What British investor could resist Nîmes, the “Rome” of France, a dream place in the sun? Only 5 hours from Waterloo and sandwiched between the Basses-Alpes and the Mediterranean - you will soon be savouring the scents of wild thyme, lavender and the salty coastal air. Situated east of the Camargue and the Cevennes, (where R.L.Stephenson walked with his donkey Modestine), west of the garden of Provence, and north-west of Marseilles, Nîmes is one of France’s most delightful cities.

Nîmes - ‘the city with an accent’ - has a beautiful Roman heritage and is famous as the place where the material denim was invented – although Gênes (Genoa) in Italy also claims this distinction. The asteroid 51 Nemausa is named after the city. Nîmes has plenty to offer Brits who are searching for a homes in south west France – there is a friendly ex-pat community in this, the capital city of the Gard Department (pop.145,000) which is just half-an-hour from Montpellier and convenient for access to both Italy and Spain. Located on the temperate coastal plains of the Languedoc Roussillon region, summer temperatures are frequently in the eighties (30ºC +) and rarely drop to freezing in winter. Nîmes is accessible from the UK by Eurostar to Lille, connecting with the TGV services straight to Nîmes, or by plane with Ryanair flying from Liverpool, London, and East Midlands.

Nîmes is a medium sized city; small enough to have an intimate feel, and large enough to have good amenities; theatres, cinemas, galleries, museums, sports and festivals. Shopping is best in the pedestrianised historic city centre or at the Coupole shopping centre. The star attraction is the Arenes, the best-preserved Roman amphitheatre in Europe, a smaller version of the Colosseum in Rome. It has fantastic views of the surrounding area and hosts displays of gladiators, bullfighting, and pop concerts. The Jardins de la Fontaine, France’s first public garden, conserves the natural spring around which the Romans built their city, on a site sacred to the Gauls. The Maison Carrée, a Roman temple, and the Carré d'Art, a modern art museum, are not far away.

There are many smart restaurants and bars in Nîmes throughout the city centre. Whether for coffee in the daytime, cocktails or late night drinks, there is always atmosphere and a real buzz about the city. The biggest annual event is the Feria de Nîmes, held over Pentecost (Whitsun) weekend, a celebration of Nîmes' greatest tradition: bullfighting. Outside Nîmes, La Gard Department has much to offer, with beaches on the Mediterranean close by, walking in the picturesque Cevennes, skiing at Mont Aigoual, and the charming villages of Provence within easy reach

In terms of property in south west france, Nîmes and the Gard have much to offer. In Nîmes itself, the choices are essentially as in any major city. There are one bedroom apartments from 130 000€, increasing to around 500 000€ and more for a large bourgeois apartment in a sought-after location, such as overlooking the Maison Carrée. Homes in south west france, Nice are to be found in the centre but obviously they are few and far between and so command higher prices, from around 300 000€ for something with a garden within walking distance of the centre. There is some exciting new modern architecture set in the city's famous Roman ruins and some great properties to buy especially on the outskirts where a 3-bedroom house with a garden starts at just over £160,000.

As you go north towards Alès and the Cévennes or west to Le Vigan prices are very good. A village house with an exterior (and there are more of these around than in, say, the Aude) can be found from around 140 000€. Alès offers very good value for money and with the new dual carriageway due for completion late in 2007 it will be only a 20-minute journey to Nîmes, and an hour to the coast.

Another popular town is Uzès, to the north west of Nîmes. A very old and historic market town it is well preserved (part of Cyrano de Bergerac was filmed there), and very beautiful; very much a Sunday trip type of place, it has a distinctly Provençal feel to it. Properties in Uzès itself are quite expensive and many don't have any exterior space, but better value is to be found in the surrounding villages.

It is fair to say that the Gard has been slower to 'boom' than other areas of the Languedoc, but if you are looking for languedoc property for sale with a mixture of Languedoc and Provence, the climate and the pace of life of the south, with the buzz of a cosmopolitan city, then Nîmes could be for you. It's certainly worth a visit! Like the rest of Languedoc property, property for sale in Nîmes has risen in value recently - a South west france property property hotspot .

HOMEHUNTS specialise in finding property for sale in south west france. Home Hunts works with all of the best Languedoc estate agents and specialist real estate agency in south west france. Phillippa Bowman manages our team throughout the Languedoc Roussillon region. Phillippa lives and works in Nimes, and is happy to organise your trip to visit languedoc properties for sale, Beziers properties properties in Nimes, Le Gard or anywhere in Languedoc Roussillon. Please check out our Nimes properties available on http://www.home-hunts.com , or contact us on info@home-hunts.com for more information about our Languedoc property search or property for sale in south west France.