Visiting some of the countryside of Provence and Arles

Bonjour tout le monde,

At the invitation of Nicole, one of our conversation partners, we decided to visit her summer home in Roaix, a small village of some 500 inhabitants in the Vaison-la-Romaine region of Provence, about 80 miles north-west of Aix.

As we soon discovered, this Vaison-la-Romaine area boasts some of the most beautiful villages (all within a 15 mile area) in Provence. Nestled in the foothills of the nearby mountains, with an altitude around 200m, the villages overflow with ancient, Roman/medieval architecture--castles, churches, bridges, amphitheaters etc. In some of the village areas, narrow stoned passways/roadways wind up the hillsides with residences and an occasional restaurant on both sides.

There is an unmistakable quaintness and historical beauty to the these villages. You get the feeling that everybody knows everybody ... and that people don't seem to be in a hurry.

We enjoyed roaming the streets of Nicole's village, Roaix (where we spent the night), seeing the historical manor (castle) with its expansive grounds (boasting fountains, columns, pools, gardens, lawns, and even a tennis court). The nearby ville of Vaison-la-Romaine (6,000 inhabitants and by far the most populated of the 14, or so, villages) sports a rich tradition in the arts over the decades. The evening we visited, they were preparing for opening night of some renowned dance festival, to be held in the ancient amphitheatre (capacity, well over 2,000). There was a buzz all about and people--everywhere--on their way to the theatre.

The next morning and early afternoon, we visited the village of Entrechaux (population 869), the native village of Nicole's grandparents. We purchased some breakfast breads at the local boulangerie and enjoyed some vibrant French conversation with Nicole's childhood friend, Michel, an opera buff, whose family still lived in the village (he was currently living in Avignon).

Mid-afternoon, we were off to Arles (some 75 miles away), passing through St. Remy en route, both renowned villes where the famous impressionist painter, Vincent Van Gogh, both lived and painted. Along the way, we saw first-hand some of the beautiful sunflower fields (which Van Gogh had included in some of his paintings), with the mid-day sunlight glistening, radiantly, off the sunflowers.

St. Remy is a cute small town. Much larger (over 50,000), Arles is a blend of the late 20th century with the ancient and historical periods of its robust past. Its ancient amphitheatre (from the Roman era) is still used for local events, including (we were told) bull fights. The Rhone river (one of Provence's major rivers) runs through Arles and there is a scenic walk-walk along the river side.

At numerous points in Arles (where we spent the night), Van Gogh's presence is remembered and celebrated. Soon, after touring (mostly by foot) the town center and most of the historical sites, we were on our way back to Aix to dine at our flat and watch the finals of the World Cup with Natasha, Lawrence and our beloved granddaughter, Annika.

A bientot for now ...