Nîmes is getting a new convention center, just a stone's throw from its ancient monuments.

A major project of the fourth term of Mayor Jean-Paul Fournier (The Republicans), who will not be running again in the municipal elections in March, the "h2 Congress Centre" required two years of work.

Covering an area of ​​8.500 m2, the building, partly constructed with recycled materials, includes a 673-seat auditorium and, soon, a restaurant offering a panoramic view of the Arenas.

The Lens stones used for the facade cladding come from the Moulézan quarry, 20 km from Nîmes, the same one that was also used by the Romans to build the Maison Carrée 2000 years ago, a Roman temple listed since 2023 as a UNESCO World Heritage Site and an emblematic monument of Nîmes.

Built in an environment of pedestrian streets, the new congress space will "allow the city to be positioned as a leading destination for business tourism in Occitanie," hopes the municipality, which estimates the daily expenses of a congressman at 268 euros, compared to 75 euros for a regular visitor.

The cost of construction, 59,6 million euros, was covered by the city of Nîmes (31 million), the Nîmes-Métropole agglomeration (10 million), the Gard departmental council (6,5 million), the Occitanie regional council (nine million) and the State (three million).

The new convention center has obtained two environmental certifications, and 375 m² of solar panels have been installed for its own energy needs. Nineteen geothermal probes are expected to cover 90% of its energy requirements (heating and cooling).