PASSIONATE ABOUT PROVENCE
By Jane Cassie
(For Travel Writers' Tales )

Castle ruins, quaint townships, country fields, rich with lavender and poppies. Boasting colourful landscapes and intriguing history, beloved Provence, in south-eastern France, has been inspiring writers (and artists) for centuries. And now it has inspired me!

During our visit, St-Remy-de-Provence is home-base, a charming historic town in the heart of the Alpilles. A tree-shaded road rings the network of alleyways, trendy shops and chic restaurants. Wanting an authentic experience, we book into Maison D'Isidore, a quintessentially French B&B on one of the quiet pedestrian lanes. It's the perfect spot to settle in, then venture out. And over the next three glorious days, while exploring these must-sees, we fall in love with it all.

Day 1

Pope's Palace

In thirty minutes we're in Avignon, "the city of popes" where, behind its rampart walls is a web of cobblestone streets and attractions. We mosey past architectural beauties, fourteenth century churches, then tour Palais des Papes, the world's largest Gothic palace where Pope Clement V and others of the cloth resided from 1309 to 1377. "Amazing," my husband says when checking out rooms like the Pope's chamber, lavish chapels and Great Audience Hall.

Great hall in Pope's palace

Avignon Bridge

Childhood memories are renewed a short distance away while viewing the archways of Avignon Bridge that hover above the Rhone.

Brent and Jane backdrop of Avignon

And we're still singing "Sur le Pont d'Avignon L'on y danse, l'on y danse" half an hour later at Pont du Gard, a two-thousand year old aqueduct that crosses the Gardon River Valley. Our camera goes into overdrive trying to capture this UNESCO World Heritage Site. It's an impossible quest to conquer.

Pont du Gard

Day 2

Jane enjoying gardens at Chateau Tarascon

Nearby Tarascon is a historical hamlet with legends that date back to prehistory. We peer into the fifteenth century Church of Sainte-Marthe . Though impressive, this heavenly haven is not the head pin on this street. Limestone walls of the adjacent twelfth century Chateau Tarascon soar 48 meters (157 feet) skyward. Spiral staircases take us to once opulent rooms, and the rampart-fringed rooftop provides one pretty panorama. We gaze down the Rhone, trying to pinpoint our next stop.

Twenty Kilometres south is Arles, another must-see beauty, where Vincent van Gogh made his mark. While wandering the crooked streets we learn about the life and troubling times of this famous artist. It's easy to see why he and others are drawn to this charming town where a palette of pale pinks, lavender and yellow contrast with limestone walls. At the hub is Les Arenes, an arched walled amphitheatre that once housed 20,000 spectators during the middle ages, and a few winding blocks away is the Museum of Antiquities where Roman era artefacts are well preserved.

Les Arenes Arles

Day 3

We also get a glimpse into the life of Vincent van Gogh when strolling the main street that links St Remy to Saint Paul de Mausole Monastery, once a psychiatric institution where this artist spent time. As well as on placards along this route, reproductions of his works are hung throughout this asylum. This peaceful haven was the inspiration for three hundred of his works. Today, artists can be seen in the gardens, and courtyard discovering inspiration of their own.

Mausoleum, one of the best-preserved monuments of the ancient world

A few minutes up the road is Glanum, rocky ruins of a Roman town, with evidence of predecessors that date back to the sixth century BC. Two monuments, known as Les Antiques, are the first stops of interest, one being the southern gate of Glanum, the other a tower-shaped mausoleum, which is one of the best-preserved monuments of the ancient world. We wander the once main street, now crushed rock, where plaques provide insight into past structures; a four roomed market, thermal baths, Tuscan Temple, sacred springs. "I doubt this water is still treasured," Brent says, when gazing down a stone staircase that leads to a swampy looking basin. "Want to find out?" Although I'm sweltering from the day's heat, I can think of better places to swim. And that, we do.

Napolean Beach

Within an hour we're driving down D35, a route that hugs up to the Rhone River. At the end of a jetty peninsula is Napoleon Beach, a tide-line that stretches for miles. The sand is soft underfoot, the lapping waves are refreshing and the aquamarine Mediterranean Sea that stretches beyond is spectacular. This hidden gem is a sanctuary in the sun, a grand finale to our three day stay, and yet another reason for feeling passionate about Provence.

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IF YOU GO:

https://www.aixenprovencetourism.com/en/

Maison D'Isidore https://www.maisonsaintremy.fr/en/

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Images by Brent and Jane Cassie