BORDERERS looking for a short break this summer have another option to consider after Ryanair launched a new direct flight route between Edinburgh and the southern French city of Nîmes.

Flights will run three times per week from this week to October 28 2022 on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays.

The new route joins eight existing routes to French cities from the Scotland capital: Beziers, Bordeaux, Carcassonne, Marseille, Nantes, Paris-Beauvais, Poitiers, and Toulouse.

Together with Rome, Nimes is one of the most complete urbans remains of the Roman civilisation in the Western world.

Border Telegraph: French city of Nimes French city of Nimes

Roman monuments include The Arena (amphitheatre), the Maison Carrée, a majestic restored temple, the Jardins de la Fontaine, the temple de Diane, the Castellum aquae and the Tour Magne.

But Nîmes is also a city anchored in modernity, with urban works and buildings designed by great contemporary architects such as Lord Norman Foster, Jean Nouvel, Philippe Stark.

Border Telegraph: Franck Proust, President of Nîmes Métropole, Jean Paul Fournier, Mayor of Nîmes, Laurence Pais, Consul of France and Gordon Dewar, chief executive of the Edinburgh Airport, were present at the press conference in Edinburgh.Franck Proust, President of Nîmes Métropole, Jean Paul Fournier, Mayor of Nîmes, Laurence Pais, Consul of France and Gordon Dewar, chief executive of the Edinburgh Airport, were present at the press conference in Edinburgh.

Large-scale events take place throughout the year: the Flamenco festival in January, the Roman Week in May, the Pentecost Feria, a music festival in June & July and sound and light historical re-enactment shows in the majestic amphitheater in August, and a Street Art Festival in September…

For gourmets, Nîmes is "the place to be" with four Michelin starred restaurants.

In addition to that, the central location of the city makes Nîmes an ideal base camp from which to explore the South of France by daily excursions without changing accommodation.

Nîmes Tourism’ Team offers a variety of ways to explore the city: train rides, guided tours with exclusive access, or entire made-to-measure itineraries. For

Franck Proust, President of Nîmes Métropole said: "This is a great success for our two territories, because here in Edinburgh, as in Nîmes, tourism and the cultural offer are major axes of our economic dynamism! Our destination has a lot to offer the Scots, and this route is the new gateway to Greater Provence.”

Jean-Paul Fournier, Mayor of Nîmes, is delighted with the opening of this line. He added: "It is important for a city to open up to the world and exchange with those who wish to discover it. The candidacy of "La Maison Carrée", the best-preserved Roman temple in the world, to the UNESCO World Heritage List, is part of this desire that I have. Our city, which looks to the future and is marked by its history, is rich in its ancient heritage, its cultural offer and its four Michelin-starred restaurants.”

Olivier Galzi, Vice-Président of Edeis Group said: “This new route is a wonderful opportunity to connect two amazing regions. In the heart of Grande Provence, Nîmes (knowed as the “French Rome” for it’s roman monuments but also for it’sunny climate all year long) is now able to welcome all the visitors who want to discover the spirit and the art of living of the south of France.”