Both times I have traveled to the Provence was in winter and, coincidentally, the same days but with 18 years apart. This means that I probably lost one of its attractions: the colors of their fields in the spring or the endless blue-stained slopes with the heavy scent of lavender fields in bloom during the months of July and August as a convenience, we able to move virtually alone on tourist places in summer should be a real hotbed. Of course, many stores closed, both restaurants and bars - sometimes it becomes difficult to find a place to eat, such as art galleries, a museum or different offers adventure activities. Time only suitable for those who, like us, are nothing friends of the crowds.
If I had to choose a people to define the essence of Provence , it would be difficult but I think this would Saint Rémy .
In our last trip (1992), Saint Rémy take as a base and slept 9 or 10 nights in the village, which then often appeared in the pages of pink paper as Princess Caroline of Monaco had retired there with her three children when her husband died in an accident. I think we got to know every corner of its labyrinthine cobbled streets of the Old City and then driving now, you were going on the memories as if time had passed.
Small squares, church, market square, shops herbes de Provence, the birthplace of Nostradamus, born here a December 14, 1503 - even the supermarket where we "discover" tasty applesauce. Some local businesses have changed and others have closed in the market place is no longer the trailer where we bought pizza slices. The town has grown and it seems, maybe just seems, has lost some charm. A feeling that will be repeated throughout the trip.
Saint Rémy is a good place to stay, as it is in the center of the region of Bouches du Rhone with many attractions a few miles.
A output the city can be visited and Glanum Les Antiques, two major trading centers that Phoceans up beside a sacred spring. Les Antiques complex consists of a triumphal arch and a mausoleum in very good condition. The latter is a memorial dedicated to two grandsons of Augustus, Achaia and Lucius Caesar, who died prematurely and the triumphal arch , also built during the reign of Augustus, crosses the road linking Spain to Italy in order mark the entrance to the city of Glanum.
Glanum excavations are situated directly opposite the other side of the road, but has a more complicated access. Celtic-Ligurian origin, was a sanctuary city that flourished as a commercial point of influence during the Greco-gala and later the Romans, until its destruction in the third century at the hands of occupying troops.
A few meters away is the psychiatric hospital Saint Paul de Mausole . This is where Van Gogh was hospitalized for a year-May 1889 May 1890 - one of the most creative periods of the artist.
can visit the pretty cloister and the recreation room where he lived and from which he painted some of his works.
the surroundings, there is the possibility to make a nice walk over which they find reproductions of many of the works he painted there, acclimated in situ: lilies, olive trees with their sinuous trunks, wheat fields and cypress trees, the starry night ... they all reflect the atmosphere of calm there is breathing and brought him much peace. The same peace that we find ourselves ... we are the only visitors and the deathly silence, the gray day and the memories of psychiatric visits make it a very special purchase.
Van Gogh fell in love with Provence, its light and its colors and settled here after his Paris period. In February 1888 he moved to Arles encouraged by Lautrec and initially settled in a small hotel room Carrel. He painted everything in sight: the surrounding countryside, crops, sunflowers, portraits and various corners of the city that were set out again and again in his paintings now on display at Arabian postcards found in all souvenir shops as one of the best tourist attractions. During this period began using the swirling brush strokes and shades of yellow, orange, green, purple and deep blue, how While expressing his feelings and his own mental state.
In some places where the artist planted his easel panels are placed to reproduce the original paintings, as in the square Roman forum where the latter is only a bare minimum: two columns and a small piece in front of the temple built in 46 BC by Julius Caesar.
This small square is surrounded by restaurants with outdoor seating, now almost empty and one of the buildings draws attention to the rest of the facade painted yellow. This is the "Café La Nuit " now Café Van Gogh immortalized by the author in one of his most famous painting in the city of Arles.
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| Le Café La Nuit. Vicent Van Gogh |
Later that same year, Gauguin traveled to Arles invited by his friend, who had previously conducted a series of paintings to decorate the house, known as the room that had been destined for a short stay. It was Gauguin who encouraged Van Gogh to paint historic sites of Arles and worked together for a short period. It is well known for its temperamental nature, coexistence between the two artists went from bad to worse and that one of the many discussions, Van Gogh ended with part of his left ear lobe maimed. There are different versions of events (aggression Gauguin with his dagger or self-mutilation), but the fact is that Gauguin Arles, Paris changed and did not to have contact with Vincent who decided voluntarily interned in psychiatric hospital in Saint Paul.
In May 1890 he traveled to Paris to visit his brother Theo, but her depression worsened and he spent his last days in Auvers-sur-Oise, where on 27 July 1890 their only 37, shot himself in the chest that would cause death two days later.
Another is people who recommend visiting Les Baux de Provence which is only a 10 km of Saint Remy a veritable fortress out of a fairy tale. Perched on a rock 280 meters , is one of the people listed among the most beautiful in France.
In this case, do not know if Van Gogh was dropped by here, but they did the troubadours and minstrels. Although very few people actually live, between 1000 and 1400 was a period of great splendor, when the feudal lords of Baux were feared throughout the area. These stones were born in Age Media the first courts of love and jugglers art gave away amid the wrath of their masters. Chaired by the ruins of the castle, the town is most picturesque. It must park their cars outside the village and pay a fee of € 4. Worthwhile, if only to admire the magnificent views of the Alpilles chain on the horizon across the valley.
Although there are a few museums and art galleries, the most attractive is to traverse its steep and well arranged streets to the top where the church San Vicente, the twelfth century.
As curiosities, note that the 1642 to 1791, the village belonged to the Grimaldi family of Monaco and the name of bauxite ore from which aluminum is extracted comes from this town to be which was exploited for the first time.
A view of the large number of souvenir shops and restaurants - all closed at this time of year - I guess as it should be the people during the summer months. My recommendation: if you run out of food, avoid July and August.
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