Gigondas and Vaison la RomaineOn Wed Oct 18 we drove back across the Rhone to scope out a couple of very old villages, Gigondas and Vaison la Romaine. Since this was our first trip to the south of France we were quite eager to check out as many spots as we could. These two towns were quite picturesque but they were another place where there was no one around during the week, at least this time of year. Vaison la Romaine was first. This was the site of a sizable Roman colony in classical times. There are major digs going on now to excavate the ruins. In the medieval period the village we visited grew up around the castle at the top of the hill.
Les Baux de ProvenceTues Oct 17 Time to forgo the Roman sites now and get back to the Middle Ages. This day we would explore the medieval castle and town of Les Baux. Whereas the Romans built their cities with trade in mind, feudal society was more concerned with defense. So this mountain redoubt northeast of Arles would dominate the lower Rhone valley for most of the Middle Ages. The village is a "frozen in time" kind of place with all the buildings many hundreds of years old. The castle was as much dug out of the mountain as built on it. There is enough of it left to get the feel for life in a medieval stronghold. During the religious wars of the 17th century Protestant rebels took over the then vacant fortress, against the wishes of the villagers, and had to be extracted by force. The villagers then petitioned the king to have the castle walls demolished. They were blown down from the inside with gunpower. Had they no idea they were on a gold mine of a tourist attraction!!? First though, the drive over. We crossed the Rhone at the town of Beaucaire. They too, have a castle. We just grabbed a few shots as we passed through.
As we arrived at Les Baux it began to rain so we decided to retreat to Saint-Remy and find some lunch. A creperie promptly presented itself. Just what we wanted. These creperies are one of the French versions of fast food. They are very quick and soooo much better.
We then walked around the town a little just to check it out. This store was pushing some kind of bear theme. We like bears.
Jeanne Marie is widely revered here, as she is everywhere.
Finally the rain started lifting so we headed back to Les Baux.
Walking around these quaint little places can really pull one back in time.
The view from the top. Above, of the fortress, below, of the valley beyond the walls.
You think our schools are tough? These French kids didn't do their homework!
We were wise to retreat from the rain earlier. It turned into a gorgeous day. Orange and Chateauneuf du PapeMon Oct 16th Another day another Roman ruin. Are you sure we're in France? We did make an effort on this trip to track down every place the Romans had a significant presence. As I mentioned earlier the very density of all this stuff really helps to get a picture of what life in those days was like. Orange was founded right after Julius Caesar's full conquest of Gaul, by veterans of the Roman Army. So when Caesar Augustus established the Pax Romana it was ready to blossom into a center of civilization, as the founders were keen to emulate anything Roman. The two surviving Roman structures are the theater and a grand triumphal arch. The theater is first.
As grand as this place looks it was originally much more grand. The columns embedded in the wall are all that remain of 44 original ones. That massive stone back wall provided great acoustics too. A steady bill of plays and concerts are held here in the warmer months.
The other Roman antiquity to check out is the triumphal arch that stands at the original north gate to the town.
On the way home we stopped in at Chateauneuf du Pape. This village just north of Avignon that is the center of the Chateauneuf du Pape wine growing region, one of the more renowned in the world. It is a must stop for wine lovers, hence, we stopped! What we were finding, and would see again, was that this time of year not a lot was open during the week. We still tasted some wine and bought a few bottles.
The castle that guards the town was damaged during the religious wars of the 17th century so less than half of the original complex is still standing. The Avignon Popes had built it and used it as a summer residence.
ArlesSunday Oct 15th. After mass in Uzes we headed down to Arles. This is the only town we visited besides Avignon that I had ever heard of, and that's only because Van Gogh painted there. In fact he painted over 300 pictures in and around Arles. It is a very old town that sits right where the Rhone widens into its delta. The Romans built a lot of what we saw.
The cafe above was the scene for one of Van Gogh's more well known paintings.
The cathedral was open so we slipped in for a visit. It was Sunday after all.
Then it was on to the Roman stuff. They left us a large amphitheater for the big events and a smaller one for plays. Both are in use today.
The obelisk above from the fourth century is part of the Roman legacy
On the way home we stopped at a couple points of interest. First a windmill. The environment provides enough steady wind to make building windmills in medieval times worthwhile. Quite a few dotted the landscape until the steam age. We also found the ruins of another Roman aqueduct. This one was not quite as majestic, nor was it in as good a condition, as Pont de Gard. It provided a different kind of picture too.
Back to Uzes for wine. More Roman ruins tomorrow. More UzesSaturday Oct 14th Saturday is market day in Uzes. A large open air market popped up overnight, filling the town square and spilling into the side streets. By 9 o'clock it was thronging with customers. This is where the French do their shopping and great fun to see. A few pictures are posted below.
Above are a selection of cheeses. Below is a baby kangaroo if you find you find yourself in need of one of those.
After checking out the market we embarked on an expedition to check out the rest of the town. And Uzes, for a town none of us had ever heard of, has quite a rich history. For instance the Duchy of Uzes, by a series of historical events, has risen to the first peerage of France, ranking just below the royal family. The Duke and Duchess take up residence here regularly. Here are more pictures.
Below is the Duke's private chapel.
We didn't get to see a wedding but we got to see a bride arriving for her reception.
One of the little things we Americans have lost, now that we buy everything online, is shop windows. Walking through these old streets with their little shops is one of the little pleasures.
Below is my technique for getting a selfie.
These porcelain chickens pictured below are very popular. We saw them in a number of shops.
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