Pont du Gard Fieldstudy Unit
(Geo/A/16)
Managing Tourism

Teachers Notes

This is a link to a Unit summary with reference to the Cambridge A level syllabus (9518 - modular)


This is a link to a Unit summary with reference to the London 16-19 A levl syllubus (9211)


This unit has been designed as a whole day unit. It is possible, by reducing the amount of fieldwork and therefore analysis, to combine this study with La Grand Combe coal mining unit or with studies on the Mediterranean coast. With this option, however, there is unlikely to be time for follow up that day.

The study is made up of six fieldwork activities. Most of the activities are spread over a number of sites: it is therefore advisable for the group to be split (ideally into six). These smaller groups can then be given part of each activity: the results being collated later. The visitor impact survey, activity analysis (task one), map annotation and mapping of facilities (task three) need only be conducted once. The pedestrian survey, traffic survey and capacity survey (task two) would benefit from being conducted at different times of the day, ideally in the morning, at lunchtime and in the afternoon. this would allow more data to be collected and variation over time to be detected. If time is not plentiful, however, it is possible to avoid repeating these three activities; which would still enable the students to become familiar with the techniques and the issues involved, but not the daily patterns. In the low season it may be advisable to reduce the time spent at the site, either by conducting the surveys only once or missing out the capacity survey (task two) as visitor numbers are likely to be unrepresentative.

Options for the timing of the day include:

  • Option One
    • Departure 0930
    • Arrival at Pont du Gard 1200
    • Fieldwork and lunch 1200 - 3.30
    • Departure from Pont du Gard 3.30
    • Arrival at Eagles Nest 6.00
    • Follow Up: after evening meal
  • Option Two
    • Departure 0930
    • Arrival at Pont du Gard 1200
    • Fieldwork and lunch 1200 - 4.30
    • Follow up in the field 4.30 - 6.00
    • Evening Meal 6.00 - 7.00
    • Departure from Pont du Gard 7.00
    • Arrival at Eagles Nest 9.30
    Safety Warning Members of the public are not permitted to walk on top of the upper tier of the aqueduct. It is possible to pass along the former channel itself quite safely.

    Bibliography

  • Conseil General du Gard (date unknown) Le Pont du Gard - pamphlet
  • Gambini Y (1987)
    Pont du Gard and the Roman Aqueduct from Uzes to Nimes. Bonechi. Italy.
  • Geopfert Y (1982) Le Pont du Gard Editions Aio. France.


    Background information

    The Pont du Gard is the highest Roman aqueduct ever built. It succeeds in combining functionality with breathtaking beauty and has been described as 'the most daring construction dating from the Christian era'. Today, tourists are attracted in huge numbers, fascinated by this glimpse into Roman ingenuity and history. Situated two and half hours drive from the Eagles Nest, the Pont du Gard site makes an extremely interesting study on the issues relating to the management of tourism.

    History:
    The monument dates from around 19 B.C. and was constructed as part of an aqueduct carrying water to the town of Nimes. It is made up of 3 tiers of arches and reaches a height of 48.77 metres (160 feet) for a maximum length of 275 metres (900 feet). There are 6 arches in the bottom tier, 11 in the middle tier and 35 on the top.
    In the first century B.C. Nimes was one of the most important Roman settlements and the Roman Emperors, Caesar and then Augustus, helped to further its development. It is believed that Augustus was concerned with improving the town's water supply which was no longer adequate for its growing population. This task was entrusted to his son in law, Agrippa. As the Romans did not have the necessary technology to raise the water artificially to allow its distribution, they had to use springs at altitude which allowed the water to feed by gravity along aqueducts. Agrippa decided to exploit the spring of the Eure, near Uzès, which had a reliable supply of water. An aqueduct was, therefore, constructed to transport the waters from Uzès to Nîmes. This followed a winding course, utilising the natural slopes of the hillside, which meant that although the distance between Uzès and Nîmes is a mere 20 kilometres, the aqueduct covers 50 kilometres. The engineering challenge was not only one of scale - but also precision: the fall in height along the entire aqueduct was only 17m; the average gradient being a mere 34cm per kilometre. The construction of the aqueduct was a supreme feat of Roman ingenuity; mountains were tunneled through, ditches filled in and valleys bridged, including the Gardon valley at the Pont du Gard. When completed the aqueduct transported an estimated 20,000 cubic metres (706,000 cubic feet) of water per day, providing some 400 litres (88 gallons) for each of the 50,000 inhabitants of Nîmes at that time (Goepfert 1982). The aqueduct remained in use until the 9th century A.D. when it was completely abandoned. The local population then used it as a quarry, removing its stones for their own use. Whilst other parts of the aqueduct can still be seen today, the Pont du Gard is the most renowned and dramatic.

    The Pont has proved itself to be extremely robust. It has survived wars, floods and a violent earthquake in 1448. The Gardon river has been described as 'one of the most treacherous and rapid there is' (Geopfert 1982) and yet the Pont du Gard has withstood its ferocity for 2000 years. In 1958 floods destroyed the bridge at Remoulins but the Pont du Gard held strong. There are several reasons for this strength - it is built from coarse fossiliferous limestone which was taken from nearby quarries. The large blocks of stone (some of which weigh close to 6 tons) were cut to fit together perfectly without the need for mortar. Furthermore, the bridge was built with a slightly convex structure which was intended to counter the current's destructive qualities. Its foundations were anchored in the bedrock for maximum solidity and its arches are much wider than was usual at the time. One final innovation was to design the piers as cutwaters, shaped like a ship's stern. During 'gardonnades' (Gardon floods) these piers are covered by the river.

    The Pont du Gard has also survived two millennia of human interference. The bottom tier has been used as a thoroughfare for centuries: in 1295 the bishop of UzŠs ordered a toll to be collected from all travelers crossing the bridge (Goepfert 1982). By 1557 pillars had been cut away on one side to allow the passage of fully laden mules. In 1702 the local authorities started renovating the bridge, filling in ruts, reducing cracks and building corbels to support the road. Unfortunately, this attempt was not satisfactory and the situation worsened towards the end of the 18th century when the lower tier was widened to allow wheeled vehicles access. Conditions deteriorated as the repeated passage of vehicles wore ruts, some 65 centimetres (25 inches) deep into the friable stone. Napoleon the Third, impressed by the bridge's imposing structure, ordered its restoration, which lasted from 1855 -1858. The monument which had been about to collapse was saved.

    Human impacts were not halted by restoration in the 1850s, however. One of the most impressive Roman structures in the world, the Pont du Gard has attracted increasing numbers of tourists from all over Europe in recent years. Can this unique edifice withstand the latest challenge?

    The present situation:
    The Pont du Gard is one of France's most famous and most important national monuments. It was given World Patrimony status by UNESCO in 1986. The bridge is located within easy access of many other attractions in the region, for example the Camargue, the Roman Arenas at Arles and NŒmes, the Pont d'Avignon and the Mediterranean coast (Figure 1). Visitor numbers rose steadily between 1960 and 1990 (Figure 2). Today, more than 1,200,000 visitors are attracted per year (Conseil General du Gard). Figure 4 illustrates some of the features of the monument itself.
    In recent years there has been an attempt to develop parts of the aqueduct, including the Pont du Gard. In 1988 the regional council of Gard started an historical and ecological protection programme for the site in agreement with the mayors of affected communes (Vers-Pont-du-Gard, Castillon du Gard and Remoulins). This programme opened up the site to visitors by providing discovery trails linking protected monuments (e.g. a former stone quarry) marked with information points. Two information centres with car parking were built to house exhibition areas concerned with the archeology and history of the bridge. The Salpetriere cave, on the Pont du Gard site, recounts prehistoric life in the lower Gardon valley.

    Concerns have been expressed about the ability of the Pont du Gard site to withstand this increasing pressure of tourism. Being such an important monument, views on its future are many and varied (Figure 3). Can the current management strategy succeed in allowing vast numbers of people to enjoy the site whilst preserving this unique monument, or will the tourists who come to admire this site be the reason for its destruction?

    This unit aims to address these questions by:

  • Identifying the impact that visitors are having on the site.
  • Deciding if carrying capacity has been exceeded at the Pont du Gard.
  • Evaluating current developments at the Pont du Gard.
  • Designing management strategies which address the problems identified.


    This is a link to the location maps of the Pont du Gard (Figure 1)


    Figure 2 : Visitor Numbers between 1960 and 1990
    fig2 source:University of London, Geography 16-19, Decision Making Exercise June 1992


    Figure 3: Views of visitors, residents and specialists

    • It is stunning but so unsafe. Crowds pushing up and down that single-person, dark stairway at the east end. No controls at all! And at the top, no walls, railings or anything. You know it's just the width of an automobile then 150 feet to the rocks or the water.
      Ms Wendy Dubchec, Four Plains Wyoming, USA

    • Of course there is so much else to see in this department but they flock here. Queues of cars and coaches, hardly moving, trying to get in and out on the two small roads and all held up by the access to the main road. And the fumes in summer!
      Mme Lucette Davy, Remoulins resident

    • Fire is the natural price we pay for the aromatic oils that protect the vegetation from the summer drought. But with the Frenchman's God-given right to barbecue in summer anywhere in the garrigue, we have an interesting situation. The vegetation is prone to trampling, and when burnt, needs time to re-grow.
      Paul Savy, Government Ecologist

    • I found it difficult to get up and down to the entrance of the aqueduct. Millions of feet have rounded the rocks and there is no grip. The lack of vegetation there does not look so bad; the polished rocks look pretty.
      Elderly German tourist

    • This is a very special place, in many respects unique. It has been abused in the past, but for how much longer can it survive the onslaught of tourism? It is a thing of immense beauty - a work of art, yet structurally sound against wind and flood. It is worthy of World Heritage status.
      Heritage National

    • We need this for our livelihood and our children's prosperity. The coast is all right with its vulgar tourism, but we need our share of culture tourists - not Paris trying to control everything. We may grow a lot of cherries here but nobody became rich on cherries!
      Bureau de Tourisme, Remoulins

    • There is far too much wild camping. It produces litter and fires and erosion. After that, there is sediment washed into the rivers to block them up. I know this - I read it in the paper. Round here our floods are already so intense they bring the coffins up from the graves! If the river is blocked, will that be the end of the Pont du Gard? The bridge at Remoulins was washed away when it was only built last century! It will end in tears!
      Mme Lavanche, Remoulins resident

    • I make my living from farming. I know how to grow fruit. I do not like plans that might involve my land. I am not happy now with people camping under my trees, parking where I am trying to move farm machines, stealing my fruit. I am not ignorant - I want people to listen to me and consider my future and my family.
      Fruit farmer on the flood plain above Remoulins

      source: University of London, Geography 16-19 Project, Decision Making Exercise Examination Paper, June 1992


    This is a link to the features of the Pont du Gard (Figure 4)


    Task one:
    Aim: To identify the impact that visitors are having on the site.

    1. At each site (appendix A) complete the visitor impact survey below, giving each visitor impact a score. Add up visitor impact scores to give a total score for each site.

      Worksheet A: Visitor impact survey.
    (Score: 0 = no evidence of impact 1 = evidence of impact 2 = evidence of considerable impact)

    Visitor ImpactSite V1Site V2Site V3Site V4Site V5Site V6
    Physical deterioration/erosion eg gullying
    noise
    litter
    graffiti
    Total sore for each site

    2. Activity analysis
    Using your observations of the whole site complete worksheet B below. This is a form of systems diagram showing the main activities at the Pont du Gard site. It will enable you to identify activities that are not compatible with one another or with the character of the Pont du Gard site itself. Identify interactions between activities or between activities and the character of the Pont du Gard. If the interaction is a strong one, join up these factors with an unbroken line. If the interaction is weak one, join up these factors with a broken line. Indicate the direction of the impact with an arrow pointing from the activity creating an impact towards the factor being affected. If two factors have impacts on each other, draw an arrow pointing both ways. Put a + or - next to the interaction line, to show whether the impact is positive or negative.


    Task two:
    Aim: to measure and identify patterns of visitor pressure at the Pont du Gard.
    1. Pedestrian survey: at sites 1 - 6 (appendix B). Carry out a pedestrian survey by counting the number of people who pass you in either direction over a 5 minute period. Log results and the time of your survey in worksheet C below.

    Worksheet C: Pedestrian Survey
    Site .Time / number Time / number Time / number
    1 . . . .
    2 . . . .
    3 . . . .
    4 . . . .
    5 . . . .
    6 . . . .

    2. Conduct a traffic survey at the traffic count sites (appendix B). Count and record the number of vehicles that pass you in either direction over a 15 minute period. Record the time of your survey. If there is a traffic queue, note its duration and the number of vehicles affected. Please use this link to access Worksheet D, the traffic survey headings.

    3. Visitor pressure survey: Estimate how full each car park, restaurant and river 'beach' is at the Pont du Gard site. Record each estimate as a tally mark in the appropriate column of worksheet E. Note down the time of your survey. Please use this link to access Worksheet E, the Visitor pressure survey.


    Task three: Aim: To map facilities at the Pont du Gard and to identify management issues at the site.

      1. Mapping of facilities: using the base map provided (see appendix C), mark on the following: shops, toilets, car parks, information offices, picnic areas, beaches, cafes etc.

      2. Management issues: annotate the base map, identifying the following management issues/problems:

      • public safety
      • excessive use of signs
      • use of unsympathetic architecture
      • dereliction of buildings/ facilities
      • anything else you feel is a management issue

    Analysis

    Task one: visitor impact
    1. Using your visitor impact survey (worksheet A):

      a) Identify the sites which have the most serious visitor impacts.
      b) Identify the visitor impacts which appear to be the most problematic across all sites.
    2. Using your activity analysis (worksheet B):
      a) Identify those activities with the greatest negative impact on other uses, or on the character of the monument.
      b) Identify activities which are incompatible with one another.
    Task two: visitor pressure
    1. Using your pedestrian survey (worksheet C):
      a) Calculate the number of pedestrians per hour at each site. If more than one survey has been conducted, calculate an average for each site.
      b) Mark the crosses shown on appendix B onto a neat base map. These crosses mark important pedestrian routes at the Pont du Gard. (The pedestrian survey sites are located between these crosses.) On each route, draw a line proportional to the pedestrian flow using an appropriate scale, e.g. 1 mm width of line = 20 visitors. If 40 people passed site 1, the line representing the path either side of site 1 would be 2mm wide. c) Identify the most pressurised paths at the Pont du Gard site. If more than one survey was conducted, identify the most pressurised times of the day. 2. Using your traffic survey (worksheet D):
        a) Calculate the number of people travelling in vehicles in your traffic survey(s). Assume that bicycles and motorbikes carry 1 person; cars 3 people; vans 2 and coaches 40.
        b) Multiply this result to estimate the number of people per hour.
        c) On the base map used for presenting your pedestrian flow data, draw flow lines along the two access roads proportional to the numbers of travellers. Use the same technique as for the pedestrian survey (above).
        d) If more than one survey was conducted, draw a graph to show how the number of vehicles at Pont du Gard varies throughout the day.
      3. Using your visitor pressure survey (worksheet E) :
        a) Draw pie/bar charts to show pressure on the car parks/restaurants/beaches. Mark the facilities which are overflowing.
        b) If surveys were conducted at different times of the day, identify the busiest times.


    Decision making

    Aim: To decide if carrying capacity has been exceeded at the Pont du Gard site.
    Every tourist site has a 'carrying capacity' i.e. an ability to absorb a level of use without significant detriment to its character. If this level of use is exceeded then deterioration of the site will occur and/or enjoyment of the site will be significantly impaired.
    • Look at the results of your analysis for task 1 and any secondary information available to you. Are negative visitor impacts significant and widespread? Are tourist activities leading directly to the deterioration of the site?
    • Look at the results of your analysis for task 2 and any secondary information available to you. Is enjoyment of the monument significantly impaired by the number of pedestrians? Are most of the facilities at the site full or overflowing? Is the weight of traffic a problem?
    • The Department of the Environment have identified levels at which roads become saturated i.e. they cannot hold any more traffic without deterioration to the road and/or traffic problems. These saturation levels are shown in Figure 5.

      Figure 5: Department of the Environment road saturation levels
      Road ClassWidthSaturation Pointmeasured both ways per hour
      2 lane7,3m375 pcu
      3 lane10m688 pcu
      Dual/2 lane14.6m1522 pcu
      motorway/3lane22m3000 pcu
      note pcu = passenger car unit
      bicycle/motorbike = ½ pcu; car = 1 pcu; van = 2 pcu; coach/lorry = 3 pcu.

    • Calculate the passenger car units for all your surveys (pcus are calculated hourly so you will need to multiply your results before comparing them with the appropriate saturation level above). Do either of the sites exceed the saturation point?
    • It is important to remember that there are marked seasonal variations in the numbers of visitors at the Pont du Gard (Figure 6). Depending upon the time of year you visit, this may affect your judgement of the above questions. In order to 'seasonally adjust' your results you will need to estimate additional impacts during peak season. For example, May has approximately half as many visitors as August. If you are visiting in May you should therefore double your results.

    Figure 6: Visitor number distribution 1989
    source: University of London, Geography 16-19 Project, Decision Making Exercise Exam. Paper, June 1992
    • Weigh up your response to all of the above questions before deciding:
      Is carrying capacity at the Pont du Gard being exceeded at any time of the day or year?

    Aim: To design management strategies to alleviate the problems at the Pont du Gard and develop the site for the future.
    Management at the Pont du Gard aims to maximize the tourist potential of the monument whilst protecting it from deterioration. If the site's carrying capacity is exceeded the implication is that management is not effective. If the carrying capacity is not exceeded and the site is under-utilised, this can also imply ineffective management.

    • Design a management strategy for the Pont du Gard, to enable it to achieve a balance between maximizing tourist potential and ensuring visitor enjoyment and protection of the site's character. Figure 7 lists some management options that could be used to balance usage and capacity of the Pont du Gard.

      This is a link to the options for balancing the usage and capacity of a site (Figure 7).


    • Produce a list of tactics to achieve this balance. Put these in order of priority.
    • Annotate a neat copy of the base map to illustrate how and where these general tactics should be put into practice. Aim to solve/alleviate any problems you have idenified in your fieldwork or through other sources i.e. relating to visitor impact, pressure and management issues.

    Pont du Gard Unit Geo/A/16 ©Discover Ltd. 1998


    Return to Units Index