Meet at 9.45am at the Antiques (large arch and spire monuments
next to the Glanum car park - see photo above).
Booking Deadline – Friday 11 June
Our first visit of 2021 takes us to the spectacular Roman city of Glanum, near Saint-Rémy-de-Provence.
In a magnificent setting in the Alpilles mountains, this ancient and wealthy city was founded in the 4th century BC as a Celtic oppidum, and was then settled by the Greeks before officially becoming a Roman city in 27 BC. It’s particularly well known for “Les Antiques” monuments dating from the 1st century BC.
The city was later abandoned when the population moved to Saint-Rémy, but as the site was never built on, it became buried through the centuries and thus was found virtually intact when excavations started in the 1920s.
Our English-speaking guide will be Anne – some of you already know her, as she was the excellent guide on our recent “In the Footsteps of Van Gogh” visit.
IMPORTANT – COVID RULES FOR THIS EVENT
Please note that your safety is BritsNîmes’ top priority at all times, and thus all our events and activities will adhere strictly to French Government guidelines
The walking tour lasts 2½ - 3 hours, and will be entirely outdoors (apart from passing directly through the Visitor Centre at the beginning and end of the visit)
Toilets and the boutique are located in the Visitor Centre, but only eight persons are permitted inside at any one time
You must wear a mask throughout the visit
You’ll have your own headset, so you’ll be able to socially distance from others while still hearing the guide. If you prefer, feel free to bring your own smartphone earbuds to insert into the listening device
Remember comfortable walking shoes, hats, sunscreen and water
Due to the uneven terrain of the site, we regret that this visit is not suitable for members with mobility concerns
Dogs are NOT ALLOWED into the Glanum site
PARKING & MEETING POINT
Meet at 9.45am at the Antiques – the large arch and spire monuments next to the Glanum car park (see photo above). The tour commences at 10.00am
There are two car parking options – either at the Glanum site itself (€4 for eight hours parking), or else free parking at the St-Paul-de-Mausole monastery, a five-minute walk away from the Antiques.
LUNCH
Due to Covid-19 restrictions, there’s no group meal this time. However if you’d like a bite to eat after the walking tour, below you’ll find a detailed list of restaurant recommendations in nearby charming Saint-Rémy-de-Provence, kindly provided by BritsNîmes member Julie Mautner, a food writer, blogger (ProvencePost.com) and travel advisor (ProvencePostTravel.com) who lives in Saint-Rémy.
REGISTRATION
The price for the visit is €17 per person, paid in advance. This includes an English-speaking guide, headset and entry into the Glanum site
This event is members only, with bookings accepted on a first-come, first-served basis
Maximum participants : 30
Booking deadline : Friday 11 June
IMPORTANT! Regardless of the weather, the visit will go ahead, as advance payment has been made to secure the booking. Therefore once the final number has been confirmed to the Glanum office, cancellations are not possible. Thus unless a replacement can be found to take your place, you will be charged for the visit. Your understanding is appreciated.
Please be considerate - last-minute cancellations or no-shows deprive another member of the opportunity of attending
your mobile phone number in case we need to call you
Step 2 : The organiser will email you to confirm that space is being held for you pending payment, and the amount payable (however please note that your reservation is NOT confirmed until your payment has been received)
Step 3: You then have five working days to arrange your payment. Please note that your tentative reservation will lapse if your payment is not received within this time frame.
Step 4 : When your payment is received, the organiser will email you to advise that your booking is now confirmed
Your booking is not confirmed until you receive an email advising that your payment has been received. Only written proof of bookings as per the above procedure will be accepted - however, do not hesitate to follow up if you have any questions, or do not hear from the event organiser within a couple of days of payment.
PAYMENT
Electronic Transfer/Virement(our preferred method) IBAN : FR76 1350 6100 0008 7491 9100 138 BIC : AGRIFRPP835
Please insert the event and your last name in the Beneficiary Reference area
or
Cheque
Please make your cheque payable to “Association BritsNîmes” and send to Sian Griffiths Bell, A52, La Porte Romaine, 7 Place Gabriel Péri, 30000 Nîmes
RESTAURANTS IN SAINT-RÉMY-DE-PROVENCE
Recommendations by BritsNîmes member Julie Mautner, a food writer, blogger (ProvencePost.com) and travel advisor (ProvencePostTravel.com) who lives in Saint-Rémy.
Le Bistrot de Saint Rémy
For anyone who asks me where to eat in Provence, the Bistrot du Paradou has been my secret weapon for years. Not that it’s secret by any means - Paradou is one of the most popular places around, but it’s a no-brainer, a guaranteed great experience year- round. The food at Paradou is hearty, homemade, Provencal rustic, perfectly prepared, comforting...and superb. Nobody does it like Paradou! So we’re all pretty excited that Paradou owner Vincent Quenin has opened a second restaurant, this one in Saint-Rémy. It’s called Le Bistrot de Saint-Rémy and it’s on the site of the former Cafe du Lezard. Vincent’s partner in the venture is Bastien Maltagliati, who was a server at Paradou for many years; Vincent is mostly at Paradou and Bastien runs the Bistrot de Saint-Rémy and the Bar Divin next door. The menu formula is like Paradou’s, in that you pay one price for everything, but Vincent knew that the “long lunch in the country” idea wasn’t the best for a setting in the heart of a busy village. “Here we have more choice, lighter, faster, cheaper and more brasserie-style,” he says. A three-course lunch (starter, main, dessert) is €29; cheese, wine and coffee are extra. Or have a starter and main...or a main and dessert...with a glass of wine for €27.At dinner, for €49 you’ll get a starter, main, cheese, dessert and all the wine you care to drink (coffee and bottled water are extra). The house wine is always very good but if you want a different label, there’s a full list and you pay accordingly. Next door at the Bar Divin, you’ll find classic and creative cocktails made from fresh and unusual ingredients and often, live music on weekends. For more about both restaurants, see my recent blog post https://theprovencepost.blogspot.com/2020/07/just-opened-new-paradou.html
12 blvd. Gambetta, St. Remy. Reservations a must 04-90-21-11-59. Lunch and dinner daily, except Tuesdays.
Bar Tabac des Alpilles
St. Remy has a number of lively bistro/brasserie/cafes where you can eat fairly well at a reasonable price. The menus typically include salads, pasta, grilled fish, steak frites, pasta and always a plat du jour. My favorite these days is the Bar Tabac des Alpilles, a super-popular local hangout...in business since the 1940s! It's like my Cheers. The vibe is extremely warm and you can set your own pace; come for morning coffee or French-breakfast and linger over the paper; settle in for the afternoon or evening over lunch or dinner - or just have a quick bite and go. Chef Josh's food is always good; the plat du jour is a great bet as are the salads and pastas. If they’re serving the daube (beef stew) have it; it’s a wonderfully comforting dish, usually served on pasta. Ditto for the sliced-to-order leg of lamb, served with crusty scalloped potatoes and a garlicky salad, available at lunch and dinner every day. (Whatever you order, have a bowl of fries for the table...they're perfect.) Wines are cheap by the pichet and reasonable by the bottle. The charming owner, Patrick, has a refreshing "whatever, whenever" attitude...he's all about customer service and the servers clearly feel the same. Dining is indoors and out; kids are very welcome, and there are sometimes parties in the evening with wine tasting, live music or other treats. In a village saturated with restaurants, this is a terrific all-around choice and one I’m really happy to recommend!
21 Blvd Victor Hugo, 04 90 92 02 17.
Cafe Riche
Great central location opposite the big church on the main traffic circle. Unless it's Wednesday (market day) you'll find plenty of parking on the big Place Republique just opposite the restaurant. Whatever the plat du jour is, it's ALWAYS good and very good value.... http://grandcaferiche.fr/
La Cantina
Claude and Donna Douard sold Bistro Decouverte a few years back to focus on their cute Italian bistro La Cantina, where they now work ensemble. How nice to find not one but two owners in a the restaurant, keeping tabs on everything! For such a tiny place, the menu is surprisingly ambitious: antipasti, bruschetto, carpaccio, crispy pizzas, marvelous salads...and hearty home-style dishes like vitello tonnato and a terrific osso buco. Inside you’ll find a small and simple gray-walled dining room, with splendid oversized chandeliers and wall of wine adding a nice design-y touch. (Speaking of wine, Claude is a sommelier who worked for Michelin-starred restaurants in London. So what to drink with your pestognocchi? Trust me, he knows). Indoors, seating is at high or low tables or at the large counter/bar. Outdoors, you’re on a crowded sidewalk at smallish bistro tables. Truth is, I can’t imagine that, come summer, it will be possible for anyone to get a table but if you call ahead, and go early or late, you might indeed get lucky. La Cantina also offers takeaway.
18 blvd victor Hugo, 04 90 90 90 60.
Pizzette
Pizzette, opened summer 2017, is always packed, which is proof that (as I’ve always said), Saint-Rémy really needed more places where you can eat quickly and cheaply. They offer two sizes (small personal-sized and larger for sharing) with a wide range of toppings, baked in a stone oven and priced from €5 to €16. Or, order a prix-fixe menu with a drink and dessert. Whether you eat in (or out, at the moment) or take away (they’ll box it), their surprisingly good pizzas are perfect for a snack, lunch, dinner or late-evening craving. Check the menu board, order at the counter, grab a table outside or lurk around until one opens up, and dig in. Open for lunch and dinner, Tuesday through Saturday, and dinner only on Sunday. Closed Monday.
24 boulevard Victor Hugo, 04 90 95 80 31.
Disclaimer The term Event(s) in this Disclaimer is any group activity and related travel organised, undertaken or provided by the Association, and/or outside suppliers in its name. Participants in any Event do so at their own risk to themselves and their property, and it is their responsibility to have the necessary insurances. No responsibility is implied or taken by the Association during Events for; Participants’ accident, sickness and/or third party liability; nor for negligence on the part of other Participants and/or any person working on behalf of the Association; nor for inaccuracies of information in Invitations or Notices; nor for changes to itineraries, level of difficulty, cancellations, and/or other changes, which may be made without prior notice; nor for damage to or loss of Participants’ own or third parties’ property, including vehicles; nor for any other liabilities and/or risks arising in association with an Event. By joining an Event, participants are deemed to have agreed to the terms and conditions in this Disclaimer, and they and/or their representatives agree to exonerate and waive any subrogation towards the Association and/or its Event Coordinators, and/or other Participants, for any liabilities and/or claims that may arise from participation in an Event
