The modern city of Nîmes is the successor to a significant city of Roman times, complete with coliseum, roman temples etc. The ups and downs of history provided the city with many other monuments and in periods of prosperity, the city merchants were able to build a number of fine stately residences in the city, usually to show off and to complement their country castles. These city residences (called “hôtels particuliers” in French) have often been converted to appartement buildings and a look at the street facade doesn’t give much of a hint of the remarkable structures inside. If you visit Nîmes try to line up a guided visit of these “hôtels particuliers” to get an unusual look behind the scenes.