Provence Beyond Arles, Part One

 

The countryside surrounding Arles offers a captivating blend of natural beauty and cultural heritage. Small villages perch atop the hillsides, each echoing stories of times past through their narrow cobblestone streets. 

Farmsteads nestle in verdant valleys, surrounded by the silvery arms of olive groves and terraced vineyards, promising a bounty of wine.

Close to Arles lies the quaint commune of Les Baux-de-Provence. While renowned for its beauty, the main attraction is the medieval fortress perched high on a rocky outcrop in the Alpilles. 

Covering over 12 acres, the castle offers a spectacular view. The village lends its name to bauxite, an aluminum ore discovered nearby.

The region is rich in Roman ruins, often glimpsed from the countryside roads. Glanum is a notable site, inhabited since 6th or 7th century BCE. Originally a Celtic shrine, it later became a Roman settlement boasting well-preserved buildings with mosaic-adorned floors.

Provencal cuisine delights with aromatic dishes cooked in olive oil, featuring onions, garlic, native herbs, tomatoes, saffron, and even dried orange peel. One iconic dish, Bouillabaisse, originated in Marseille, where fishermen created a flavorful fish soup. A visit to Marseille also led us to the bustling garlic market, where vendors sell their wares from stalls or the backs of their vehicles.

From 1309 to 1376, Avignon served as the seat of the papacy, a result of conflicts between Philip IV of France and the papacy. The period saw seven successive popes in Avignon, leaving a rich historical legacy. Today, Avignon is famed for its Châteauneuf-du-Pape wine and immortalized in the French children's song "Sur le Pont d'Avignon".

Built between 1177 and 1185, the Saint-Bénezet Bridge, known as “Pont d'Avignon”, originally consisted of 22 arches connecting Avignon Extensive damge from war and flooding of the Rhône mean that only 4 arches remain today. 

In the Land of Oc

We left Carcassonne and the Pyrénées and headed East to the Camargue and Provence. We landed in Arles which became our pied à terre for the next couple of weeks. The Romans called the city "Arelate" from the Gaulish name which translates to "By the marsh," referring to the marshlands of the Camargue which surround the city. Arles, of course, is where Van Gogh spent a lot of time at the end of his life. His time there is considered the most prolific of his life. During 12 months he produced an incredible 187 paintings. Some of his most famous paintings were done there; “Starry Night”, “Café Terrace”, “The Bridge in Arles”. One canvas featured the Coliseum.

When we were there, the coliseum was not as crowded as when Van Gogh painted it. 

During Roman times, the coliseum could seat 20,000 people. During the middle ages, it was transformed into a fortress for protection and people built houses and a chapel there. 

The coliseum is still used for concerts and bull fighting-yes, bullfighting is not limited to Spain.

Public parks are an important part of every French city. Van Gogh painted the entrance to the public park in Arles. 

It's pretty much the same today.

Arles was an important city in the Roman empire. Strategically located on the southern Rhône it became an important economic, political and cultural center. The 4^th century poet Ausonius called it “The Rome of the Gauls.”  The city is the site of numerous Roman structures.

In addition to the coliseum, Arles boasted a 10,000 seat amphitheater. Sadly, only two pillars remain standing from this structure, Les Deux Veuves (The Two Widows).

When you stroll through European towns, one delightful feature that catches your eye is the abundance of window boxes. These charming containers grace the facades of buildings, adding color, texture, and vibrancy to the urban landscape.

 

                                                

While supermarkets and convenience stores have become widespread in urban areas, there is still demand for specialized and high-quality products that are often found in butcher shops and produce markets. Consumers may prefer the personalized service, expertise, and freshness that these establishments can provide. Additionally, some people prioritize supporting local farmers and businesses, which can be facilitated through these smaller, more specialized shops. In France, where cuisine occupies a central place in the culture, these small shops offer higher quality goods.

Place de la Republique in the center of town is dominated by an obelisk from the 4th century. It was erected by the emperor Constantine II as part of the Roman circus. After the circus fell into disuse, the obelisk toppled in the 6th century and was forgotten. It was rediscovered in the 14th century and re-erected on top of a pedestal on March 26, 1676. A fountain was added to the pedestal in the 19th century.

Fairy Tales

After several stopovers in Paris and having done the typical tourist activities there, it was time for the "grand tour." We began our journey not in France but in Barcelona, Spain. We wandered through the market with its fancy, stained glass entrance, enjoying the vibrant atmosphere.

We found peace and quiet in a lakeside park where we stumbled upon a charming tea party. 

We spent a few days there and then took the train to the southern French city of Perpignan where we rented a car and headed west to the Pyrénées.

The rugged mountains were stunning, with yellow wildflowers in bloom. 

While the mountains appeared rocky and inhospitable in places the green pastures and vineyards belied the fact that they were home to many people probably as rugged as the hills themselves.

 Looking at the pictures today, I think of the French Resistance and the women who evaded Nazis in order to lead allied pilots-whose planes had been shot down or had crashed-out of Vichy controlled France. They crossed the Pyrénées on foot, often in brutal winter weather to get the airmen into “neutral” Spain where they could get back to England and fly again against Hitler’s army.

Scattered throughout the mountains are small villages where the French Resistance gave shelter to the refugees. These shelters were often field houses where farmers stayed while tending their vines. 

The mountain roads passed through dense forests and shady hollows where you might come across a little roadside shrine.

Our destination was the hilltop fortress of Carcassone. The region around Carcassone has been occupied since 3600 BC. It became an important trading center around 600 BC.The Romans recognized the strategic importance of the hilltop site and they built fortifications there to protect the trade route from the Atlantic to the Mediterranean.

 The citadel remained under Roman control until the demise of the Roman empire when it was ceded to the Visigoths. Control of the city changed hands several times during the next 3 centuries or so but came under Frankish rule after the forces of Pepin the Short expelled the Arabs and Berbers in 759. As part of the Frankish realm, Carcassone became a medieval fiefdom and the city and its walls were expanded and Carcassone retained its strategic importance.

 

Today it is a UNESCO World Heritage Site due to its well preserved structures inside its walls. Walking along the ramparts evokes images of fairy tale princesses in distress and knights in shining armor come to rescue them. 

                                               It is truly a fairy tale city.

We Become Tourists

 After several short trips and stopovers in Paris, we decided to do the city right and spent a couple of weeks there. It was a lazy trip in late Spring. On a previous trip we had discovered a new place to stay, Hotel Floridor. It’s located near Place Denfert Rochereau in the neighborhood where we had stayed previously. By this time, we had already stayed at the Floridor several times and became regular customers there. On one trip to Paris, I called from the airport to secure a room and was told that no rooms were available. I asked, “Même pour un client assidu?” (Even for a regular patron?). I was flattered that they found a room for us. The hotel is right across the street from the catacombs but for some reason we never visited the catacombs.

 

We spent a lot of time just wandering streets in various parts of Paris. We watched street artists in Montmartre as they sketched Sacré Coeur and picturesque street scenes.

 

Blvd Montparnasse is in the neighborhood of the Floridor, just one Métro stop away. The street is home to many bistros and brasseries made famous by the “Lost Generation” of American expats like Fitzgerld and Hemingway. 

La Coupole is one we enjoyed.. The restaurant is divided into two ections separated by a short divider wall. The tables in one half are adorned with linen tablecloths while the tables in the other half are covered with paper and both sides boast art deco straight out of the 1920s The menu and prices are the same in both sides of the restaurant. The food is excellent and people often go there to be seen. I had steack tartare there for the first time.

 

Wandering the streets of Paris is always interesting. The campy shops on Île de la Cité offer some of the most colorful products. 

                Fresh flowers are important to Parisiennes and flower markets are easy to find.

There's hardly a street in Paris that doesn't have at least one sidewalk café where you can rest your legs and sip a refreshing brew and maybe write a few postcards to your jealous friends back home.

Even if you’ve been to Paris many times, Notre Dame cathedral is a must do. Back in the 1970s you could actually visit without throngs of other tourists crowding the scene.

While the roof line of the cathedral has rows of marching saints, gargoyles festoon the eaves and gables. They are there to shed rainwater and to remind believers of the perils of sin. It was also believed that they would serve to discourage visits from Satan and bad spirits.

I had to take Claudia to the Palais de Chaillot to see the magnificent fountains.   

 

A short walk over the Pont St Michel from Île de la Cité brings you to Blvd St Michel and the Latin Quarter, home to riverside book venders, tony shops and restaurants galore where a prix fixe lunch is affordable to the most frugal tourist. It’s a busy part of Paris day and night.