La Fontaine Gardens are located in the historic center of Nîmes. They were from 1745 at the request of Louis XV. Built by Jacques Philippe Mareschal (engineer of the king, director of the fortifications of the provinces of Languedoc).
The gardens with two large ancient monuments, the Temple of Diana and the Magne Tower, extend on a hill over an area of about 15 hectares.
Listed as historical monuments in 1840 under the title Jardin Remarkable, they include a typical French garden from the 18th century and a Mediterranean landscape style with pine, chestnut and cedar trees in the alleys.
Elements such as balusters, sculptures, vases, and benches have further enriched the decor, and there is a carved fountain in the center. In the nineteenth century, new species were added to the vegetation and additional developments were carried out, such as a rock cave and a water basin.
The gardens of La Fontaine are historically considered to be one of the first public parks in Europe and are one of the most pleasant, especially in summer.