The lovely and colorful region of Provence, which is situated in the South of France, is much beloved by its residents and tourists alike.  We also have developed a deep fondness for the region as we traveled through its charming cities and medieval hilltowns taking in beautiful views of the many vineyards, olive groves, limestone hills and sheer cliffs;  the many colorful markets and festivals; and the legendary culinary delights of the region.  

Van Gogh's Arles

Arles is a captivating city with its narrow alley ways, traditional and elegantly weathered homes, busy squares and Roman ruins.  The buildings, bridges, trees, parks and people of Arles were all popular subjects for paintings by several impressionist masters, including Vincent van Gogh.  While he produced many colorful masterpieces, Van Gogh only painted for ten years.  Most of his works were painted during the two years that he lived in Provence (between 1888 and 1890).  He lived and painted in Arles during a majority of that time.  It was here that he painted his famous Sunflowers.   He was so in love with Arles that he wanted to make it an artist colony. He invited his friend, Paul Gaugin, to come and live with him and paint the lovely landscapes of Provence.  However, soon after Gaugin arrived, Vincent began to have mad rages which led him to demand that his friend leave and to cut off his own ear and give it to a prostitute.  After this madness, he went to live in a sanitarium in nearby St. Rémy where he painted other great masterpieces.  Soon after checking out of the sanitarium, Vincent van Gogh committed suicide at the young age of thirty-seven.  In honor of Vincent van Gogh, let's admire the beautiful town which he adored so much.

Arles is sometimes referred to as the little Rome on the Rhone (river), given its beautiful Roman ruins.   While very picturesque, the Rhone river is situated outside the ancient walls of Arles, and the city seems to ignore it.  This does not seem to matter to the residents and visitors of Arles, as the town itself has so much beauty and culture to offer, the river seems to lend little importance to everyday life in Arles.

This beautiful tree lined walk--Les Alyscamps-- was the subject of beautiful paintings by both Van Gogh and Gauguin.

Located between Italy and Spain, Arles became an important port for the Roman Empire.  Ceasar made Arles his first Roman provence outside of Italy after the city helped him to defeat the enemy in Marseille.  The Roman empire built a large amphitheater, a theater, a column lined forum and many other fine buildings, much of which can still be enjoyed today.  Here Rich stands upon roman architecture which has been in the exact same spot for almost two thousand years.  With so many remnants of the Roman empire, the city has a very Italian feel to it. 

Colorful shutters and flower boxes adorn the windows on many of the traditional homes in Arles.  

Saturday is the big market day in Arles.  Rich and I enjoyed walking past the stands which were selling everything fresh, from fish to cheese to vegetables to fruits to olives to breads to pastries to sausages to tripe.  We selected a wide assortment of these fine foods for our picnic lunch in Les Baux.  Rich was feeling a little crazy, so he purchased some tripe (pigs intestines) and bull sausage.  We rounded out our picnic with several varieties of goat cheese, fruit and, of course, baguettes.   

The medieval town of Les Baux

The picturesque town of Les Baux sits high upon a massive rocky outcrop and is surrounded by vineyards, olive tree orchards and rolling hillsides.  The town played an important role in Provence's history for half of a century, until it was demolished by King Louis XIII during the early seventeenth century.  

The old town of Les Baux, including its protective fortress, now sits empty.  You can still go inside the walls and enjoy the remains and the beautiful views below.  Just outside the old city walls, however, one may find many shops and restaurants that cater to the old town's visitors.  

Rich enjoys the fine views from the old town of Les Baux.  While he may look like he is happy, he is actually suffering, as the tripe was not all it was cracked up to be.

We walked around the hilltop for two hours enjoying the spectacular views, like you can see here.

If you think you can handle it, click the bull and jump on over to 2 Go Bullfighting to learn the art and danger of Spain's favorite sport which also plays a prominent role in the South of France.  Be warned, though, a bullfight is horribly cruel and the bull suffers dramatically

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