I've just returned from my wonderful adventure, and yes, I've already organized my pictures into a Webpage for those of you who want to learn about the sites and see pictures. (If I don't do it quickly, I'll forget.) A couple of years ago, when I returned from my Roman Britain odyssey, I made a Website called "Roman Britain for Latin Teachers." I've added my France experience as a page on that site. You can access it by going here.
To put things into perspective, I'm doing a countdown of my favorite experiences. Get ready for some surprises!
5. The ROMAN SHIPS of Provence. Considering the close proximity to the Mediterranean, I should have expected to see a lot of ships on this trip, but knowing that wood doesn't normally survive well in the archaeological record, I didn't expect it. And they were SPECTACULAR. The archaeological museum in Arles dedicated a whole wing to the Arles Rhone 3, a Roman barge excavated nearby. I marveled at the size of it, the process of preserving it, and how it's displayed. You can learn lots more by going to the Arles Harbor Dump Website. I also enjoyed looking at this site on Roman docks from all over the empire.
4. ARROMANCHES DES BAINS was a charming French beach resort town destroyed by the Nazis during the early years of World War II. The Allied Forces captured it during the D-Day invasion and used it to build artificial harbors (code name: mulberries) that could land large land vehicles like tanks from transport vessels. I was completely and utterly fascinated with the process. The interpretation at the museum dedicated to the site was very detailed, including great models and films. I could have used another day here to take it all in. Only a few of the actual structures still remain, but I learned so much at this site that bolstered my understanding of the enormity of Operation Overlord.
3. MONT SAINT MICHEL was such a magical place. I didn't expect to be taken by it, but I was. In fact, my husband and I argued about staying longer. We both wanted to, but we had a long drive ahead of us with an interesting site to see the next day so we had to leave earlier than we wanted to. We did a tour of the abbey at the very top of the giant rock that the site sits on, and that tour was EVERYTHING. We wandered around looking at unbelievable views of the seemingly endless mudflats in every direction. It was at this moment that my husband, a huge Lord of the Rings fan, turned to me and said, "This is Minas Tirith." Sure enough (we looked it up later), both Tolkien and Peter Jackson (the director of the films) used this monument as inspiration for the castle of Minas Tirith.
2. Coming in second is THE BAYEUX TAPESTRY. I know. You're thinking, "WHAT. THE. F.? It's just a piece of cloth." I know, but I love it. First, it's not a tapestry as in a woven piece of cloth, at least the decoration is not. The images are actually embroidered on long pieces of a woven original linen cloth. This thing is OLD, like 1000 years old. In a series of Latin titles at the top of each panel, it tells the story (very much propaganda) of William the Conquerer's take-over of England at the Battle of Hastings in 1066 CE. It's thought that the embroidery was done in the Canterbury area of England by a team of expert women artists. It was displayed yearly in the nave of the Cathedral of Notre Dame in Bayeux. At other times, it was kept rolled up in a special box that was removed by the Nazis to the Louvre during the invasion and occupation of France during WWII. In the current museum in Bayeux, visitors are not allowed to take pictures of it. I'm glad I got to see it in Bayeux because I just heard that for the first time in history, it will be displayed in England at the British Museum starting in September of 2026, while the Bayeux museum gets a renovation. Reading about this loan on social media led me to learn that in the 1800s British embroiderers created a copy of the Tapestry that is displayed at the Reading Museum. I'm already considering how I can create a lesson for my Latin students on this amazing piece of history! For now, take a look at this historical recreation tool!
1. And my #1 experience should come as no surprise - the PONT DU GARD was simply jaw-droppingly gorgeous and fascinating on every level. It's the sole reason I chose to go on this trip. Part of the Roman aqueduct that started at a source in Uzes, it serviced the large Roman town of Nemausus (modern Nimes) with fresh water. This structure has survived and is a very popular vacation spot in France. People swim in the river Gardon that the structure spans. The museum dedicated to it was fantastic with models of the whole aqueduct, the engineering tools used to build it, and the working spaces of the builders.
Because the tour I was on did not plan to arrive at the site until mid-morning, I made the decision to Uber there early so we could have a longer experience. Am I glad I made that decision! When we arrived, there was nearly no one there except for a local walking his dog and a photographer. We walked down to the river bank and ate breakfast staring up at the ancient structure. We spent a ton of time in the museum, strolled the bridge (built later) along the structure, and climbed up to the top to see where the water ran. Unfortunately, I didn't get to do the tour of the water channel which made me very sad (out of my control), but on my hike to the top, I observed little kids on a tour coming out of the channel. I wonder if people walk the whole path of the aqueduct? That would be a really cool thing to do! The Romans are often remembered for their amphitheaters and streets, but their aqueducts are just as spectacular.
I'm so grateful I got to have this experience. Be on the lookout for some cool hands-on history and STEM lessons already in the percolator.
I'm so grateful I got to have this experience. Be on the lookout for some cool hands-on history and STEM lessons already in the percolator.