Latin Trip to the South of France
40 Y8-9 Latin students enjoyed a grand tour to the South of France, visiting the Roman sites of Lugdunum (Lyon), Arelate (Arles), Nemausus (Nîmes) and Arausio (Orange), all dotted with various UNESCO World Heritage sites, including the theatre and triumphal arch at Orange, Nîmes and Arles amphitheatres and the stunning Pont du Gard aqueduct.
Provence was the first part of French Gaul to be brought under Roman rule (the region’s name derives from the Latin ‘Provincia’ = ‘Province’). Students explored the tangible ‘Romanitas’ of France, discussing the expansion of the Roman empire under Julius Caesar and Augustus.
We also spent some lovely time on the beach at Massilia (Marseille), enjoyed a VR immersive film based on the theatre at Orange and followed in the footsteps of Van Gogh around Arles, before tucking into lunch at a traditional French bistro. It was a highly civilized excursion, deftly blending classical and contemporary French culture.
Our itinerary was as follows:
DAY 1 – VIENNE
We arrived bright and early at Gatwick for our flight to Lyon. Upon arrival, we made our way to Vienne, our first port of call, a major urban centre of the Roman Empire during the time of Julius Caesar. After enjoying a spot of lunch, we began a walking tour of the Roman Theatre, the Temple of Augustus and Livia and the original Roman fortifications of the city. Billed by The Telegraph as ‘the beautiful French city that no one has heard of’, this was a lovely introduction to the Roman influence on France.
We then had a guided tour of the Musée Gallo-Romain-en-Gal, situated across the River Rhône. This was a delightful museum with all the rooms featured in a traditional Roman villa. The mosaics of the personified Oceanus, Orpheus playing his lyre, and lots of amphorae and dolia (the first and not the last we would see on this trip) prompted excellent discussion.
We then arrived at our hotel, a haven of warm hospitality. Once Mr Morrison had settled into his room there, we took a short stroll to a delightful local restaurant and enjoyed a late evening meal.
DAY 2 – ARLES
Day 2 was situated in Arles, and in walking distance of our hotel were the Arles theatre, amphitheatre and Constantine Baths. These were perfectly pitched for the year groups given we had just studied gladiators and baths in Ancient Rome, and the students asked and answered lots of questions about the sites.
The amphitheatre is a first century, two-tiered arena for gladiator fights, and of particular note was the evidence of staged sea battles, reminding us of ‘Gladiator II’. The theatre is still in use today, and the hierarchy of Roman society became evident, as did the methods through which the Romans sought to ‘Romanise’ conquered territories and make them their own.
After an exploration of the Necropolis of Les Alyscamps and the eerie Cryptoporticus of the city, we enjoyed lunch, before having a tour of the Arles Archaeological Museum. This contained the Arles Rhône 3, an ancient Roman boat discovered in the region and used for trade across the empire, as well as various incredible mosaics and detailed sarcophagi (stone coffins). The statues of Julius Caesar and Augustus led to an interesting discussion about propaganda in the imperial cult. Outside was a replica of a Roman ‘hortus’ (garden) – Caecilius would have approved!
Dinner was a lovely beef bourguignon and dessert, enjoyed alongside an elderly tour group who were highly complimentary of the students’ behaviour, before we returned to the hotel for the evening. We were greeted by the hotel staff who enjoyed hearing of our adventures that day.
DAY 3 – ORANGE
Day 3 began with a visit to the stunning, three-tiered Pont du Gard aqueduct. This was a remarkable, Roman feat of engineering, and provided spectacular views 200 feet above the valley. There was an interesting museum with insightful evidence of how the Romans built the aqueduct, and time for a visit to the gift-shop, where a highly irritating 50 Euro plushy chicken was purchased. Our next stop was a traditional French bistro where we enjoyed a fantastic meal, finished off with brioche French toast. We even managed to wangle free coffees and vegetarian meals for the staff and courier, so were all in good spirits.
We moved on to Orange, home to several UNESCO World Heritage sites, beginning with the Triumphal Arch in honour of the Roman veterans of the Gallic Wars. We also walked along the ‘Via Sacra’, and made pitstops at the statues of Hercules and Venus along the way.
Our next visit was to the Orange Theatre, with its backdrop declared by Louis XIV as ‘the finest wall in my kingdom’. This was a spectacular space, now used for concerts, theatre and opera, and ended with an immersive VR film which transported students to Ancient Gaul.
We departed and enjoyed a relaxing journey home before returning to our hotel, where we had a final reunion with the hotel staff, who enjoyed hearing about our day. We arrived as strangers, but left as friends, and will be back soon. We all settled down for an early night before our final, jam-packed day.
DAY 4 – NÎMES
It was time for Nîmes, one of the most attractive towns in Mediterranean France, often thought of as the most Roman city outside of Italy. We visited the 24,000-seat Roman amphitheatre where locals once enjoyed the carnage of gladiator fights, animal hunts and public executions. The amphitheatre is one of the best-preserved in the world, built at around the same time as the Colosseum in Rome, and is now used for bullfights and concerts.
We also visited the beautiful Maison Carrée, one of the world’s most perfect Roman temples, dedicated to Gaius and Lucius Caesar, the grandsons of the first emperor, Augustus. The semi-engaged Corinthian columns (or ‘feather dusters’ in layman’s terms) and preservation of the temple were astounding, and we had a final group photo before making our way to Marseille airport. Not before stopping at the beach for some ice cream, a game of volleyball and a tête-à-tête with a jellyfish, as well as a chance for the heroic Mr Martin to rescue a student’s flip-flops which had become lost at sea.
Maxi, Year 9, commented, “I really enjoyed this trip. It was filled with interesting monuments and time for us to explore various cities including Arles, Nîmes and a fun beach afternoon in Marseille. My favourite site was visiting the Pont du Gard aqueduct, and I enjoyed learning how the Romans built it.”
Thank you to all students for their excellent behaviour and conduct around France, and to Miss Hopley, Miss Malik and Mr Martin for all their help and assistance on the trip. We shall be back in Arles one day for a reunion, I am sure.
venimus, vidimus, vicimus!
Mr Morrison, Teacher of Classics
