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France > Languedoc > Eastern > Nîmes > Information

Tour Magnes

The Camargueairport, which Nîmes and Arles share, lies 20km southeast of the city. A shuttle service links it to the town centre (€4.30 one way) as do taxis (around €20). The gare SNCF is ten minutes' walk southeast of the city centre at the end of avenue Feuchères, which leads down from Esplanade Charles-de-Gaulle, with the gare routière (04.66.29.52.00) just behind in rue Ste-Félicité (access through the train station). The main tourist office is at 6 rue Auguste, by the Maison Carrée (July & Aug Mon–Wed & Fri 8am–8pm, Thurs 8am–9pm, Sat 9am–7pm, Sun 10am–6pm; Sept–June Mon–Fri 8.30am–7pm, Sat 9am–7pm, Sun 10am–6pm; tel 04.66.67.29.11, www.ot-nimes.fr).

There are several decent hotels: clean and economical Cat Hôtel, at 22 bd Amiral-Courbet (tel 04.66.67.22.85, fax 04.66.21.57.51; under €30), is a travellers' favourite, while De Provence, at 5/7 square de la Couronne (tel 04.66.76.04.92, fax 04.66.36.77.99; €40–55), has excellent amenities, such as cable TV, for its price. The old-fashioned but rather delightful Hôtel Lisita, at 2bis bd des Arènes (tel 04.66.67.66.20, fax 04.66.76.22.30; €30–40), is popular with visiting bullfighters, and another attractive alternative is the Central, at 2 place du Château, close to the Protestant church (tel 04.66.67.27.75, fax 04.66.21.77.79; €30–40). Slightly more upmarket is the atmospheric Royal, near the Maison Carrée at 3 bd Alphonse-Daudet (tel 04.66.67.28.36, fax 04.66.21.68.97; €40–55), while the Imperator Concorde, on quai de la Fontaine (tel 04.66.21.90.30, [email protected]; €85–100), is the top of the pile – and an old favourite of Hemingway's.

There's an attractive HI hostel with tent space on chemin de la Cigale, 2km northwest of the centre (tel 04.66.23.25.04, fax 04.66.23.84.27); take bus #2 direction "Alès/Villeverte" from the gare SNCF to stop "Stade" – the last bus goes at 8pm. The municipal campsite (tel 04.66.38.09.21) is on rte de Générac, 5km south of the city centre, beyond the modern Stade Costières and the autoroute.