Roman ruins in Provence
 

What is the best town (or towns) to see Roman ruins if I have only a day in Provence in early June ? If I have a choice between Arles and Orange, which one should I go for. In addition, can someone tell me whether or not there is a difference between the Roman ruins in Rhone valley (such as the one in Vienne) and those in Provence. Any suggestion is appreciated. Thanks

The arène at Nimes is the best preserved and the Maison Carré is also at Nimes. If you would like to see evidence of roman living rather than monumental construction consider Vaison la Romaine, or Glanum, near St Rèmy. Of course, the Pont du Gard near Uzès is a must. I would put Arles ahead of Orange.

I would put Arles above any town in this region. Get the city pass for all the neat sites.

The Romans used pretty much the same building technology throughout the empire, so differences have more to do with a building's purpose than with geography. The arena at Arles and the bridge/aquaduct at Pont du Gard are quite different from each other, although only a few kilometers apart. The Roman baths at the Cluny Museum in Paris, on the other hand, use the same technology as the baths across the empire in Argos, Greece.

Nimes and Arles are both great sites for ruins. The Maison Carre is one-of-a-kind and Jefferson's inspiration for his design of the VA state capitol. If you go to Arles, be sure to visit St. Trophime and the historical museum as well as the Roman ruins. St. Trophime is a wonderful Romanesque building; the capitals of the columns in the cloister tell the local legend of the Tarascon (a serpent-like monster) and St. Margaret. The museum, now in a new building, contains the best collection of Roman sarcophagi.

The ruins of Glanum, just outside St.Remy, are fascinating and extensive--one gets a sense of daily life there, as it's an entire town, not just one large building. (A previous post referred to it in the same way). The visitors' center is excellent.