Friday, July 20. We spent the day in and around Arles , one of the most charming and historic of Provence towns. Arles , originally a Greek settlement, gained favor
with Caesar and his successors and became one of the most important Provencial cities. Arles was built like Rome , with a fourth century emperor's palace, now
in ruins, an amphitheatre which seated 10,000 citizens where gladiators
fought bears, wolves, and bulls. Arles flourished in Roman times. Today the amphitheatre still is the scene of
bullfighting, however the bull is no longer killed. The amphitheater is under renovation, but is
still well- preserved with two floors of arches.
Ancient Roman amphitheater
in Arles (Arènes d'Arles)
The city gates are still standing but have
been seriously restored. They stand either side of the Via Aurelia, the highway
which ran all the way from Arles to Rome .
Nothing remains of the Place du Forum, but it still is the hub of the
town and also the inspiration for Vincent Van Gogh's painting Cafe Terrace at Night (1888).
It is still a vibrant cafe on the square with yellow awnings. Vincent Van Gogh
made his home in Arles and nearby St-Remy. It was the Provencial sunshine and influence of
his friend/foe Gauguin that changed the way he saw light and color. We visited the psychiatric clinic in St-Remy
where he stayed for over a year and where he discovered again the joy of
painting, turning out canvas after canvas inspired by the wheat fields, irises,
trees, sunflowers that flourished in the region.
Cafe Terrace at Night (1888), Vincent Van Gogh
The Cafe that served as inspiration as it stands today
We rode to a nearby quarry at the foot of Les
Baux for a most unique experience at the Carrieres de Lumieres where we viewed
a visual exhibit like an IMAX but on the walls of this former limestone quarry. Many many projectors displayed an ever changing display of works by Van Gogh
and Gauguin, set to hauntingly beautiful music.
Unbelievable!
The other part of
our group visited Les Baux, whose name refers to the Bauxite (an aluminum ore)
that was found in the region. Les Baux
was an early defensive site for the Provence . Les
Baux finally became part of the French Provence, becoming a Protestantism
center and attempting an unsuccessful
revolt against the French crown in1632.
From it's lofty heighth the view of the countryside was breathtaking.
Village and countryside of Les Baux
From there they traveled to Moulin Huile de
Calanquet, an olive growing area in Ste-Remy One member of the
group is shipping home 2 gallons of her favorite! (See previous post)
After dinner and cake with Dwight and Jean Denny who were celebrating their anniversary, the Amadagio docked in Avignon , our next port of call. What adventures are in store for us
tomorrow?
A demain........
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