This is one of the side entrances of Jardins de la Fontaine. There are other ones on the other side of the gardens, but this one is the nearest when coming from the city center. The steps are, however, in a very bad shape, so its advisable to use one of the two main entrances.
This one is anyway close to the children’s playgrounds and also the square with the Lebanon cedar tree, and I find it quite handy.
When you leave the square with the Lebanon cedar towards the side exit of Jardins de la Fontaine, you will take these steps down. The railings are not wood, despite the outlook, but concrete (béton in French). This was very popular and I guess a bit fashionable style in the 19th century, to imitate the nature with concrete structures. And what’s interesting, they do look like wood! Just that the colour is grey.
Here’s another picture from the end of September – although it looks pretty much same even in November, as these trees are evergreen.
The place is Jardins de la Fontaine, one of the most beautiful gardens of France. This part of the garden is a little forgotten, however. It’s a fairly large and calm square, with benches on the sides. The tree in the middle is a cedar tree that replaced the original 300 year old cedar of Lebanon that was destroyed a couple of years ago by heavy snow that fell suddenly in spring.
I was there the day before the tragedy. The wind was blowing very strongly, and the old tree that covered the square with its branches like a huge umbrella, made quite scary creaking sounds. We hurried up at the time, as it really sounded like it was coming down. During the night came the snow, and the next day the gardens were closed. Several trees had fallen, among them the old cedar tree. It was the year of the gardens 300th birthday, and the cedar tree had been one of the first trees to planted! So, it was a shame, but a tree has its life span. Now we just wait for the new cedar to grow as grand as the previous.
The steps of a side entrance in the Jardins de la Fontaine need a repair… Well, one day it will be fixed. Until then, watch your step!
…or, when the body left the body…
It’s again the time, when the young cicadas emerge their nymph skins to become fully adults, and the empty nymph skins are seen on tree trunks, grasses and under the benches. Here, in the Jardins de la Fontaine in Nîmes.
The nymph skins are surprisingly small, so first it’s difficult to notice them. In the photo on the right, there are two skins. Can you find them? And above there are more, like the cicadas had been climbing up the tree…
So, now the singing of the cicadas gets even louder? Well, that’s the sound of summer!
Somehow I wanted to catch this scene, where the tourists are taking pictures of the Temple of Diana in Jardins de la Fontaine. Big cameras are passé, and hardly anyone really uses the iPad for taking photos (anymore), like the woman on the right. Nowadays popular are the cellphone cameras and again the tiny winy pocket cameras. It’s fun to observe the trends, isn’t it!
One of the nicest summer events in Nîmes is the film screenings in Jardins de la Fontaine. The week-long festival is called Un réalisateur dans la ville, and every year a different (French) film maker is invited as a guest, with his/her films. This year it was Jean-Pierre Mocky, in France a well-known actor, screenwriter, producer and director, but a little less well-known elsewhere. At least I had never heard of him.
So, perhaps due to that, I (almost) missed the screenings. Today is the last one: L’ibis rouge starts when the sun goes down. Should I go or should I stay? Anyway, the screenings are free of charge, and the atmosphere is great, with twinkling stars and singing of the cicadas…
Two young boys were doing acrobatics in the Jardins de la Fontaine. Jumping from bench to bench, standing on their hands, leaping over the picnic tables. Very discretely though, not disturbing anyone. Even their music player was not loud, but hidden in the canvas bag! I enjoyed watching their energy.
Within the past few days the Jardins de la Fontaine has been filled with statues. But what kind of statues? Made of last years dead leaves! You can find these statues (and more) lurking in the bushes, peaking from behind the trees, or climbing on the walls. It’s a real hide and seek game, and everyone is delighted, especially of course children.
The statues are part of the garden event of Rendez-vous aux jardins of this weekend, and I hope they will stay there a little longer… The art work is of a theatre group named Le Phun, and seems to be part of the Marseille-Provence 2013 European culture capital program. Some theatre plays are also organized today.
With these pictures I participate in the City Daily Photo community’s June theme of ‘beauty of decay’. Other participants you can find here.
*** Update on Jun 3: The statues are no longer in the garden of Nîmes… It really was only for the weekend! But perhaps they pop up somewhere else again? If you’re in France, maybe you’ll bump into them?
The 61st Feria de Pentecôte of Nîmes has started! First events were held in the morning, aand in the evening the first corrida. Otherwise it’s still quiet. I went for a short walk in the Jardins and the city center and took a few photos. The real thing starts from tomorrow, so far everything is more or less in a waiting mode.
Nîmes notes 