Editing Nîmes

{{short description|Prefecture of Gard, Occitanie, France}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=May 2020}}
{{Infobox French commune
| name                 = Nîmes
| native name          = {{native name|oc|Nimes}}
| demonym              = ''Nîmois'' (masculine)<br>''Nîmoise'' (feminine)
| commune status       = [[Prefectures in France|Prefecture]] and [[Communes of France|commune]]
| image                = {{multiple image
|perrow = 1/2/1
|border = infobox
|total_width = 280
|image1 = Nimes 2012 (8579722371).jpg
|caption1 = View of Nîmes from Tour Magne
|image2 = L'amphithéâtre de Nîmes..jpg
|caption2 = [[Arena of Nîmes]]
|image3 = Nîmes-Fontaine Pradier VE-20121024.jpg
|caption3 = Fontaine Pradier
|image4 = Nîmes, Maison Carrée (1. Jhdt.n.Chr.) (46785244294).jpg
|caption4 = [[Maison Carrée]] at night
}}
| arrondissement       = Nîmes
| canton               = [[Cantons of Nîmes|Nîmes-1, 2, 3 and 4]] and [[Canton of Saint-Gilles|Saint-Gilles]]
| image coat of arms   = Blason ville fr Nîmes (Gard).svg
| INSEE                = 30189
| postal code          = 30000 and 30900
| mayor                = [[Jean-Paul Fournier]]<ref>{{cite web|title=Répertoire national des élus: les maires|url=https://www.data.gouv.fr/fr/datasets/r/2876a346-d50c-4911-934e-19ee07b0e503|publisher=data.gouv.fr, Plateforme ouverte des données publiques françaises|date=6 June 2023|language=fr}}</ref>
| term                 = 2020&ndash;2026
| party                = [[The Republicans (France)|LR]]
| intercommunality     = [[Communauté d'agglomération Nîmes Métropole|CA Nîmes Métropole]]
| coordinates          = {{coord|43|50|18|N|04|21|35|E|type:city|display=inline,title}}
| elevation m          = 39
| elevation min m      = 21
| elevation max m      = 215
| area km2             = 161.85
| population           = {{France metadata Wikidata|population_total}}
| population date      = {{France metadata Wikidata|population_as_of}}
| population footnotes = {{France metadata Wikidata|population_footnotes}}
}}

'''Nîmes''' ({{IPAc-en|n|iː|m}} {{respell|NEEM}}, {{IPA|fr|nim|lang|fr-Nîmes.ogg}}; {{langx|oc|Nimes}} {{IPA|oc|ˈnimes|}}; [[Latin]]: ''Nemausus'') is the [[Prefectures in France|prefecture]] of the [[Gard]] [[Departments of France|department]] in the [[Occitania (administrative region)|Occitanie]] [[Regions of France|region]] of [[Southern France]]. Located between the [[Mediterranean Sea]] and the [[Cévennes]], the [[Communes of France|commune]] of Nîmes had an estimated population of 148,561 in 2019.<ref>[https://www.insee.fr/fr/statistiques/fichier/6011060/dep30.pdf Populations légales 2019: 30 Gard] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221027103121/https://www.insee.fr/fr/statistiques/fichier/6011060/dep30.pdf |date=27 October 2022 }}, INSEE</ref>

Dubbed the most Roman city outside Italy,<ref>{{Cite news |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/destinations/europe/france/languedoc-roussillon/articles/nimes-musee-de-la-romanite/ |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220112/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/destinations/europe/france/languedoc-roussillon/articles/nimes-musee-de-la-romanite/ |archive-date=12 January 2022 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live |title=Nîmes, the most Roman city outside Italy, just got more Roman |work=The Telegraph |access-date=2018-07-30}}{{cbignore}}</ref> Nîmes has a rich history dating back to the [[Roman Empire]] when the city had a population of 50,000–60,000 and was the regional capital.<ref name="Sear1983">{{cite book |author=Frank Sear |title=Roman Architecture |url=https://archive.org/details/romanarchitectur0000sear |url-access=registration |year=1983 |publisher=Cornell University Press |isbn=0-8014-9245-9 |page=[https://archive.org/details/romanarchitectur0000sear/page/213 213]}}</ref><ref name="RingWatson2013">{{cite book |author1=Trudy Ring |author2=Noelle Watson |author3=Paul Schellinger |title=Northern Europe: International Dictionary of Historic Places |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=uWjYAQAAQBAJ&pg=PT853 |date=28 October 2013 |publisher=Taylor & Francis |isbn=978-1-136-63951-7 |page=853 |access-date=7 November 2015 |archive-date=16 September 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230916120525/https://books.google.com/books?id=uWjYAQAAQBAJ&pg=PT853 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |url=http://conservationengineers.org/conferences/2013presentations/Tuesday_Nimes_Aqueduct_GMihalevich.pdf |title=Archived copy |access-date=19 March 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140326105238/http://conservationengineers.org/conferences/2013presentations/Tuesday_Nimes_Aqueduct_GMihalevich.pdf |archive-date=26 March 2014 |url-status=dead}}</ref><ref name="MobileReference2007">{{cite book |author=MobileReference |title=Travel Barcelona, Spain for Smartphones and Mobile Devices – City Guide, Phrasebook, and Maps |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=KH3MnM_v0_gC&pg=PT428 |date=1 January 2007 |publisher=MobileReference |isbn=978-1-60501-059-5 |page=428}}{{Dead link|date=March 2023 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref> Several famous monuments are in Nîmes, such as the [[Arena of Nîmes]] and the [[Maison Carrée]]. Because of this, Nîmes is often referred to as the "French [[Rome]]".

==Origins==

Nimes is situated where the alluvial plain of the Vistrenque River abuts the hills of Mont Duplan to the northeast, Montaury to the southwest, and to the west Mt. Cavalier and the knoll of Canteduc.

Its name appears in inscriptions in [[Gaulish]] as ''dede matrebo Namausikabo'' ("he has given to the mothers of Nîmes") and "''toutios Namausatis''" ("citizen of Nîmes").<ref>{{cite book |last=Woodard |first=Roger D. |title=The Ancient Languages of Europe |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=aPEENAEp938C&pg=PA183 |year=2008 |publisher=Cambridge University Press |isbn=978-1-139-46932-6 |page=183 |access-date=28 May 2020 |archive-date=16 September 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230916120525/https://books.google.com/books?id=aPEENAEp938C&pg=PA183 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>Dupraz, Emmanuel. "Commémorations cultuelles gallo-grecques chez les Volques Arécomiques". In: ''Etudes Celtiques'', vol. 44, 2018. pp. 36-38. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3406/ecelt.2018.2180 {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230916120534/https://www.persee.fr/doc/ecelt_0373-1928_2018_num_44_1_2180 |date=16 September 2023 }}; www.persee.fr/doc/ecelt_0373-1928_2018_num_44_1_2180</ref>

[[Nemausus]] was the god of the local [[Volcae Arecomici]] tribe.

==History==
{{see also|Timeline of Nîmes}}

===4000–2000 BCE===
The Neolithic site of Serre Paradis reveals the presence of semi-nomadic cultivators in the period 4000 to 3500 BCE on the site of Nîmes.{{citation needed|date=May 2020}}

The [[menhir]] of Courbessac (or La Poudrière) stands in a field, near the aerodrome. This limestone monolith of over two metres in height dates to about 2500 BCE, and is considered the oldest monument of Nîmes.

===1800–600 BCE===
The Bronze Age has left traces of villages that were made out of huts and branches.{{citation needed|date=May 2020}} The population of the site increased during the Bronze Age.

===600–121 BCE===

The hill of Mt. Cavalier was the site of the early [[oppidum]] which gave birth to the city. During the third and 2nd centuries BCE a surrounding wall was built with a dry-stone tower at the summit which was later incorporated into the [[Tour Magne]]. 

[[Strabo]], the Greek geographer, mentioned that this town functioned as the regional capital for the [[Volcae Arecomici]], a [[Celts|Celtic]] people. The city adopted the name of a local water deity, [[Nemausus]]. The town had a healing spring.<ref name=":0">{{Cite book |last=Gates |first=Charles |title=Ancient cities: the archaeology of urban life in the ancient Near East and Egypt, Greece and Rome |date=2011 |publisher=Routledge |isbn=978-0-203-83057-4 |edition=2nd |location=London |pages=408}}</ref>

The Warrior of Grezan is considered to be the most ancient indigenous sculpture in southern Gaul.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Armit |first=Ian |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=yibDmGZOeR4C&dq=The+Warrior+of+Grezan&pg=PA79 |title=Headhunting and the Body in Iron Age Europe |date=2012-03-19 |publisher=Cambridge University Press |isbn=978-0-521-87756-5 |language=en |access-date=28 July 2022 |archive-date=16 September 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230916120525/https://books.google.com/books?id=yibDmGZOeR4C&dq=The+Warrior+of+Grezan&pg=PA79 |url-status=live }}</ref>

In 123 BCE the Roman general [[Quintus Fabius Maximus Allobrogicus|Quintus Fabius Maximus]] campaigned against Gallic tribes in the area and defeated the [[Allobroges]] and the [[Arverni]], while the Volcae offered no resistance. The Roman province [[Gallia Transalpina]] was established in 121 BCE<ref>Maddison, Angus (2007), Contours of the World Economy 1–2030 AD: Essays in Macro-Economic History, Oxford: Oxford University Press, p. 41, {{ISBN|9780191647581}}</ref> and from 118 BCE the [[Via Domitia]] was built through the later site of the city.

===Roman period===
{{See also|Maison Carrée|Nimes Aqueduct|Arena of Nîmes|Temple of Diana (Nîmes)}}<gallery mode="nolines" heights="60" style="text-align: center">
File:Arena de Nimes.jpg|Amphitheatre used today for concerts and bullfights
File:2015-Arena-of-Nîmes-Interior.JPG|Amphiteatre Interior
File:Nîmes-Temple de Diane-2.jpg|Temple of Diana
File:Maison Carree in Nimes (16).jpg|Roman temple, the "Maison Carrée"
File:Nimes, Roman wall foundations.jpg|Roman wall foundations
File:Nîmes La porte Auguste.png|The Augustan Gate
</gallery>The city arose on the important [[Via Domitia]] which connected Italy with [[Hispania]].

Nîmes became a Roman colony as ''Colonia Nemausus'' sometime before 28 BCE, as witnessed by the earliest coins, which bear the abbreviation <small>NEM. COL</small>, "Colony of Nemausus".<ref>Colin M. Kraay, "The Chronology of the coinage of Colonia Nemausus", ''Numismatic Chronicle'' '''15''' (1955), pp. 75–87.</ref> Veterans of Julius Caesar's legions in his Nile campaigns were given plots of land to cultivate on the plain of Nîmes.<ref>Alain Veyrac, "Le symbolisme de l'as de Nîmes au crocodile" ''Archéologie et histoire romaine'' vol. 1 (1998) ([http://www.persee.fr/web/revues/home/prescript/article/dha_0755-7256_2000_num_26_2_2560 on-line text] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100405014021/http://www.persee.fr/web/revues/home/prescript/article/dha_0755-7256_2000_num_26_2_2560 |date=5 April 2010 }}).</ref>

[[Augustus]] started a major building program in the city, as elsewhere in the empire. He also gave the town a ring of ramparts 6&nbsp;km ({{convert|6|km|abbr=off|disp=output only}}) long, reinforced by 14 towers; two gates remain today: the Porte d'Auguste and the Porte de France. Internally, the city was organized around the [[cardo]] and [[decumanus]], intersecting at the forum. The [[Maison carrée|Maison Carrée]], an exceptionally well-preserved temple dating from the late 1st century BCE, stands as one of the finest surviving examples of [[Roman temple|Roman temple architecture]]. Dedicated to [[Roma (personification)|Roma]] and Augustus, it bears striking resemblance to Rome's [[Temple of Portunus]], blending [[Etruscan architecture|Etruscan]] and [[Ancient Greek architecture|Greek]] design influences.<ref name=":0" />

The great [[Nimes Aqueduct]], many of whose remains can be seen today outside of the city, was built to bring water from the hills to the north. Where it crossed the river [[Gardon|Gard]] between [[Uzès]] and [[Remoulins]], the spectacular [[Pont du Gard]] was built. This is {{cvt|20|km|0}} north east of the city.

The museum contains many fine objects including mosaic floors, frescoes and sculpture from rich houses and buildings found in excavations in and near the city. It is known that the town had a civil basilica, a curia, a gymnasium and perhaps a circus. The [[Arena of Nîmes|amphitheatre]] is very well preserved, dates from the end of the 2nd century and was one of the largest amphitheatres in the Empire. The so-called [[Temple of Diana (Nîmes)|Temple of Diana]] dating from Augustus and rebuilt in the 2nd century was not a temple but was centred on a [[nymphaeum]] located within the [[Sanctuaire de la Fontaine|Fontaine Sanctuary]] dedicated to Augustus and may have been a library.

The city was the birthplace of the family of emperor [[Antoninus Pius]] (138-161).

Emperor [[Constantine the Great|Constantine]] (306-337) endowed the city with baths.

It became the seat of the Diocesan Vicar,{{citation needed|date=May 2020}} the chief administrative officer of southern Gaul.

The town was prosperous until the end of the 3rd century when successive barbarian invasions slowed its development. During the 4th and 5th centuries, the nearby town of [[Arles]] enjoyed more prosperity. In the early 5th century the Praetorian Prefecture was moved from [[Trier]] in northeast Gaul to Arles.{{citation needed|date=May 2020}}

The [[Visigoths]] captured the city in 472.

<gallery mode="packed" heights="105" caption="Finds from Roman Nimes in the Musée de la Romanité">
File:Mosaic Nimes 1.jpg|Mosaic of Europa and Zeus
File:Mosaic Nimes 2.jpg|Mosaic of still life
File:Mosaic Pentheus Nimes.jpg|Pentheus mosaic
File:Fresco Nimes 2.jpg|Fresco of war galleys
</gallery>

====4th–13th centuries====

{{multiple image
 | image1 = Augustus colonia nemausus dupondius type 4 obverse.jpg
 | image2 = Augustus colonia nemausus dupondius type 4 reverse.jpg
 | footer = Nîmes, [[dupondius]] of [[Augustus]], 10 – 14 a. D., Commemorating the conquest of [[Egypt]] in 30 BC.
Obverse: Back to back head of Agrippa left wearing rostral crown, and laureate head of Augustus right; on either side, inscription. Above and below, inscription. Border of dots. Lettering: "IMP P P DIVI F" ("IMPerator DIVI Filius Pater Patriæ", Emperor, Son of the Divine Father of the Nation).
Reverse: [[Crocodile]] to right, chained by neck to a [[palm-tree]] with tip bending left, two short palms on either side of trunk; on right, inscription; on left, inscription surmounted by a crown with two long tails to right. Border of dots. Lettering: "COL NEM" ("Colonia Nemausus", Colony of Nemausus)
}}

When the Visigoths were accepted into the Roman Empire, Nîmes was included in their territory in 472, even after the Frankish victory at the [[Battle of Vouillé]] (507). The urban landscape went through transformation with the Goths, but much of the heritage of the Roman era remained largely intact.{{Citation needed|date=October 2022}}

By 725, the Muslim [[Umayyad Caliphate|Umayyads]] had conquered the whole Visigothic territory of [[Septimania]] including Nîmes. In 736–737, [[Charles Martel]] and his brother led an expedition to Septimania and Provence, and largely destroyed the city (in the hands of Umayyads allied with the local Gallo-Roman and Gothic nobility), including the amphitheatre, thereafter heading back north. The Muslim government came to an end in 752, when [[Pepin the Short]] captured the city. In 754, an uprising took place against the Carolingian king, but was put down, and count Radulf, a Frank, appointed as master of the city. After the events connected with the war, Nîmes was now only a shadow of the opulent [[Ancient Rome|Roman]] city it had once been. The local authorities installed themselves in the remains of [[Arena of Nîmes|the amphitheatre]]. 
Islamic burials have been found in Nîmes.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Netburn |first1=Deborah |title=Earliest Known Medieval Muslim Graves are Discovered in France |url=http://www.latimes.com/science/sciencenow/la-sci-sn-muslim-graves-france-20160222-story.html |work=Los Angeles Times |date=24 February 2016 |access-date=3 December 2020 |archive-date=25 February 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180225153655/http://www.latimes.com/science/sciencenow/la-sci-sn-muslim-graves-france-20160222-story.html |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last1=Newitz |first1=Annalee |title=Medieval Muslim Graves in France Reveal a Previously Unseen History |url=https://arstechnica.com/science/2016/02/medieval-muslim-graves-in-france-reveal-a-previously-unseen-history/ |website=Ars Technica |date=24 February 2016 |access-date=3 December 2020 |archive-date=1 December 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201201112701/https://arstechnica.com/science/2016/02/medieval-muslim-graves-in-france-reveal-a-previously-unseen-history/ |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=France's Earliest 'Muslim Burials' Found |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-35660488 |work=BBC News |date=25 February 2016 |access-date=3 December 2020 |archive-date=7 July 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170707025628/http://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-35660488 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite journal |author1=Gleize, Yves |author2=Mendisco, Fanny |author3=Pemonge, Marie-Hélène |author4=Hubert, Christophe |author5=Groppi, Alexis |author6=Houix, Bertrand |author7=Deguilloux, Marie-France |author8=Breuil, Jean-Yves |title=Early Medieval Muslim Graves in France: First Archaeological, Anthropological and Palaeogenomic Evidence |journal=PLOS ONE |volume=11 |issue=2 |pages=e0148583 |date=24 February 2016 |doi=10.1371/journal.pone.0148583 |pmid=26910855 |pmc=4765927 |bibcode=2016PLoSO..1148583G |doi-access=free}}</ref>

[[Charlemegne|Carolingian]] rule brought relative peace, but feudal times in the 12th century brought local troubles, which lasted until the days of [[Louis IX of France|St. Louis]]. During that period Nîmes was jointly administered by a bishop, as well as by a civil authority headquartered in the old amphitheater, where lived the Magistrate/ Viguier, as well as the Viguier's retainers, the Knights of the Arena. Meanwhile the city was represented by four Consuls, whose offices were located in the old Maison Carrée.

Despite incessant feudal squabbling, Nîmes saw some progress both in commerce and industry as well as in stock-breeding and associated activities.  After the last effort by [[Raymond VII of Toulouse]], St. Louis managed to establish royal power in the region which became [[Languedoc]]. Nîmes thus finally came into the hands of the King of France.

===Period of invasions===

During the 14th and 15th centuries the Rhone Valley underwent an uninterrupted series of invasions which ruined the economy and caused famine.{{citation needed|date=October 2022}} Customs were forgotten, religious troubles developed (''see [[French Wars of Religion]]'') and epidemics, all of which affected the city. Nîmes, which was one of the Protestant strongholds, felt the full force of repression and fratricidal confrontations (including the ''[[Michelade]]'' massacre) which continued until the middle of the 17th century, adding to the misery of periodic outbreaks of plague.{{citation needed|date=October 2022}}

===17th century to the French Revolution===
[[File:Les Quais de la Fontaine.jpg|thumb|left|Les Quais de la Fontaine, the embankments of the spring that provided water for the city, the first civic gardens of France, were laid out in 1738–1755.]]

In the middle of the 17th century Nîmes experienced a period of prosperity. Population growth caused the town to expand, and slum housing to be replaced. To this period also belong the reconstruction of Notre-Dame-Saint-Castor, the Bishop's palace and numerous mansions (hôtels). This renaissance strengthened the manufacturing and industrial potential of the city, the population rising from 21,000 to 50,000 inhabitants.

In this same period the Fountain gardens, the ''Quais de la Fontaine'', were laid out, the areas surrounding the Maison Carrée and [[Arena of Nîmes|the Amphitheatre]] were cleared of encroachments, whilst the entire population benefited from the atmosphere of prosperity.

===From the French Revolution to the present===
Following a European economic crisis that hit Nîmes with full force, the [[French Revolution|Revolutionary period]] awoke the slumbering demons of political and religious antagonism. The [[Second White Terror|White Terror]] added to natural calamities and economic recession, produced murder, pillage and arson until 1815. Order was however restored in the course of the century, and Nîmes became the metropolis of Bas-Languedoc, diversifying its industry into new kinds of activity. At the same time the surrounding countryside adapted to market needs and shared in the general increase of wealth.

During the Second World War, the Maquis resistance fighters Jean Robert and Vinicio Faïta were executed at Nîmes on 22 April 1943.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.midi-france.info/1016_ww2.htm|title=The History of the Languedoc: The Second World War (World War II)|website=www.midi-france.info}}</ref> The Nîmes marshalling yards were bombed by American bombers in 1944.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.zplace2b.com/464th/sortie.htm|title=The 464th BG Mission List|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090324043355/http://www.zplace2b.com/464th/sortie.htm|archive-date=24 March 2009}}</ref>

The [[2nd Foreign Infantry Regiment (France)|2e Régiment Étranger d'Infanterie (2ºREI)]], the main motorised infantry regiment of the Foreign Legion, has been garrisoned in Nîmes since November 1983.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://2rei.legion-etrangere.com/mdl/info_seul.php?id=143&idA=28&block=15&idA_SM=0&titre=historique-du-2e-rei |title=Official Website of the 2nd Foreign Infantry Regiment, Historique du 2 REI, La Creation (Creation) |access-date=17 May 2018 |archive-date=30 June 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150630212436/http://2rei.legion-etrangere.com/mdl/info_seul.php?id=143&idA=28&block=15&idA_SM=0&titre=historique-du-2e-rei |url-status=dead}}</ref>

=== Archaeology ===
In April 2024, a collection of glassware dating back to the [[Roman Empire|Roman period]] was discovered in Nîmes. The collection includes [[Strigil|strigils]], ornate [[Roman glass|glass vases]], ceramics, a glass paste cup, lamps, and fragments of funerary monuments and [[Amphora|amphorae]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=Milligan |first=Mark |date=2024-04-11 |title=Archaeologists uncover exquisite Roman glassware in Nîmes |url=https://www.heritagedaily.com/2024/04/archaeologists-uncover-exquisite-roman-glassware-in-nimes/151466 |access-date=2024-04-20 |website=HeritageDaily - Archaeology News |language=en-US}}</ref>

== Geography ==

=== Climate ===
Nîmes is one of the warmest cities in France. The city has a [[humid subtropical climate]] ([[Köppen climate classification|Köppen]]: ''Cfa''), with summers being too wet for it to be classified as a [[hot-summer Mediterranean climate]] ([[Köppen climate classification|Köppen]]: ''Csa''). Its slightly inland, southerly location results in hot air over the city during summer months: temperatures above 34&nbsp;°C are common in July and August, whereas winters are cool but not cold. Nighttime low temperatures below 0&nbsp;°C are common from December to February, while snowfall occurs every year.
 
{{Clear}}
<br>
{{Weather box
|width = auto
|location = Nîmes <small>([[Météo-France|Météo France Office]] Nîmes-Courbessac , altitude 59m, 1991–2020 normals, extremes 1922–present)</small>
|metric first = Y
|single line = Y
|Jan record high C = 21.5
|Feb record high C = 25.1
|Mar record high C = 27.3
|Apr record high C = 30.7
|May record high C = 34.7
|Jun record high C = 44.4
|Jul record high C = 40.3
|Aug record high C = 41.6
|Sep record high C = 36.8
|Oct record high C = 31.9
|Nov record high C = 26.1
|Dec record high C = 20.9
|year record high C = 44.4
|Jan avg record high C = 17.9
|Feb avg record high C = 19.2
|Mar avg record high C = 23.4
|Apr avg record high C = 26.3
|May avg record high C = 30.2
|Jun avg record high C = 34.8
|Jul avg record high C = 36.4
|Aug avg record high C = 36.8
|Sep avg record high C = 32.0
|Oct avg record high C = 26.7
|Nov avg record high C = 21.2
|Dec avg record high C = 17.7
|year avg record high C = 37.8
|Jan high C = 11.4
|Feb high C = 12.9
|Mar high C = 16.7
|Apr high C = 19.5
|May high C = 23.6
|Jun high C = 28.3
|Jul high C = 31.5
|Aug high C = 31.2
|Sep high C = 26.1
|Oct high C = 20.9
|Nov high C = 15.2
|Dec high C = 11.8
|year high C = 20.8
|Jan mean C = 7.3
|Feb mean C = 8.1
|Mar mean C = 11.5
|Apr mean C = 14.1
|May mean C = 18.0
|Jun mean C = 22.3
|Jul mean C = 25.2
|Aug mean C = 24.9
|Sep mean C = 20.5
|Oct mean C = 16.3
|Nov mean C = 11.0
|Dec mean C = 7.8
|year mean C = 15.6
|Jan low C = 3.2
|Feb low C = 3.3
|Mar low C = 6.2
|Apr low C = 8.7
|May low C = 12.4
|Jun low C = 16.3
|Jul low C = 18.9
|Aug low C = 18.6
|Sep low C = 14.9
|Oct low C = 11.6
|Nov low C = 6.9
|Dec low C = 3.8
|year low C = 10.4
|Jan avg record low C = -2.7
|Feb avg record low C = -2.2
|Mar avg record low C = -0.1
|Apr avg record low C = 3.1
|May avg record low C = 7.2
|Jun avg record low C = 11.4
|Jul avg record low C = 14.4
|Aug avg record low C = 14.1
|Sep avg record low C = 9.5
|Oct avg record low C = 5.0
|Nov avg record low C = -0.1
|Dec avg record low C = -2.5
|year avg record low C = -4.1
|Jan record low C = -12.2
|Feb record low C = -14.0
|Mar record low C = -6.8
|Apr record low C = -2.0
|May record low C = 1.1
|Jun record low C = 5.4
|Jul record low C = 10.0
|Aug record low C = 9.2
|Sep record low C = 5.4
|Oct record low C = -1.0
|Nov record low C = -4.8
|Dec record low C = -9.7
|year record low C = -14.0
|precipitation colour = green
|Jan precipitation mm = 64.1
|Feb precipitation mm = 40.1
|Mar precipitation mm = 44.7
|Apr precipitation mm = 67.1
|May precipitation mm = 55.1
|Jun precipitation mm = 43.0
|Jul precipitation mm = 30.2
|Aug precipitation mm = 44.4
|Sep precipitation mm = 100.3
|Oct precipitation mm = 95.0
|Nov precipitation mm = 97.1
|Dec precipitation mm = 53.3
|year precipitation mm = 734.4
|unit precipitation days = 1.0 mm
|Jan precipitation days = 5.8
|Feb precipitation days = 4.9
|Mar precipitation days = 5.0
|Apr precipitation days = 6.8
|May precipitation days = 6.0
|Jun precipitation days = 4.4
|Jul precipitation days = 3.0
|Aug precipitation days = 3.6
|Sep precipitation days = 5.2
|Oct precipitation days = 6.4
|Nov precipitation days = 7.9
|Dec precipitation days = 5.7
|year precipitation days = 64.8
|Jan snow days = 0.8
|Feb snow days = 0.6
|Mar snow days = 0.2
|Apr snow days = 0.0
|May snow days = 0.0
|Jun snow days = 0.0
|Jul snow days = 0.0
|Aug snow days = 0.0
|Sep snow days = 0.0
|Oct snow days = 0.0
|Nov snow days = 0.3
|Dec snow days = 0.5
|year snow days = 2.4
|Jan humidity = 71
|Feb humidity = 68
|Mar humidity = 63
|Apr humidity = 63
|May humidity = 64
|Jun humidity = 61
|Jul humidity = 56
|Aug humidity = 60
|Sep humidity = 67
|Oct humidity = 73
|Nov humidity = 72
|Dec humidity = 72
|year humidity = 65.8
| Jan percentsun = 51
| Feb percentsun = 51
| Mar percentsun = 56
| Apr percentsun = 57
| May percentsun = 59
| Jun percentsun = 68
| Jul percentsun = 77
| Aug percentsun = 74
| Sep percentsun = 64
| Oct percentsun = 55
| Nov percentsun = 50
| Dec percentsun = 49
|Jan sun = 141.6
|Feb sun = 165.4
|Mar sun = 219.6
|Apr sun = 229.2
|May sun = 268.5
|Jun sun = 312.7
|Jul sun = 346.0
|Aug sun = 307.4
|Sep sun = 244.7
|Oct sun = 171.1
|Nov sun = 141.5
|Dec sun = 132.2
|year sun = 2679.8
|source 1= Météo France<ref name=Météo>{{cite web |url=https://donneespubliques.meteofrance.fr/FichesClim/FICHECLIM_30189001.pdf |title=Ficheclim - Nîmes-Courbessac 1991-2020 et records |publisher=Meteo France |language=fr |access-date=5 January 2022 |archive-date=30 March 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180330143906/https://donneespubliques.meteofrance.fr/FichesClim/FICHECLIM_30189001.pdf |url-status=live }}</ref>
| source 2= [[National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration|NOAA]] (percent sunshine 1961-1990),<ref name = noaa>{{cite web |url=http://geodata.lib.ncsu.edu/fedgov/noaa/clino/TABLES/REG_VI/FR/07645.TXT |title=Nîmes (07645) – WMO Weather Station |access-date=22 July 2019 |publisher=[[National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration|NOAA]] |archive-date=22 July 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190722145825/http://geodata.lib.ncsu.edu/fedgov/noaa/clino/TABLES/REG_VI/FR/07645.TXT |url-status=live }}</ref> Infoclimat.fr (humidity 1961-1990)<ref name=Infoclimat>{{cite web |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160303214445/http://www.infoclimat.fr/climatologie-07645-nimes-courbessac.html |archive-date=3 March 2016 |url=http://www.infoclimat.fr/climatologie-07645-nimes-courbessac.html |title=Normes et records 1961–1990: Nimes-Courbessac (30) – altitude 59m |language=fr |publisher=Infoclimat |access-date=7 January 2016}}</ref>
}}
{{Weather box
| width      = auto <!-- 77% if there is a template or image next to it -->
| collapsed  = y <!-- y, if you have normal updates -->
| open       = 
| metric first = y <!-- always, except UK or US cities -->
| single line  = y
| location   = Nîmes <small>([[Nîmes–Alès–Camargue–Cévennes Airport|Garons]], altitude 59m, 1991–2020 normals, extremes 1964–present)</small>
<!--in the order as it appears in the table, not all of the following data may be available, especially records and days of precipitation -->
| Jan record high C =20.5
| Feb record high C =23.8
| Mar record high C =26.9
| Apr record high C =29.6
| May record high C =35.1
| Jun record high C =44.1
| Jul record high C =40.1
| Aug record high C =39.9
| Sep record high C =35.3
| Oct record high C =31.3
| Nov record high C =26.3
| Dec record high C =20.3
| Jan high C  =10.9
| Feb high C  =12.3
| Mar high C  =16.2
| Apr high C  =18.9
| May high C  =23.0
| Jun high C  =27.7
| Jul high C  =30.7
| Aug high C  =30.3
| Sep high C  =25.5
| Oct high C  =20.3
| Nov high C  =14.7
| Dec high C  =11.3
| year high C  =20.1
| Jan mean C  =7.1
| Feb mean C  =7.9
| Mar mean C  =11.3
| Apr mean C  =13.8
| May mean C  =17.7
| Jun mean C  =22.0
| Jul mean C  =24.7
| Aug mean C  =24.5
| Sep mean C  =20.2
| Oct mean C  =16.0
| Nov mean C  =10.9
| Dec mean C  =7.7
| year mean C =15.3
| Jan low C  =3.4
| Feb low C  =3.5
| Mar low C  =6.3
| Apr low C  =8.8
| May low C  =12.5
| Jun low C  =16.3
| Jul low C  =18.8
| Aug low C  =18.6
| Sep low C  =15.0
| Oct low C  =11.7
| Nov low C  =7.1
| Dec low C  =4.0
| year low C =10.5
| Jan record low C  =-10.9
| Feb record low C  =-8.4
| Mar record low C  =-7.0
| Apr record low C  =-0.7
| May record low C  =3.3
| Jun record low C  =6.6
| Jul record low C  =10.8
| Aug record low C  =10.3
| Sep record low C  =6.1
| Oct record low C  =1.9
| Nov record low C  =-3.8
| Dec record low C  =-7.3 
| precipitation colour  = green
| Jan precipitation mm  =58.3
| Feb precipitation mm  =36.8
| Mar precipitation mm  =44.7
| Apr precipitation mm  =64.5
| May precipitation mm  =48.3
| Jun precipitation mm  =35.4
| Jul precipitation mm  =23.7
| Aug precipitation mm  =34.8
| Sep precipitation mm  =101.9
| Oct precipitation mm  =92.0
| Nov precipitation mm  =93.4
| Dec precipitation mm  =50.8
| year precipitation mm  =684.6
| unit precipitation days = 1.0 mm
| Jan precipitation days  =5.7
| Feb precipitation days  =4.9
| Mar precipitation days  =4.6
| Apr precipitation days  =6.2
| May precipitation days  =5.8
| Jun precipitation days  =3.9
| Jul precipitation days  =2.8
| Aug precipitation days  =3.5
| Sep precipitation days  =5.1
| Oct precipitation days  =6.3
| Nov precipitation days  =7.2
| Dec precipitation days  =5.5
| year precipitation days  =61.3
|source 1 = [[Météo-France]]<ref>{{cite web |url=https://donneespubliques.meteofrance.fr/FichesClim/FICHECLIM_30258001.pdf |title=Fiche Climatologique Statistiques 1991-2020 et records |publisher=[[Météo-France]] |access-date=August 25, 2022 |archive-date=25 August 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220825104821/https://donneespubliques.meteofrance.fr/FichesClim/FICHECLIM_30258001.pdf |url-status=live }}</ref>}}

{{Meteo France
|Town=Nîmes
|Sunshine= 2,664
|Rain=761.3
|Snow=2.4
|Storm=23.6
|Fog=10.6<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.lameteo.org/index.php/12-climatologie/1544-normales-climatiques-1981-2010-nimes |title=Normales climatiques 1981-2010 : Nîmes |website=www.lameteo.org |access-date=25 August 2022 |archive-date=25 August 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220825104823/https://www.lameteo.org/index.php/12-climatologie/1544-normales-climatiques-1981-2010-nimes |url-status=live }}</ref>
}}

==Sights==
[[File:Nimes-TourMagne.JPG|thumb|left|Tour Magne.]]
[[File:NimesJardins.jpg|thumb|left|The ''Jardins de la Fontaine''.]]
[[File:Nîmes-Hôtel de Ville-PA00103101.jpg|thumb|left|The ''[[Hôtel de Ville, Nîmes|Hôtel de Ville]]'']]
Several important remains of the [[Roman Empire]] can still be seen in and around Nîmes:

*The elliptical [[Arena of Nîmes|Roman amphitheatre]], of the 1st or 2nd century AD, is the best-preserved Roman arena in France. It was filled with medieval housing, when its walls served as [[Defensive wall|rampart]]s, but they were cleared under [[Napoleon I of France|Napoleon]]. It is still used as a [[bull fighting]] and concert arena.
*The [[Maison Carrée]] (''Square House''), a small [[Roman temple]] dedicated to sons of [[Marcus Vipsanius Agrippa|Agrippa]] was built c. 19 BCE. It is one of the best-preserved Roman temples anywhere. Visitors can watch a short film about the history of Nîmes inside.
*The 18th-century ''Jardins de la Fontaine'' (Gardens of the Fountain) built around the Roman [[thermae]] ruins.
*The nearby [[Pont du Gard]], also built by Agrippa, is a well-preserved [[aqueduct (bridge)|aqueduct]] that used to carry water across the small [[Gardon]] river valley.
*The nearby Mont Cavalier is crowned by the ''Tour Magne'' ("Great Tower"), a ruined Roman tower.<ref>Giving rise to the example of ''[[rime richissime]]'' ''Gall, amant de la Reine, alla (tour magnanime)/ Gallament de l'Arène a la Tour Magne, à Nîmes'', or "Gall, lover of the Queen, passed (magnanimous gesture), gallantly from the Arena to the Tour Magne at Nîmes".</ref>
*The castellum divisorium, a rare vestige of a Roman water inlet system.
*The [[Hôtel de Ville, Nîmes|Hôtel de Ville]] was completed in 1703.<ref>{{Base Mérimée|PA00103101}}</ref>

Later monuments include:
*[[Nîmes Cathedral|The cathedral]] (dedicated to [[Saint Castor of Apt]], a native of the city), occupying, it is believed, the site of the temple of Augustus, is partly [[Romanesque architecture|Romanesque]] and partly [[Gothic architecture|Gothic]] in style.
*The [[Musée des Beaux-Arts de Nîmes]]
*The [[Musée de la Romanité]], a museum dedicated to Roman history, located outside the amphitheatre

Pieces of modern architecture can also be found : [[Norman Foster, Baron Foster of Thames Bank|Norman Foster]] conceived the ''Carré d'art'' (1986), a museum of modern art and ''mediatheque'', and [[Jean Nouvel]] designed the Nemausus, a [[post-modern]] residential ensemble.

== Economy ==
Nîmes is historically known for its textiles.{{citation needed|date=October 2022}} [[Denim]], the fabric of blue jeans, derives its name from this city (''[[Serge (fabric)|Serge]] de Nîmes''). The blue dye was imported via [[Genoa]] from [[Lahore]], the capital of the [[Great Mughal]].

==Population==

The population of Nîmes in Roman times (50 AD) was estimated at 50–60,000, and it only reached that number again in the mid-19th century. The population of Nîmes increased from 128,471 in 1990 to 146,709 in 2012, yet the biggest growth the city ever experienced happened in 1968, with a growth of +23.5% compared to 1962.

{{Historical populations
| align = none
| cols = 2
| percentages = pagr
| source = EHESS<ref name=ehess>{{Cassini-Ehess|25041|Nîmes }}</ref> and INSEE (1968-2017)<ref name=pophist>[https://www.insee.fr/fr/statistiques/4515315?geo=COM-30189#ancre-POP_T1 Population en historique depuis 1968] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220719145558/https://www.insee.fr/fr/statistiques/4515315?geo=COM-30189#ancre-POP_T1 |date=19 July 2022 }}, INSEE</ref>
| graph-pos = bottom
|1793 |40000
|1800 |39594
|1806 |41195
|1821 |37908
|1831 |41266
|1836 |43036
|1841 |44697
|1846 |53497
|1851 |53619
|1856 |54293
|1861 |57129
|1866 |60151
|1872 |62394
|1876 |63001
|1881 |63552
|1886 |69898
|1891 |71623
|1896 |74601
|1901 |80605
|1906 |80184
|1911 |80437
|1921 |82774
|1926 |84667
|1931 |89213
|1936 |93758
|1946 |91667
|1954 |89130
|1962 |99802
|1968 |123292
|1975 |127933
|1982 |124220
|1990 |128471
|1999 |133424
|2007 |143468
|2012 |146709
|2017 |150610
}}

==Culture==
{{section refimprove|date=April 2023}}
From 1810 to 1822, [[Joseph Gergonne]] published in Nîmes a [[scientific journal]] specializing in [[mathematics]] called ''[[Annales de Gergonne]]''.

The [[asteroid]] [[51 Nemausa]] was named after Nîmes, where it was discovered in 1858.

Twice each year, Nîmes hosts one of the main French [[bullfighting]] events, [[Feria de Nîmes]] (festival), and several hundreds of thousands gather in the streets.

In 2005 [[Rammstein]] filmed their #1 live Album ''[[Völkerball]]'' in Nîmes.

[[Metallica]]'s live DVD ''[[Français Pour une Nuit]]'' (English: French for One Night) was recorded in Nîmes, France, in the [[Arena of Nîmes]] on 7 July 2009, during the World Magnetic Tour.

==Transportation==
[[Nîmes-Alès-Camargue-Cévennes Airport]] serves the city, although its proximity with the much bigger [[Montpellier–Méditerranée Airport|Montpellier Airport]] has worked against its frequentation over the years. It is currently only served by Ryanair with an average of 3 flights per day, to destinations such as [[London]], [[Fez, Morocco|Fez]], [[Dublin]] or [[Marrakesh|Marrakech]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=Innovante |first=Otidea : Agence de Communication |title=Vols & Destinations - Aéroport de Nîmes Alès Camargue Cévennes {{!}} Edeis |url=https://www.nimes.aeroport.fr/destinations-fr |access-date=2022-02-25 |website=www.nimes.aeroport.fr |language=fr |archive-date=17 December 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191217231157/https://www.nimes.aeroport.fr/destinations-fr |url-status=live }}</ref>

The motorway [[A9 autoroute|A9]] connects Nîmes with Orange, Montpellier, Narbonne, and Perpignan, the [[A54 autoroute|A54]] with Arles and Salon-de-Provence.

[[Nîmes station]] is the central railway station, offering connections to Paris (high-speed rail), Marseille, Montpellier, Narbonne, Toulouse, Perpignan, [[Figueres]] and [[Barcelona]] in Spain and several regional destinations. There is another station in the Saint-Césaire quarter, [[Saint-Césaire station]], with connections to Le Grau-du-Roi, Montpellier and Avignon.

The new [[contournement Nîmes – Montpellier]] high-speed rail line opened to passenger service on 15 December 2019 together with a new TGV station at [[Nîmes-Pont-du-Gard station]], located 12&nbsp;km outside the city. The station is also located on the existing route between Nìmes and Avignon, thus providing connections between the new line and local rail service.

Nîmes bus station is adjacent to the city centre railway station. Buses connect the city with nearby towns and villages not served by rail.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Accueil - Calculateur d'itinéraire du réseau liO en Occitanie |url=https://www.mestrajets.lio.laregion.fr/ |access-date=2022-02-25 |language=en |archive-date=25 February 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220225165829/https://www.mestrajets.lio.laregion.fr/ |url-status=live }}</ref>

==Sport==
The [[association football]] club [[Nîmes Olympique]], currently playing in Championnat National, is based in Nîmes.

World Archery Indoor World Cup takes place in Nîmes each year in mid January.

The local rugby union team is [[RC Nîmes]].

The Olympic swimming champion [[Yannick Agnel]] was born in Nîmes.

The city hosted the opening stages of the [[2017 Vuelta a España]] cycling race, and is often featured as a stage of the [[Tour de France]].

==Mayors==
*Émile Jourdan, [[Parti Communiste Français|PCF]] (1965–1983)
*Jean Bousquet, [[Union pour la Démocratie Française|UDF]] (1983–1995)
*Alain Clary, PCF (1995–2001)
*[[Jean-Paul Fournier]], [[The Republicans (France)|LR]] (since 2001)

==Notable people==
<!---♦♦♦ Only add a person to this list if they already have their own article on the English Wikipedia ♦♦♦---> 
<!---♦♦♦ Please keep the list in alphabetical order by LAST NAME ♦♦♦---> 
*[[Emmanuel Boileau de Castelnau]] (1857–1923), French alpinist
*[[Jean-César Vincens-Plauchut]] (1755–1801), French politician

==Twin towns – sister cities==
{{See also|List of twin towns and sister cities in France}}

Nîmes is [[Twin towns and sister cities|twinned]] with:<ref>{{cite web |title=Jumelages |url=http://www.nimes.fr/index.php?id=327 |website=nimes.fr |publisher=Nîmes |language=fr |access-date=2019-11-15 |archive-date=7 April 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190407175043/http://www.nimes.fr/index.php?id=327 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Official Nîmes Signing |url=https://www.fwsistercities.org/event/official-nimes-signing/ |website=fwsistercities.org |publisher=Fort Worth |access-date=2019-11-15 |archive-date=15 November 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191115080635/https://www.fwsistercities.org/event/official-nimes-signing/ |url-status=live }}</ref>
{{div col|colwidth=18em}}
*{{flagicon|GBR}} [[Preston, Lancashire|Preston]], United Kingdom, since 1955
*{{flagicon|ITA}} [[Verona]], Italy, since 1960
*{{flagicon|GER}} [[Braunschweig]], Germany, since 1962
*{{flagicon|CZE}} [[Prague 1]], Czech Republic, since 1967
*{{flagicon|GER}} [[Frankfurt (Oder)]], Germany, since 1976
*{{flagicon|ESP}} [[Córdoba, Spain|Córdoba]], Spain
*{{flagicon|ISR}} [[Rishon LeZion]], Israel, since 1986
*{{flagicon|MAR}} [[Meknes]], Morocco, since 2005
*{{flagicon|USA}} [[Fort Worth]], United States, since 2019
{{div col end}}

==See also==
*[[Costières de Nîmes AOC]]
*[[Communes of the Gard department]]
*[[Councils of Nîmes]]
*[[Feria de Nîmes]]

==References==
{{reflist}}

==Further reading==
{{See also|Timeline of Nîmes#Bibliography|l1=Bibliography of the history of Nîmes}}
*{{Citation |publisher=J. Murray |location=London |title=A Handbook for Travellers in France |year=1861 |edition=8th |chapter-url=https://archive.org/stream/handbookfortrave1861john#page/461/mode/2up |chapter=Nismes |ol=24627024M}}
*{{Cite EB1911|wstitle= Nîmes |volume= 19 | pages = 701&ndash;702 |short=1}}
*{{Citation |publisher=Baedeker |location=Leipzig |title=Southern France, including Corsica |year=1914 |edition=6th |chapter-url=https://archive.org/stream/southernfrancein00karl#page/n675/mode/2up |chapter=Nimes |ol=24364670M}}

==External links==
*[http://www.nimes.fr/ City council website]
*[http://www.nimes-romaine.com/en/nimes/33-/ The official Web site of Roman Nîmes] {{Webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080517101542/http://www.nimes-romaine.com/en/nimes/33-/ |date=17 May 2008 }}

{{Sister bar|auto=y}}
{{Cities in France}}
{{Gard communes}}
{{Préfectures of départements of France}}{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Nimes}}
[[Category:Nîmes| ]]
[[Category:Communes of Gard]]
[[Category:Cities in Occitania (administrative region)]]
[[Category:Prefectures in France]]
[[Category:Archaeological sites in France]]
[[Category:Roman sites in France]]
[[Category:Languedoc]]
[[Category:Gard communes articles needing translation from French Wikipedia]]
[[Category:Cities in France]]