“The whole future of art is to be found in southern France” Van Gogh told Gauguin
Our image of Provence has been largely created by modern artists and they in turn have given the history of modern art a distinctly southern flavour. Familiar images include Cézanne’s Mont Ste-Victoire, Van Gogh’s tortured olive trees, Picasso’s nymphs and sea urchins, the iron tracery of Matisse’s balconies and Bonnard’s red-tiles roofs and palm trees, seen through an open window.
Today, Provence and the Côte d’Azur are among the best places in the world to see modern art in the setting in which it was created, to enjoy still the sensual pleasures and luminous light that inspired Cézanne, Van Gogh, Matisse and Picasso, and also to see many of the masterpieces that resulted.
Provençal Cuisine
The secret to Provençal cooking, one of the simplest, yet most flavoursome of French cuisines, is its total reliance on fresh natural ingredients and the fragrant herbs that are so abundant in this fertile region.
The Olive - The Phocaeans are believed to have introduced the olive tree to Provence around 600BC and harvesting and milling methods have changed little since then. Whole olives are milled and repeatedly pressed, producing about a litre of oil per 5kg of fruit. Only the results of initial pressings may be called virgin oils.
Vines were introduced to the Rhône valley some 2,600 years ago. The high-living Avignon papacy gave winemaking a further boost when it established its vineyards around its summer residences at Châteauneuf-du-Pape and in the Luberon. Today, most of the wines in the Vaucluse and Bouches du Rhône fall within the numerous appellations of the southern Côte du Rhône.
Châteauneuf-du-Pape – “The king of wines and the wine of kings.” Alphonse Daudet (1840-97) - The vineyards of Châteauneuf-du-Pape are planed with 13 different grade varieties, predominantly Grenache, followed by Mourvédre, Syrah and Cinsault. The best wines achieve their complexity and character from skilful blends of these grapes.
Places
Avignon
Contained within a ring of perfectly persevered walls, Avignon’s architectural wealth is a legacy of its papal rules, but Avignon is no staid and dusty museum city. It is as proud of its contemporary cultural scene as its history, and a thriving student population, plus the world-famous July festival, keep things lively.
Aix-en-Provence
Handsome, aristocratic Aix-en-Provence is a city of fountains and tree-lined avenues, and seats of one of Europe’s most prestigious universities. With its elegant town houses, smart shops and lively café society, it remains one of France’s most desirable cities to live in.
Arles
Arles is the soul of Provence. In among the nests of red roofs and maze of narrow streets are superb Roman remains, Romanesque churches and sun-dappled cafes. Arles is also gateway to the Camargue.
The Carmargue
Arles is the gateway to the Carmargue, a wild place of lagoons, rice fields, cowboys riding white horses, herds of black bulls and thousands of flamingos that turn the waters pink in summer.
Orange
Founded in around 35BC by retirees of the Second Roman Legion, the historic town of Ornage is famous for its two outstanding Roman monuments – the Arc de Triomphe and the Théâtre Antique.
The Pont du Gard
The extraordinary three-storey aqueduct dates from the 1st century AD and stands 19km northeast of Nîmes. The structure spans the Gardon valley and was built to bring water along a 50km long channel when the growing city’s water requirements were no longer met by the Nemausus spring. At 360 metres long and 48 metres high, it was the tallest bridge that the Romans ever built.
The Luberon
With its sensuous landscape of wooded limestone hills, rolling vineyard and orchards, peppered with picturesque hill villages, historic châteaux and country farmhouses, the Luberon has become one of the most fashionable areas of the Vaucluse.
Extracts from Insight Guide Provence © Apa Publications
Insight Guides - the world’s largest collection of visual travel guides
- Evocative Photography
- Illuminating text
- Incisive evaluations
- Detailed, cross-referenced maps
- Full listings
travelguru.tv members can save 25% on the rrp of Provence and all other Insight Guides.