, down an alley just south of the Maison Carree. Try a salad: ‘La Nimes’ features tapenade (olive spread), anchoiade (anchovy dip) and brandade (salt cod mixed with olive oil and cream) for £9 (lebistrotdetatieagnes.eatbu.com).

▪ Le Napo

THIS pistachio-coloured cafe, with a listed painted and moulded ceiling, has been a popular meeting place for locals since 1813. Drop in for a coffee (£3.25) and cake (£3.70) or for lunch or dinner. There’s a plat du jour for £9.50 and snacks such as terrine (coarse pâté) with bread from £5.70 (le-napo.fr).

▪ Gard O Vin

TUCKED away in Place du Marche, this wine bar is the place to go to sample the local AOC, Costieres de Nimes (from £3.50 per glass). It opens at 5pm. Settle on a sofa in the vaulted cellar or perch on a stool outside to munch on cheese and charcuterie; a plate of sausage slices comes in at £4.40.

Getting there

FLIGHTS from Stansted and Edinburgh from £12.99 one-way (ryanair.com). The shuttle bus between the airport and Nimes is £6 one way (tangobus.fr). Or take the train from London St Pancras, changing at Lille or Paris, from £75 one way (thetrainline.com).

A two-day Nimes City Pass (nimescitypass.com) gives you access to the main sights for £25.50 (nimes-tourisme.com).