Nîmes Arena held memorial ceremony on 12 November
Published on 11/14/2026 at 13:46 | Editorial responsibility: Rafael Müller, Editor-in-Chief AD HOC NEWSMemorial and Roman architecture
- The City of Nîmes organised a public memorial at the arena on 12 November 2026.
- The ceremony included a posthumous lap of the arena by toreros carrying Alain Montcouquiol’s coffin.
- The Roman amphitheatre was erected at the end of the first century AD and has 60 arcades.
A public memorial ceremony at Nîmes Arena (Arènes de Nîmes) took place on 12 November 2026, bringing a large crowd to the Roman amphitheatre in Nîmes, France. The event honoured Alain Montcouquiol, the former torero and writer known professionally as Nimeño I, who died on 5 November at the age of 81.
The ceremony was a current event at the site rather than a routine visit notice. It also prompted a full closure of the arena on 12 November, as recorded in the official closure notice.
Nîmes Arena held its memorial ceremony on 12 November
The City of Nîmes organised the public tribute in the arena. Visitors and supporters were admitted from the Porte des Consuls, and the ceremony began at 1.30pm, according to the public ceremony details published by ICI before the event.
Speeches were given by Nîmes mayor Vincent Bouget, matador Bernard Carbuccia and matador Thomas Joubert. Musician Philippe Cornier accompanied the tributes, before toreros and banderilleros carried Montcouquiol’s coffin around the arena’s track and out through the Porte des Consuls.
The ceremony was open to the public. The event was reported after it took place by ICI’s account of the tribute, which described about 1,000 people gathering on the sand of the arena.
The memorial connected the arena with Nîmes’ taurine history
The Roman amphitheatre was erected at the end of the first century AD. Its elliptical structure measures 133 metres by 101 metres, while the exterior has 60 superimposed arcades and two levels.
The monument is still used for concerts, festivals, bullfights and sporting events. Its role in the tribute to Montcouquiol reflected a modern cultural use of a building that has also been associated with Nîmes’ taurine traditions for generations.
The arena can hold up to 24,000 spectators, according to its official visitor information. The same information describes galleries, terraces and a route through the monument, linking the contemporary memorial setting with the building’s Roman circulation system.
Visiting Nîmes Arena: what travellers from Western Europe should know
- The memorial ceremony and the full closure took place on 12 November 2026. The event has ended, so it is not a future programme item for visitors.
- The closure concerned the whole arena and was connected with the public memorial ceremony. The official notice does not announce a continuing access restriction after 12 November 2026.
- The venue is on Boulevard des Arènes in Nîmes. The official visitor information identifies Nîmes Centre TGV station as the rail connection, with the station close to the monument.
- The amphitheatre has numerous stairways, circular galleries and elevated terraces. These features form part of the visitor route and may require movement through uneven historic spaces.
- French is the official language of France, and the national currency is the euro.
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Frequently asked questions about Nîmes Arena
When did the memorial ceremony take place at Nîmes Arena?
The City of Nîmes held the public memorial ceremony on 12 November 2026. It honoured Alain Montcouquiol, who died on 5 November 2026.
What happened at Nîmes Arena on 12 November 2026?
The arena closed for the ceremony, which included speeches, music and a posthumous lap of the track by toreros carrying Montcouquiol’s coffin.
Where is Nîmes Arena and how do you get there?
The monument is on Boulevard des Arènes in Nîmes. Nîmes Centre TGV station is the named rail connection close to the site.
