Les Jardins de la Fontaine
Gardens of the Sacred Spring
Sacred Roman Spring
The Les Jardins de la Fontaine was constructed around a sacred spring known to the Gauls. The Romans named it Nemausus for the God of Rivers.
During the Roman period this was a sacred area complete with a temple and baths. The so-called Temple of Diana at the edge of the modern Garden was probably not a temple but is nevertheless well worth seeing.
Much later during the 18th century Jacques-Philippe Mareschal, Louis XV‘s military engineer, designed the Gardens we see today which include balustraded walks, pools and a canal. Above the pools the path leads to the imposing Tour Magne located on the top of Mont Cavalier.
The Gardens are a very pleasant place to spend an afternoon well away from the bustle of the city. As it happens, they are in fact only a short walk (about 500m/550yds) from the centre.