Écusson

This is the heart of the historic centre of Nîmes, known as “Écusson” because of its shape, which, if you look on a map, does indeed resemble an escutcheon, or a badge! All the lanes and monuments in Écusson are part of the city’s protected district, and mark the limits of the fortified wall that once surrounded the city, with a dozen gates and around 80 towers to watch over the surrounding area. The medieval walls were demolished in the 18th century, giving way to a vast urban redevelopment project that gave the town its current surface area. This project that would change the landscape of the town was undertaken by Jean-Arnaud Raymond, the architect from the province of Languedoc. Major arteries were created in 1847. These are still the largest boulevards in Nîmes today, and were inspired by the Parisian developments implemented by Baron Haussmann. Nowadays, Écusson is the busiest district in the capital of Gard, with tourists flocking to its monuments and its numerous shops!