Provence Dream Chateau
Entire home in Uchaux, France
- 6 guests ·
- · 2 bedrooms ·
- · 4 beds ·
- · 2 baths
Hosted by John
- 7 years hosting
Listing highlights
Self check-in
Check yourself in with the lockbox.
Vineyard and garden views
Soak up the views during your stay.
Great for remote work
Fast wifi at 442 Mbps, plus a dedicated workspace in a common area.
Some info has been automatically translated.
This very recently upgraded, expanded, and modernized Provencal medieval stone cottage is located along a narrow lane in the tiny village of Hauteville, Uchaux located in the wine region of the Rhone Valley. It is between the vineyards of Chateauneuf-du-Pape and 10 km from the Roman monuments of Orange. From this comfortable, rural home base you can spend two weeks or more making easy day trips in literally every direction to see many scenic cultural, historical, and natural treasures.
The space
A perfect “staycation” destination, in the heart of Uchaux, the house is located in a small peaceful hamlet where your privacy and tranquility will be respected.
Close to various cultural sites, you can enjoy local wines (Chateauneuf-du-Pape, Gigondas, Rasteau, Seguret and many others), Roman monuments such as the Ancient Theater of Orange and the Arc de Triomphe. In the summer season you can enjoy the prestigious Chorégies d'Orange and the Avignon Festival, hiking, visits to nearby historic towns and heritage sites
Guest access
You will have access to the house in its entirety.
Other things to note
This very recently upgraded, expanded, and modernized Provencal medieval cottage is located along a narrow lane in the tiny village of Hauteville, Uchaux. It is a two minute walk from the Renaissance era Chateau de Masillan, part of which can be seen from the property. Travel times by car are three minutes to the village of Uchaux, and 20 minutes to Orange.
From this comfortable, rural home base you can spend two weeks or more making easy day trips in literally every direction to see many scenic cultural, historical, and natural treasures. Farther below you will find a list and description of some of the most famous and compelling of these sites, along with an estimated one-way travel time. (The list will be supplemented with more sites, and is currently a work in progress.)
Beginning a few dozen steps beyond the cottage and continuing all the way to the major tourist sites, you will pass through mile upon mile of bucolic, sun-drenched Cotes du Rhone vineyards, gray-green olive groves, fruit orchards, and billowing fields of grain and lavender, with the fertile lowlands punctuated by medieval-era towns clustered around the hilltops.
The greater Rhone Valley, the nearby uplands, and the Mediterranean coast are deeply layered in natural beauty, as well as the spectacular to mundane remnants of many millennia of human occupation. In addition to being an agricultural cornucopia, nature has blessed the region with hills and mountains, natural bridges, clear-flowing streams, and gray to white limestone gorges and plateaus which are honeycombed with hundreds of caves. Adventurous visitors can take to the region's various rivers in canoe or kayak, and hike and bike in many places.
In time-misted prehistory back to 30,000 years ago, intrepid Paleolithic Ice Age hunter-gatherers ventured deep into several of the area's caves to paint surprisingly modern images of the animals of their world. Pre-history merged into history, bestowing the region with a panoply of fascinating gems of evolving high culture, including pre-Roman Gallic oppidiums (fortified hill towns) which co-existed with Greek colonies clustered along the sparkling azure waters of that ancient aqueous superhighway, the Mediterranean. The Romans left a splendid architectural stamp, consisting of awesome aqueducts, triumphal arches, arenas, amphitheaters, temples, and town ruins. As pagan gave way to Christian and the stable Pax Romana decayed into the turbulent medieval period, sumptuous cathedrals, abbeys, castles, and palaces rose to please God and serve man. The vibrant modern cities and towns boast architecture from the ancient to the Renaissance to the modern. The traveler in this bounteously beautiful land looks heavenward to impossibly scenic, castle-crowned hill towns. Above it all, blue in the far distance, the entire region is presided over by the outline of Mount Ventoux, easternmost manifestation of the mighty Alps.
Every sizable Provencal town has its weekly market day. You must consider your stay in Provence incomplete without a visit to at least one! The cottage has a booklet with a list of market days for all the towns within easy driving distance. At the markets you will find a profusion of tables filled with agricultural bounty in the form of fruits, vegetables, nuts, spices, lavender, flowers, meats, poultry, and fish. In addition, there are various local specialties and locally prepared and pre-cooked food items, which are guaranteed to quell your hunger on the spot or later upon plan or impulse. The ladies and the artsy men will enjoy the clothes and the local arts and crafts. And for the fellows (and the few gals) who don't like to go shopping . . . take it from a man who is a committed shopping dis-liker -- unless you are agoraphobic, a trip to a Provencal market will be an entertaining and memorable experience. The buzz and bustle of people; the intimate mix of sounds and smells -- and the vivid colors, with the emphatically unique local splash of lavender-laden Provencal purple! Forever-after you will understand why some of the French impressionists found in this region a cornucopia of hue-leavened inspiration.
Pont du Gard (30 minutes to the southwest)
Pont du Gard floats near the top of any list of sites to see in Provence. It is the tallest of all Roman aqueducts, and contends favorably with the aqueduct of Seville, Spain for the title of grandest of all the surviving aqueducts. A UNESCO World Heritage Site, Pont du Gard was built in the first century AD as part of a project to supply water to the nearby city of Nimes. Near the site of this awe-inspiring statement of Roman engineering prowess is an excellent museum with many artifacts and exhibits which do an admirable job explaining precisely how the Romans pulled off this feat of delivering spring water 31 miles to Nimes with an elevation loss of 56 ft. Yes, you read that right – the massive aqueduct itself is only part of an amazing engineering exploit: the Romans managed to maintain a downhill slope along every inch of 31 miles with a total drop of only 56 ft!
For a reasonably good look at the aqueduct, expect to spend two hours at the site if you bypass the museum. It will take a good half day if you want to spend adequate time in the museum and examine the structure from multiple prepositional perspectives such as on it, under it, around it, and on the cliffs above it. There is also a coffee shop where you can sit, sip, and socialize as you gaze upon this extraordinary engineering masterpiece. If the kids are jumpy or you have the time and the elbow grease, you can rent a canoe on the Gardon River and pass directly under the aqueduct.
Avignon -- (40 minutes to the south)
Avignon has to be on everyone’s list of places to go in Provence! A medieval city perched on a hill overlooking the River Rhone, the city is a UNESCO World Heritage site by virtue of its wall, papal palace (Palais des Papes), medieval bridge (Pont Saint-Benezet), and cathedral (Cathedrale Notre-Dame des Domes). For about a century during portions of the 14th and 15th Centuries, Avignon was the seat of the papacy. With the Roman Catholic Church being the only unifying institution in politically turbulent medieval Europe, in its brief, late medieval heyday Avignon served as the center of Western Christendom. Late in its papal period, the city contributed greatly to European religio-political divisions by hosting the anti-Popes during the Great Schism.
The Palais des Papes is the largest medieval palace in Europe, built in stages by successive popes who ensured it was very well fortified and essentially immune to attack. Inside, in restored rooms occasionally furnished with period furniture and displaying sumptuous frescoes and tapestries, visitors can conjure an image of how the popes and the papal court lived as the Hundreds Years War and Black Death rampaged through the land. The Saint Benezet Bridge is the scene of the action in the world famous children's song, On the Bridge at Avignon. Originally built in the 12th Century, the bridge was badly damaged during the Albigensian Crusade and undermined over the centuries by successive Rhone floods. But after each injurious episode, it was always repaired until its abandonment in the 17th Century. Visitors can walk across the bridge as far as it currently reaches, and will be rewarded by close up views of the medieval architecture and the Chapel of Saint Nicholas, as well as a panorama of the city walls and palace. At both the palace and the bridge, the audio guides greatly enhance the visiting experience.
Safe and secure within Avignon's medieval walls, you will enjoy walking the narrow streets in the footsteps of popes, cardinals, high noblemen, and emissaries that came from all over Europe. The modern streets are full of shops and restaurants which exhibit lively colors, with a special accent of Provencal lavender. There is a lovely cathedral and several museums in the city. Those interested in the most panoramic views should go across the river to the west bank. In the time of the Avignon papacy, crossing the river from Avignon would have taken the traveler from lands controlled by the Kingdom of Naples to French Crown lands, which, although the French kings heavily supported the Avignon papacy, is no doubt part of the reason for the heavy fortifications visitors see as the bridge meets the city walls. From the west bank of the Rhone you will be rewarded with combo views of the bridge, city walls, and palace. An eagle's view of Avignon which will appeal to castle aficionados can be had further west on the nearby highlands. As part of your tour of Fort Saint Andre, a 14th Century frontier castle, you will be treated to spectacular views of Avignon. Or if you are castled-out or pressed for time, simply ascend the hill to the castle gate and walk higher still along the curtain wall for the same view. Just as the French monarchy kept watch on Avignon and the Kingdom of Naples from this fortified perch, so, too, can you!
Avignon and its immediate area will easily occupy a full day, and two days for the serious medieval enthusiasts, museum goers, and/or those who want to shop, take it easy, or simmer in the medieval atmosphere.
Vaison la Romaine -- (33 minutes to the east)
There are a number of lovely hill towns within an easy drive of Hauteville. If you are short on days, Vaison may be the one or two hill towns you choose to visit. This is because it has all the charm of the loveliest of the Provencal hill towns, but it also has so much more history to offer! Its most immediately striking attribute is, of course, the upper town rising above the Ouveze river valley, with houses clustered along steep and narrow streets beneath the ruined castle built by the powerful Counts of Toulouse. You can visit the spartan medieval church, walk narrow, flower-decorated medieval streets, dine at one of the upper town restaurants, and climb to the summit to see the ruined castle and partake of the same encompassing view of the surrounding area that its defenders had 600 years ago.
But there is so much more to Vaison in the lower town, as testified by the fact that artifacts found there can be seen in a double-dozen of the world's great museums. In fact, Vaison has a long history that is repeated in a number of long-occupied cities and towns throughout France. The outstanding, smallish museum tells the long historical tale of the town, and has many artifacts from excavations, including significant finds like statues and mosaics. As the area came out of prehistory into the Bronze Age, the town was a Celtic oppidium (hill fort and hill town), and the capital city of a major Gallic tribe. After the Roman conquest in 118 BC, the city, known by then as Vasio, found itself secure from attack. Its people came down off the heights, intermarried with the Romans, and settled along the valley floor. Situated as it was on a major trading road, the city became a remarkably prosperous Gallo-Roman settlement. In the lower town you can visit many excavated private Gallo-Roman villas and shops, as well as public baths, roads, and other public buildings, including an amphitheater. This amphitheater is much more heavily restored and is somewhat smaller than the amphitheater in Orange. Do not forget to visit the first century AD Roman bridge! What this bridge lacks in span it more than makes up for in personality and location -- at the edge of a steep cliff with Mount Ventoux rising in the background. Another gem of the town is the Cathedral- Notre-Dame-de-Nazareth. It is Romanesque, built mostly in the 11th and 12th Centuries on the remains of a Roman temple, These remains can be seen on the inside of the church in the back, and on the outside at the very front, where a careful look reveals the church base resting on Roman pillars. And do not fail to visit the compellingly beautiful and peaceful cloister!
Vaison can easily occupy an entire day. If you are interested in the history and want to get the most out of your visit, start in the lower town at the museum where you can first orient yourself historically. The museum rents audio guides which provide information on all the town's sites, including those in the upper town.
Cassis (1 hour 41 minutes to the southeast)
After a few days of caves, Roman ruins, and medieval castles, why not plunge south to spend a day beside turquoise waters at the rocky seashore of cliff-clad Cassis? Cassis is a Mediterranean jewel that is not given the praise it deserves in many guidebooks. It has natural scenery that surpasses anything on the classic French Riviera to the east, and rivals the best of the Greek and Italian isles and peninsulas. Formerly a simple fishing village, the town spills down a mountain to a jetty-protected harbor and beach with restaurants and shops. The town is surrounded by proud headlands and soaring cliffs, including Cap Canaille, the highest sea cliff in France. A major reason to visit Cassis is to see the nearby calanques in Les Calanques National Park. Calanque is an unfortunate, starkly non-mellifluous word for an awesome natural spectacle. Calanques are sheltered, fjord-like inlets in which whitish limestone cliffs plunge to meet a sea that is indistinguishable from a million faceted aquamarine gemstones. Near the beach at the Cassis harbor you can schedule boat trips of various lengths that visit several calanques. (Especially if it is the busy season, buy your boat tickets first thing when you arrive to make sure you reserve a time!) A trip to Cassis would be incomplete without a walk on the beach or a dip in the sea, as well as a drink and lunch at a harbor-side restaurant. Imbibe and socialize whilst bathing in the soothing sea breeze, as your eyes partake of the glittering azure water punctuated by the comings and goings of watercraft in the busy harbor. Another essential activity for a day at Cassis is to drive the highway which climbs high above the city, leading to turnouts on windswept headlands affording spectacular views of the blue-hued Mediterranean, the city of Cassis, and the cliff-laden shoreline.
Orange -- (20 minutes to the south)
Ever heard the Irish song, The Orange and the Green? Although its name has nothing to do with the color, what was then the principality of Orange nevertheless contributed its name to the color-symbol of Protestantism. But most of Orange's history had occurred long before Martin Luther initiated the Protestant Reformation.
For the village of Orange, history accelerated about 35 BC when Roman legionnaires who had fought in Spain and the Balkans were settled on the site of the Celtic village of Arausio in newly conquered Roman Gaul. Orange is a later corruption of Arausio -- the name of a local water god, with no association with the color or the fruit. The grandest tourist sites in Orange happen to be Roman, which together encompass a UNESCO World Heritage Site. You will warm up your Roman engines during the drive south from Hauteville past Cote du Rhone vineyards and fields of grain. A segment of Highway D11 becomes unusually straight for a significant part of the drive. Along this straightaway you are directly on the trace of the old Roman highway that connected points north to Arausio. As you pass down the Roman road, consider that hundreds of thousands of Gallo-Romans over several centuries traversed this same roadway en route to see performances in the very theater you are about to visit.
As you move southward, you will first come to a splendid Triumphal Arch, which was erected on what was then the north edge of Roman Arausio. It was built in the Augustan period and has endured the passing of millennia in excellent condition. The arch's facades depict battles -- of which there were many -- between the Romans and Gallo-Germanic tribes. Julius Caesar's conquest of Gaul continued for several years, ending in 50 BC. But before the ascendancy of Caesar there were numerous battles with these tribes, several of which the Romans lost. In fact, a battle fought a few miles west of what was then Gallic Arausio in 105 BC resulted in one of the most disastrous defeats in all of Rome's history, with 80,000 Roman casualties! As the second century closed, these Gallo-Germanic tribes pressed their advantage and even crossed the Alps to threaten Rome itself. Julius Caesar had an argument that his conquest of Gaul was strategically defensive.
The Theater of Orange is a must-see on a visit to the area. It is built into Orange's tallest hillside, and is the best preserved Roman theater in Europe. The theater is awesome today, but was even more so during its heyday of several centuries when the imposing structure behind the stage was faced with marble, and the nested alcoves were graced with marble statues. As an un-restored ruin it was also magnificent, at least according to the Sun King himself, Louis XIV, who declared that the outer wall with its facade was "the most beautiful wall in my entire kingdom." The theater was constructed during the reign of the emperor Augustus (31 BC-14AD).
An audio guide, which is rented on site, takes visitors around the theater, explaining details of the architecture, the seating arrangements which reflected Roman social class structure, the types of plays and public performances which were held, and the theater's post-Roman history. It was the theater's later non-theatrical history that helped to preserve it. The orchestra and seating area became in-filled with sand and earth, and a neighborhood of many houses was built, which helped seal and preserve the underlying structure. Houses of more than one story crept up the wall behind the stage, which still rises to the height of a ten story building. Because the wall supported some of their houses, over many centuries the villagers took steps to preserve the wall. Just outside the theater are the remains of a Roman temple, which is worth a look.
Across the street from the theater is a fine small museum, the Museum of the Art and History of Orange. It is situated in a private 17th Century mansion. It has Roman artifacts in the form of mosaics and friezes. It also has the biggest and best cadastres remaining in existence. Cadastres were Roman marble maps which showed the ownership of various tracts of land in the area. Of significant interest are several paintings of the theater before restoration when it was still occupied with houses. The museum also has rooms which depict Orange during the Enlightenment time period, including period furniture.
The audio guide and museum provide glimpses of the later history of Orange. In medieval times it was the capital of a principality of the same name oriented toward Germany and Italy, being a fief associated with the Holy Roman Empire. In those days the political map of Europe changed on whims of marriage and mortality, and Orange eventually became one of the possessions of the House of Nassau, which thereafter styled itself the House of Orange-Nassau. This dynasty came to have great influence in Europe. Sons of the house succeeded to the title of stadtholder (hereditary viceroy) over much of what is now Belgium and the Netherlands. The princes of the House of Orange-Nassau were instrumental in establishing the Dutch Republic in opposition to the Catholic Hapsburgs who ruled a large empire in the New World and Europe, including Spain and areas immediately south of the Dutch Republic. The House of Orange-Nassau, represented by the Princes of Orange, were Protestant during the Wars of Religion. The Orange-Nassau dynasty reached its apogee in 1689 when a great warrior in the Protestant cause, William, Prince of Orange, ascended to the throne of England along with his co-ruler and wife, Mary. As William III, he and Mary co-ruled England for five years until her death. He was sole ruler until his death in 1702. King William III also fought and won battles against the Irish Catholics. It was during this period that the Protestants under the leadership of the Princes of Orange associated their cause with the orange color, while the Catholics countered with the traditional Irish color of green. This Catholic-Protestant divide as represented by the color dichotomy is vividly remembered in the Irish song The Orange and the Green.
To see all of the above, if you take the time to savor and understand, you will occupy about a half day or a little more.
Les Baux de Provence (1 hour 5 minutes to the south)
Les Baux possesses sufficient charm to seduce every visitor. You, too will become a beau of Les Baux! The village has an outstanding argument for the area's most scenic hilltown, and is justly listed as one of the most beautiful villages of France. The ruined keep appears high and haughty as you approach the town on D27A from the east. Occupying an exalted perch in the Alpilles Mountains, the site's strategic location and defensive advantages were apparent to Stone and Bronze Age inhabitants. By the 2nd Century BC, Gallic tribes had established an oppidium (hill fort) on the summit to keep watch over the road passing between the nearby towns of Glanum and Arles.
Relative to other Provencal sites, the Roman period mostly passed Le Baux by. But as the Pax Romana decayed, promontories once again became attractive as security considerations trumped flatland comfort. In Les Baux's neighborhood were the borders of three medieval principalities, a fact which ensured political turbulence. Such trouble-prone and contested border regions tended to sprout castles and to beget men with stout arms and aggressive personalities to defend them. In the 10th Century, the oft-ferocious Lords of Baux -- a dynasty which proudly boasted in its coat of arms descent from one of the three authors of the Epiphany, Balthazar the Magi -- erected a keep on the summit. In the next century fortifications spread along the clifftop, and a town grew in the very limited flattish area to the west of the keep, later spilling down the less steep south and west sides of the mountain. Securely nested on this windy height, for more than a half millennium the Counts of Baux ruled 79 towns in the surrounding hills and valleys, and for part of that time even held title to the principality of Orange.
Visitors ascend the narrow, steep, impossibly charming cobblestone streets which are still far below the summit. The streets are festooned with photo opportunities, along with many shops, restaurants, and a lovely church. As you climb upward, you will arrive at a relatively flat area of several acres, above which looms the chateau-laden pinnacle. Here you obtain an audio guide, which will dispense a great deal of information about the site and its ruling dynasty as you amble around the hilltop before making the ultimate ascent to the ruined chateau and fortifications. In the medieval period this flattish area was populated with everything required by a great, powerful, and self-sufficient medieval lord, such the lord's church, his garrison, and his blacksmiths, carpenters, wheelwrights, and bakers.. A close look will reveal that the many caves and recesses in the limestone cliffs were once occupied by the lord's troglodytic craftsmen as homes and workshops, their wooden interiors and facades long since decayed. This area also has a very large trebuchet, and evidence of windmills from a later period. You will savor the magnificent views over the bucolic valley to the east and south which sweeps down to the Mediterranean coast, and the forbidding and rugged hills to the north and west.
Every reasonably fit person should ascend to the keep and the summit fortifications, which afford the grandest views over the site and surrounding region. Occasional handrail support is essential because some of the steep steps carved into the mountain's limestone backbone are very deeply eroded by the footsteps of countless watchmen who ascended these ramparts daily for more than 500 years. The chateau of the troublesome Lords of Baux was pulled down in 1483 on the orders of the king of France, who had recently become the principality's new overlord. During the Renaissance the keep was rebuilt and the town below revived, but in 1632 it became a Protestant stronghold opposing the king during the Wars of Religion. The chateau and fortifications were once again mostly destroyed by the troops of Cardinal Richelieu.
When a solitary visitor enters the shell of the ruined multi-story chateau and carefully listens, he is soon aware that he is not alone. The hauntingly muffled wind-sounds that reverberate and echo in every corner and cranny of the hollowed interior are the whispering memories of the generations of lords, ladies, vassal-servants, and children who lived, loved, and died here.
On one of Les Baux's village streets is prominently displayed a red rock that does not look at all like the whitish limestone of which Les Baux's mountain and its building stones are composed. This is another type of rock which is found in the area, and it is this rock that has made Le Baux's name world famous. In 1822 Pierre Berthier, a geologist and mining engineer was in the area prospecting for iron. He discovered a rock which was later called bauxite due to the locale. Instead of iron, bauxite happens to be the rock in which the element aluminum is most heavily concentrated. Elemental aluminum was first isolated in 1825, and in the 1880s processes were invented to extract it from bauxite. This strong, lightweight metal went on to change the structure of the modern world, and every schoolgirl learns that bauxite is its geological source -- as do the schoolboys if they are paying attention!
If you really want to savor Le Baux, you will need a half day plus. If you are very ambitious, get an early start and combine Le Baux with a visit to the nearby town of St- Remy-de-Provence and the archaeological site of Glanum.
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Nimes (53 min to the southwest)
Tourists might think of Nimes as a glittery ring highlighted by a pair of dazzling Roman era jewels, which happen to be two of the world's best preserved Roman structures. But in this ring are other gems of note, and not all are from the Roman era. Nimes is not a World Heritage site -- yet. It has been nominated, and there is no doubt that one day it will become one. Beyond the world class monuments, Nimes has a special charm, and is a wonderful city in which to stroll, shop, and dine, with attractive fountains and many ornate 18th Century buildings constructed during the prosperous textile boom.
Part of Nimes' modern charm and much of the city's history is tied to water. The Celts tended to site their fortified Iron Age towns around sacred springs. The city's ancient Gallo-Roman name, Nemausus, was also the name of the Celtic god of the city's spring. In Roman times, the Pont du Gard was built to bring water to the city. During the early 18th Century, Nimes developed a robust textile industry, which required a larger and more reliable source of water. About the time of the building of Versailles, canals were constructed which delivered these larger water volumes. The Nimes textile business -- which gave us the word denim (textiles de nimes) -- is gone, but townspeople today still stroll and lounge beside those lovely canals. Every visitor should likewise linger there, in summer shaded by stately rows of plane trees.
In terms of world-class, tourist-pleasing structures, undoubtedly Nimes' most notable history happened during the Roman period. The very water that flowed through the Roman engineering masterpiece of the Pont du Gard was destined to slake the thirst of the inhabitants of Nimes. The terminus of the aqueduct, called the Castellum divisorium, can be seen a few blocks east of the Tour Magne (see below). The Castellum received the aqueduct's water, and distributed it to various parts of the city. Nimes' preserved castellum is one castellum from being unique; no other has been preserved except another which was buried in volcanic ash at Pompeii.
No visit to Nimes should exclude its two Roman jewels, the Arena, and the Maison Caree. The Maison, constructed circa 5 AD, and the Pantheon in Rome are rivals for the best preserved of all Roman buildings. The superb preservation of both can be explained by the fact that they were never abandoned. The Maison was at times a church, town hall, stable, archive, and art gallery. Its original purpose was as a temple to honor two grandsons of Augustus. On the inside of the Maison is an auditorium which shows an interesting circa 30 minute movie about Gallo-Roman Nimes during the Augustan era.
The Nimes Arena, built about 70 AD, is the best preserved of all Roman arenas. It is still used for public events. In season, it hosts the last vestige of Roman gladiatorial bloodsport -- bullfighting. Spectacle this is, but bloodsport it is not. In this version of bullfighting, men attempt to snatch a ribbon from between the bull's horns. The bull leaves the arena for a hay dinner.
Pick up an audio guide before you enter the Arena. You will learn about the spectacles held there, the men who financed them, and the class and gender-based seating arrangements. There is much information about gladiatorial combat, including the types of gladiators and their weaponry. You will learn what a vomitorium is -- and it's not what you think it is! During the turbulent Medieval era, the Arena was converted to a fortress, and later it was a neighborhood complete with plumbing and gardens.
Visitors should not miss a stroll west down the Quai de la Fontaine to the Jardins de la Fontaine. The fountains at the base of the hill mark the location of the original spring of Nemausus. Beside this is a Roman ruin called the Temple of Diana. For a grand view of the city, zig zag up the hill from the fountain through the lovely trees and gardens to the Tour Magne, which was a tower on the Roman wall protecting the city. For grand views of the city, climb to the top via the interior ladder. It is all downhill if you head east to the Castellum.
To do full justice to Nimes, plan to spend an entire day.
Gorges d'Ardeche Area (40-60 minutes to the NE)
If you would like a change of pace from castles, hill towns, Roman ruins, and lounging in cities, the Gorges d'Ardeche offers a history vastly more ancient in the form of Ice Age art, as well as natural scenery and outdoor activities that will especially appeal to kids and active adults.
It is surprising to American visitors how rural much of France is. These gorges are particularly rural. Large portions of the central and south of France are underlain by limestone, which can result in rugged, hilly terrain with large numbers of caves, springs, and crystalline rivers. Parts of America such as the Ozarks or portions of Kentucky come to mind. Just like American limestone country, outdoor activities abound such as scenic drives, hiking, rock climbing, and in-season swimming and floating activities. There are also a number of caves to visit in which Mother Nature has crafted finely artistic cave formations. Several Gorges d'Ardeche caves are extra colorful due to the trace minerals deposited with the limestone.
The Ardeche river gorge is about 40 km long, and has portions which reach chasm status. High, nearly vertical cliffs -- some of which are used by summer daredevils as leaping pads for quick access to the river -- make for spectacular scenery. There are grand views from various levels above the river as it winds through the gorge, and there are a sufficient number of things to do to easily justify a full day and more. The Pont d'Arc -- a spectacular natural limestone bridge through which the river has sliced its path -- is a major reason to visit the area.
For many millennia before recorded history this river valley was trod by people who left spectacular evidence of their presence. Here during the Ice Age period dwelled Cro-Magnon humans, who used certain caves as artistic and ceremonial centers, leaving art that is close to the oldest ever made.
The Chauvet cave, which is very near the Pont d'Arc, would be a world-class must-see -- if it were open to the public. But the good news is that visitors to the area can see a nearly perfect replica of its most spectacular parts. This replica is also a must-see, and by itself a very good reason to visit the area. The real Chauvet cave was discovered in the 1990s by cavers. It had been literally buried into obscurity after a rockslide covered its entrance. What makes this cave so special is the hundreds of Ice Age animals which Paleolithic people drew on its walls. This cave is by all accounts one of the best of all European caves with cave art! Moreover, radiocarbon dating of the charcoal pigment indicates that at least some of this art is 35,000 years old -- putting it very near the beginning of Europe's cave art period which ended about 12,000 years ago. This is some of the world's oldest art! As you experience the replica, you might easily forget that you just walked into a building rather than descended into the earth. The reproductions of Mother Nature's cave formations and ancient mankind's art are superb.
The reproduction cave is true to the original right up to the cave bear claw marks that in places compete for wall space with the human art. Cave bears were larger than grizzlies or polar bears. For those who are into extreme nature adventures or who are getting tired of the husband or kids, special sessions sans tour guides exist in which cave bears are released in the replica cave. Inquire at the ticket office for times. (Just kidding!!)
But what is certainly true is that a day or two in the Gorges d'Ardeche has the potential for the types of activities that will provide good medicine for jumpy kids and spouses!
The Luberon Region and Sites Around the Hill Town of Gordes (1 hr 10 min to the SE)
The Luberon is a massif consisting of craggy, rugged limestone uplands and narrow valleys with clear flowing springs and rivers; nearby are broad, sweeping, cultivated valleys. The differences in relief make for splendid scenery, and this is especially true where the hills are crowned by hill town jewels such as Gordes and Roussillon. Many consider Gordes to be the loveliest hill town in all of France. In this region there are quite a number of very interesting and scenic places to visit. One day in the Luberon cannot do it justice, and it would be impossible to see every site listed below in even two days. To really savor the area, three days would be ideal, but a majority of the places could be seen in two long spring or summer days -- assuming not much time spent lunching and lingering. Your time in the Luberon will combine sites with historical, cultural, religious, architectural, geological, and industrial interest, all in a region with great natural beauty. Hiking opportunities abound!
Gordes (1 hr 18 min to the SE)
Don your sturdy walking shoes, and be sure you have plenty of camera storage space -- Gordes will charm and compel you to keep your shutters busy! More that a few connoisseurs of hill towns consider Gordes to be the loveliest in all France.
The most scenic view of the village is on Hwy D-15 which makes a northerly ascent before taking a final eastern jog at the head of the valley to enter the town. The road occupies a separate upland, which looks to the east across the narrow valley to the town. There is a very limited designated area on the road to turn out, which is always busy with cars and tour buses stopping for quickie-pics. But to really savor this most iconic panorama of the village, after parking in town take a walk down the highway. The view on this walk is extremely rewarding, although watchful care is essential due to the narrow road and steep cliffs. From this view, the splendid sentinel village of white to gray limestone tumbles down its cliffs like a stair step waterfall.
In the town itself there are photo opportunities galore along the narrow, cobble stoned, flower studded streets. And many points along the streets and promenades offer splendid views out into the valley and across to the distant hills! The chateau at the crown of Gordes' hill contains displays of modern art. Originally built in the eleventh and twelfth centuries, it was extensively renovated during the Renaissance. The town has many small hotels, cafes, and shops with Provencal-themed merchandise. Other sights include the St Firmin church (early 18th Century) and some underground workshops carved into the cliffs. Visitors can tour the Caves of St Firmin, which feature an underground area once used for producing olive oil.
Gordes was an oppidium (Gallic hill fortress) in the pre-Roman and early Roman period. During the centuries of the Pax Romana, the population mostly descended to the valley. As Roman power waned, the political turbulence caused the inhabitants to re-ascend to the more secure, if less convenient and less comfortable heights. Nowadays the town is a haven for artists and those with the considerable monetary resources to afford the superb views.
If you come in high tourist season, be ready for large crowds. The town is popular for a very good reason -- it is truly one of the must see sites of Provence!
Abbey Notre Dame de Senanque
(Important Note: Because it still serves as a contemplative refuge of poverty, piety, and prayer, visiting times are very limited. Consider planning the rest of your day around the abbey's visiting times. Check ahead!)
Ardent armchair travelers have probably seen pictures of this abbey, taken during the season of the blooming lavender, which is cultivated on the grounds by the monks. The iconic image of stark, gray medieval Romanesque architecture set against the brilliant blossoms and the green hills finds its way into most of the guidebooks of Provence.
But there is deeper experience awaiting the visitor. This is one of the best places in Europe to gain an understanding of the monastic life that so influenced and animated pious medieval Christians across Europe. Indeed, visitors should lower their voices and ready themselves for a contemplative change of pace as they tour a still working Cistercian abbey that was founded in 1142 under the patronage of the Counts of Barcelona who held political sway over the region. Major construction began in the next decade, and continued for about a hundred years.
Although only a very circuitous 5 km from the bustle of Gordes, the abbey is ensconced in a secluded, craggy green valley. Exclude the modern road and the motorized vehicles and visitors can easily imagine themselves as medieval travelers seeking spiritual and material refuge from the political and military turbulence of their feudal world. The Cistercian movement had begun only a few decades before the abbey's founding, in order to reform the Benedictine Order by returning to a more simple and austere lifestyle. Among Cistercian beliefs is that part of the day should be devoted to hard agricultural work. Thus, when the abbey's population was high, the valley was more heavily cultivated than it is today.
Although it suffered damage during the French Wars of Religion, the abbey is in a remarkable state of preservation. Several areas are open to visitors. The interior is spartan and austere, reflecting the belief that ornamentation is worldly and distracting to ideals of simplicity and modesty. The abbey church lacks a large door to the outside because it was only used by monks. The Dormitory is a large room that once served as the sleeping area for up to 30 monks. The Chapter House is a relatively smaller room in which the community has met for centuries to study the Benedictine Rule, which is read aloud by the abbot. Among the monks, this is the only place where speaking is generally allowed. The loveliest area of the monastery is the Cloisters.
The monastic movement was very influential during the Middle Ages, and people desiring to understand the history and mindset of this period should consider a visit to this abbey a great opportunity to better understand those times. Guided tours are offered.
Bories Village
Care to take a walk on the humble side by visiting a site deemed an "architectural masterpiece?" Most tourists visit Europe to concentrate on the high culture centered in edifices constructed by powerful, influential, or famous people. Bories Village is an interesting departure to the low brow architecture of the common people who were, after all, the majority. This site is a unique opportunity to see about 30 meticulously restored structures built by the rural peasantry. Most of the construction is believed to date from the 18th and 19th centuries, but the construction methods apparently go back at least to the Bronze Age.
The Provencal term borie is derived from a Latin word meaning ox stable. More generally, bories are temporary seasonal buildings constructed by farmers, herders, and hunters. They were not meant to be fine buildings, but structures built with minimal effort but nevertheless very efficacious for a myriad of purposes. Bories consist of stacked flattish stones which have been assembled without masonry. The roofs are corbelled for stability. The buildings of Bories Village functioned as houses, barns, storehouses, bake houses, tanneries, sheep folds, henhouses, and pig sties. Some buildings give evidence of their former functions with the black soot on their ceilings, obviously inscribed with many seasons of fire. One building on the site -- in which visitors watch an information video -- is two stories!
For those who travel the back roads of southern France, the site will be an educational experience, bringing into focus similar structures more commonly seen in isolation. Bories construction is most commonly seen in walls, with stone-roofed barns being another prominent example.
Bories Village occupies a sunny upland, wooded by small trees. The ground is a rocky outcrop of limestone which weathers into flattish stones which are easily gathered, shaped, and worked. It is 4 km west of Gordes. The sinuous road becomes very narrow as you approach the site. The road is bordered by walls that give a sneak preview to the type of construction you will see on a grand scale upon entering the site. The structures are rustic and simple, lacking the beauty of churches or castles. They are simple monuments to the architectural ingenuity of simple people, which are nevertheless a very intimate window into the culture of the region.
Roussilon
Roussilon is a lovely hill town perched on a multi-hued rocky outcrop. Iron in the sandstones and claystones has create variegated shades from near purple, to red, orange, yellow, and brown. The same colors seem to grow upward in the village's dwellings and structures, which are constructed out of the same colorful bedrock. Its vivid colors make Roussilon a unique town in the region. These and other attributes consistently place it on lists of France's most attractive hill towns.
As the French textile industry took off in the late 17th Century, there was a sizable demand for pigments. The town prospered as the ochre hills in and around Roussilon were mined for these pigments into the early 20th Century. The village offers an Ochre Trail, in which visitors can walk through some of the old ochre quarries in a 30 or 60 minute walk. Some of the natural rock formations make interesting erosional shapes that are reminiscent of the national parks in the western US. Visitors can also visit a museum which provides details of the ochre industry and the village's history.
It is a great pleasure to ascend and explore the narrow, winding, shady streets. Most are quiet, with various shops, cafes, and art establishments. Have your camera on the ready! The lovely town square has relatively more activity, and the clock tower has its own special personality. The visitor who climbs to the top is rewarded by lovely views of the valley and the nearby hills, with Mount Ventoux peeking down from farther beyond. A look down and back at the cliffs upon which the town is perched offer colorful contrasts that are unique among the area's hill towns.
Other Stopping Points in or in Transit to the Luberon
L'Isle-sur-la-Sorgue (55 minutes to the SE, and 25 min from Gordes) is worth a stop if you have time going or coming from Luberon destinations. The clear flowing River Sorgue has been diverted into canals which flow through the city. Canal-sides are festooned with flowers, and the canals themselves are punctuated with antique wood waterwheels and bridges. The water-rich city does conjure an atmosphere which is reminiscent of Venice. The canals and waterwheels are now ornaments and tourist attractions, but they once served a practical purpose: supplying power for textile and paper factories. The manufacturing economy provided the wealth for the city's attractive homes and other buildings that visitors appreciate whilst strolling through the town. Make time to walk the winding streets, visit the church, and take a snack along one of the scenic canals. Antique lovers beware: the city hosts antique conventions, and has far more than its share of antique shops!
Fontaine de Vacluse is a town in a scenic narrow gorge positioned at the source of the Sorgue River. During times of high water its spring can gush forth massive flows of water from the limestone. En route to the gorge, this water is collected by Mother Nature on the Vacluse Plateau and channeled underground through the highly permeable limestone. Although its flow is often modest, at peak flow periods in a wet year the spring is one of the largest in the world. A common theme springing from Medieval and Renaissance literature was obsessive admiration for an inaccessible woman. Such writings were epitomized by Dante for Beatriz and Petrarch for Laura. In fact, Petrarch's longing and lamenting of his unrequited love for Laura was a theme of many of his verses composed while on retreat in this scenic area -- which was no doubt far more secluded in his time than ours. Tourist activities include strolling on the riverside, and visiting an antique paper mill, which was a local industry beginning in the 16th Century. There are also restaurants and shops, and a small museum about Petrarch, a late medieval writer and thinker who anticipated the Renaissance.
The space
A perfect “staycation” destination, in the heart of Uchaux, the house is located in a small peaceful hamlet where your privacy and tranquility will be respected.
Close to various cultural sites, you can enjoy local wines (Chateauneuf-du-Pape, Gigondas, Rasteau, Seguret and many others), Roman monuments such as the Ancient Theater of Orange and the Arc de Triomphe. In the summer season you can enjoy the prestigious Chorégies d'Orange and the Avignon Festival, hiking, visits to nearby historic towns and heritage sites
Guest access
You will have access to the house in its entirety.
Other things to note
This very recently upgraded, expanded, and modernized Provencal medieval cottage is located along a narrow lane in the tiny village of Hauteville, Uchaux. It is a two minute walk from the Renaissance era Chateau de Masillan, part of which can be seen from the property. Travel times by car are three minutes to the village of Uchaux, and 20 minutes to Orange.
From this comfortable, rural home base you can spend two weeks or more making easy day trips in literally every direction to see many scenic cultural, historical, and natural treasures. Farther below you will find a list and description of some of the most famous and compelling of these sites, along with an estimated one-way travel time. (The list will be supplemented with more sites, and is currently a work in progress.)
Beginning a few dozen steps beyond the cottage and continuing all the way to the major tourist sites, you will pass through mile upon mile of bucolic, sun-drenched Cotes du Rhone vineyards, gray-green olive groves, fruit orchards, and billowing fields of grain and lavender, with the fertile lowlands punctuated by medieval-era towns clustered around the hilltops.
The greater Rhone Valley, the nearby uplands, and the Mediterranean coast are deeply layered in natural beauty, as well as the spectacular to mundane remnants of many millennia of human occupation. In addition to being an agricultural cornucopia, nature has blessed the region with hills and mountains, natural bridges, clear-flowing streams, and gray to white limestone gorges and plateaus which are honeycombed with hundreds of caves. Adventurous visitors can take to the region's various rivers in canoe or kayak, and hike and bike in many places.
In time-misted prehistory back to 30,000 years ago, intrepid Paleolithic Ice Age hunter-gatherers ventured deep into several of the area's caves to paint surprisingly modern images of the animals of their world. Pre-history merged into history, bestowing the region with a panoply of fascinating gems of evolving high culture, including pre-Roman Gallic oppidiums (fortified hill towns) which co-existed with Greek colonies clustered along the sparkling azure waters of that ancient aqueous superhighway, the Mediterranean. The Romans left a splendid architectural stamp, consisting of awesome aqueducts, triumphal arches, arenas, amphitheaters, temples, and town ruins. As pagan gave way to Christian and the stable Pax Romana decayed into the turbulent medieval period, sumptuous cathedrals, abbeys, castles, and palaces rose to please God and serve man. The vibrant modern cities and towns boast architecture from the ancient to the Renaissance to the modern. The traveler in this bounteously beautiful land looks heavenward to impossibly scenic, castle-crowned hill towns. Above it all, blue in the far distance, the entire region is presided over by the outline of Mount Ventoux, easternmost manifestation of the mighty Alps.
Every sizable Provencal town has its weekly market day. You must consider your stay in Provence incomplete without a visit to at least one! The cottage has a booklet with a list of market days for all the towns within easy driving distance. At the markets you will find a profusion of tables filled with agricultural bounty in the form of fruits, vegetables, nuts, spices, lavender, flowers, meats, poultry, and fish. In addition, there are various local specialties and locally prepared and pre-cooked food items, which are guaranteed to quell your hunger on the spot or later upon plan or impulse. The ladies and the artsy men will enjoy the clothes and the local arts and crafts. And for the fellows (and the few gals) who don't like to go shopping . . . take it from a man who is a committed shopping dis-liker -- unless you are agoraphobic, a trip to a Provencal market will be an entertaining and memorable experience. The buzz and bustle of people; the intimate mix of sounds and smells -- and the vivid colors, with the emphatically unique local splash of lavender-laden Provencal purple! Forever-after you will understand why some of the French impressionists found in this region a cornucopia of hue-leavened inspiration.
Pont du Gard (30 minutes to the southwest)
Pont du Gard floats near the top of any list of sites to see in Provence. It is the tallest of all Roman aqueducts, and contends favorably with the aqueduct of Seville, Spain for the title of grandest of all the surviving aqueducts. A UNESCO World Heritage Site, Pont du Gard was built in the first century AD as part of a project to supply water to the nearby city of Nimes. Near the site of this awe-inspiring statement of Roman engineering prowess is an excellent museum with many artifacts and exhibits which do an admirable job explaining precisely how the Romans pulled off this feat of delivering spring water 31 miles to Nimes with an elevation loss of 56 ft. Yes, you read that right – the massive aqueduct itself is only part of an amazing engineering exploit: the Romans managed to maintain a downhill slope along every inch of 31 miles with a total drop of only 56 ft!
For a reasonably good look at the aqueduct, expect to spend two hours at the site if you bypass the museum. It will take a good half day if you want to spend adequate time in the museum and examine the structure from multiple prepositional perspectives such as on it, under it, around it, and on the cliffs above it. There is also a coffee shop where you can sit, sip, and socialize as you gaze upon this extraordinary engineering masterpiece. If the kids are jumpy or you have the time and the elbow grease, you can rent a canoe on the Gardon River and pass directly under the aqueduct.
Avignon -- (40 minutes to the south)
Avignon has to be on everyone’s list of places to go in Provence! A medieval city perched on a hill overlooking the River Rhone, the city is a UNESCO World Heritage site by virtue of its wall, papal palace (Palais des Papes), medieval bridge (Pont Saint-Benezet), and cathedral (Cathedrale Notre-Dame des Domes). For about a century during portions of the 14th and 15th Centuries, Avignon was the seat of the papacy. With the Roman Catholic Church being the only unifying institution in politically turbulent medieval Europe, in its brief, late medieval heyday Avignon served as the center of Western Christendom. Late in its papal period, the city contributed greatly to European religio-political divisions by hosting the anti-Popes during the Great Schism.
The Palais des Papes is the largest medieval palace in Europe, built in stages by successive popes who ensured it was very well fortified and essentially immune to attack. Inside, in restored rooms occasionally furnished with period furniture and displaying sumptuous frescoes and tapestries, visitors can conjure an image of how the popes and the papal court lived as the Hundreds Years War and Black Death rampaged through the land. The Saint Benezet Bridge is the scene of the action in the world famous children's song, On the Bridge at Avignon. Originally built in the 12th Century, the bridge was badly damaged during the Albigensian Crusade and undermined over the centuries by successive Rhone floods. But after each injurious episode, it was always repaired until its abandonment in the 17th Century. Visitors can walk across the bridge as far as it currently reaches, and will be rewarded by close up views of the medieval architecture and the Chapel of Saint Nicholas, as well as a panorama of the city walls and palace. At both the palace and the bridge, the audio guides greatly enhance the visiting experience.
Safe and secure within Avignon's medieval walls, you will enjoy walking the narrow streets in the footsteps of popes, cardinals, high noblemen, and emissaries that came from all over Europe. The modern streets are full of shops and restaurants which exhibit lively colors, with a special accent of Provencal lavender. There is a lovely cathedral and several museums in the city. Those interested in the most panoramic views should go across the river to the west bank. In the time of the Avignon papacy, crossing the river from Avignon would have taken the traveler from lands controlled by the Kingdom of Naples to French Crown lands, which, although the French kings heavily supported the Avignon papacy, is no doubt part of the reason for the heavy fortifications visitors see as the bridge meets the city walls. From the west bank of the Rhone you will be rewarded with combo views of the bridge, city walls, and palace. An eagle's view of Avignon which will appeal to castle aficionados can be had further west on the nearby highlands. As part of your tour of Fort Saint Andre, a 14th Century frontier castle, you will be treated to spectacular views of Avignon. Or if you are castled-out or pressed for time, simply ascend the hill to the castle gate and walk higher still along the curtain wall for the same view. Just as the French monarchy kept watch on Avignon and the Kingdom of Naples from this fortified perch, so, too, can you!
Avignon and its immediate area will easily occupy a full day, and two days for the serious medieval enthusiasts, museum goers, and/or those who want to shop, take it easy, or simmer in the medieval atmosphere.
Vaison la Romaine -- (33 minutes to the east)
There are a number of lovely hill towns within an easy drive of Hauteville. If you are short on days, Vaison may be the one or two hill towns you choose to visit. This is because it has all the charm of the loveliest of the Provencal hill towns, but it also has so much more history to offer! Its most immediately striking attribute is, of course, the upper town rising above the Ouveze river valley, with houses clustered along steep and narrow streets beneath the ruined castle built by the powerful Counts of Toulouse. You can visit the spartan medieval church, walk narrow, flower-decorated medieval streets, dine at one of the upper town restaurants, and climb to the summit to see the ruined castle and partake of the same encompassing view of the surrounding area that its defenders had 600 years ago.
But there is so much more to Vaison in the lower town, as testified by the fact that artifacts found there can be seen in a double-dozen of the world's great museums. In fact, Vaison has a long history that is repeated in a number of long-occupied cities and towns throughout France. The outstanding, smallish museum tells the long historical tale of the town, and has many artifacts from excavations, including significant finds like statues and mosaics. As the area came out of prehistory into the Bronze Age, the town was a Celtic oppidium (hill fort and hill town), and the capital city of a major Gallic tribe. After the Roman conquest in 118 BC, the city, known by then as Vasio, found itself secure from attack. Its people came down off the heights, intermarried with the Romans, and settled along the valley floor. Situated as it was on a major trading road, the city became a remarkably prosperous Gallo-Roman settlement. In the lower town you can visit many excavated private Gallo-Roman villas and shops, as well as public baths, roads, and other public buildings, including an amphitheater. This amphitheater is much more heavily restored and is somewhat smaller than the amphitheater in Orange. Do not forget to visit the first century AD Roman bridge! What this bridge lacks in span it more than makes up for in personality and location -- at the edge of a steep cliff with Mount Ventoux rising in the background. Another gem of the town is the Cathedral- Notre-Dame-de-Nazareth. It is Romanesque, built mostly in the 11th and 12th Centuries on the remains of a Roman temple, These remains can be seen on the inside of the church in the back, and on the outside at the very front, where a careful look reveals the church base resting on Roman pillars. And do not fail to visit the compellingly beautiful and peaceful cloister!
Vaison can easily occupy an entire day. If you are interested in the history and want to get the most out of your visit, start in the lower town at the museum where you can first orient yourself historically. The museum rents audio guides which provide information on all the town's sites, including those in the upper town.
Cassis (1 hour 41 minutes to the southeast)
After a few days of caves, Roman ruins, and medieval castles, why not plunge south to spend a day beside turquoise waters at the rocky seashore of cliff-clad Cassis? Cassis is a Mediterranean jewel that is not given the praise it deserves in many guidebooks. It has natural scenery that surpasses anything on the classic French Riviera to the east, and rivals the best of the Greek and Italian isles and peninsulas. Formerly a simple fishing village, the town spills down a mountain to a jetty-protected harbor and beach with restaurants and shops. The town is surrounded by proud headlands and soaring cliffs, including Cap Canaille, the highest sea cliff in France. A major reason to visit Cassis is to see the nearby calanques in Les Calanques National Park. Calanque is an unfortunate, starkly non-mellifluous word for an awesome natural spectacle. Calanques are sheltered, fjord-like inlets in which whitish limestone cliffs plunge to meet a sea that is indistinguishable from a million faceted aquamarine gemstones. Near the beach at the Cassis harbor you can schedule boat trips of various lengths that visit several calanques. (Especially if it is the busy season, buy your boat tickets first thing when you arrive to make sure you reserve a time!) A trip to Cassis would be incomplete without a walk on the beach or a dip in the sea, as well as a drink and lunch at a harbor-side restaurant. Imbibe and socialize whilst bathing in the soothing sea breeze, as your eyes partake of the glittering azure water punctuated by the comings and goings of watercraft in the busy harbor. Another essential activity for a day at Cassis is to drive the highway which climbs high above the city, leading to turnouts on windswept headlands affording spectacular views of the blue-hued Mediterranean, the city of Cassis, and the cliff-laden shoreline.
Orange -- (20 minutes to the south)
Ever heard the Irish song, The Orange and the Green? Although its name has nothing to do with the color, what was then the principality of Orange nevertheless contributed its name to the color-symbol of Protestantism. But most of Orange's history had occurred long before Martin Luther initiated the Protestant Reformation.
For the village of Orange, history accelerated about 35 BC when Roman legionnaires who had fought in Spain and the Balkans were settled on the site of the Celtic village of Arausio in newly conquered Roman Gaul. Orange is a later corruption of Arausio -- the name of a local water god, with no association with the color or the fruit. The grandest tourist sites in Orange happen to be Roman, which together encompass a UNESCO World Heritage Site. You will warm up your Roman engines during the drive south from Hauteville past Cote du Rhone vineyards and fields of grain. A segment of Highway D11 becomes unusually straight for a significant part of the drive. Along this straightaway you are directly on the trace of the old Roman highway that connected points north to Arausio. As you pass down the Roman road, consider that hundreds of thousands of Gallo-Romans over several centuries traversed this same roadway en route to see performances in the very theater you are about to visit.
As you move southward, you will first come to a splendid Triumphal Arch, which was erected on what was then the north edge of Roman Arausio. It was built in the Augustan period and has endured the passing of millennia in excellent condition. The arch's facades depict battles -- of which there were many -- between the Romans and Gallo-Germanic tribes. Julius Caesar's conquest of Gaul continued for several years, ending in 50 BC. But before the ascendancy of Caesar there were numerous battles with these tribes, several of which the Romans lost. In fact, a battle fought a few miles west of what was then Gallic Arausio in 105 BC resulted in one of the most disastrous defeats in all of Rome's history, with 80,000 Roman casualties! As the second century closed, these Gallo-Germanic tribes pressed their advantage and even crossed the Alps to threaten Rome itself. Julius Caesar had an argument that his conquest of Gaul was strategically defensive.
The Theater of Orange is a must-see on a visit to the area. It is built into Orange's tallest hillside, and is the best preserved Roman theater in Europe. The theater is awesome today, but was even more so during its heyday of several centuries when the imposing structure behind the stage was faced with marble, and the nested alcoves were graced with marble statues. As an un-restored ruin it was also magnificent, at least according to the Sun King himself, Louis XIV, who declared that the outer wall with its facade was "the most beautiful wall in my entire kingdom." The theater was constructed during the reign of the emperor Augustus (31 BC-14AD).
An audio guide, which is rented on site, takes visitors around the theater, explaining details of the architecture, the seating arrangements which reflected Roman social class structure, the types of plays and public performances which were held, and the theater's post-Roman history. It was the theater's later non-theatrical history that helped to preserve it. The orchestra and seating area became in-filled with sand and earth, and a neighborhood of many houses was built, which helped seal and preserve the underlying structure. Houses of more than one story crept up the wall behind the stage, which still rises to the height of a ten story building. Because the wall supported some of their houses, over many centuries the villagers took steps to preserve the wall. Just outside the theater are the remains of a Roman temple, which is worth a look.
Across the street from the theater is a fine small museum, the Museum of the Art and History of Orange. It is situated in a private 17th Century mansion. It has Roman artifacts in the form of mosaics and friezes. It also has the biggest and best cadastres remaining in existence. Cadastres were Roman marble maps which showed the ownership of various tracts of land in the area. Of significant interest are several paintings of the theater before restoration when it was still occupied with houses. The museum also has rooms which depict Orange during the Enlightenment time period, including period furniture.
The audio guide and museum provide glimpses of the later history of Orange. In medieval times it was the capital of a principality of the same name oriented toward Germany and Italy, being a fief associated with the Holy Roman Empire. In those days the political map of Europe changed on whims of marriage and mortality, and Orange eventually became one of the possessions of the House of Nassau, which thereafter styled itself the House of Orange-Nassau. This dynasty came to have great influence in Europe. Sons of the house succeeded to the title of stadtholder (hereditary viceroy) over much of what is now Belgium and the Netherlands. The princes of the House of Orange-Nassau were instrumental in establishing the Dutch Republic in opposition to the Catholic Hapsburgs who ruled a large empire in the New World and Europe, including Spain and areas immediately south of the Dutch Republic. The House of Orange-Nassau, represented by the Princes of Orange, were Protestant during the Wars of Religion. The Orange-Nassau dynasty reached its apogee in 1689 when a great warrior in the Protestant cause, William, Prince of Orange, ascended to the throne of England along with his co-ruler and wife, Mary. As William III, he and Mary co-ruled England for five years until her death. He was sole ruler until his death in 1702. King William III also fought and won battles against the Irish Catholics. It was during this period that the Protestants under the leadership of the Princes of Orange associated their cause with the orange color, while the Catholics countered with the traditional Irish color of green. This Catholic-Protestant divide as represented by the color dichotomy is vividly remembered in the Irish song The Orange and the Green.
To see all of the above, if you take the time to savor and understand, you will occupy about a half day or a little more.
Les Baux de Provence (1 hour 5 minutes to the south)
Les Baux possesses sufficient charm to seduce every visitor. You, too will become a beau of Les Baux! The village has an outstanding argument for the area's most scenic hilltown, and is justly listed as one of the most beautiful villages of France. The ruined keep appears high and haughty as you approach the town on D27A from the east. Occupying an exalted perch in the Alpilles Mountains, the site's strategic location and defensive advantages were apparent to Stone and Bronze Age inhabitants. By the 2nd Century BC, Gallic tribes had established an oppidium (hill fort) on the summit to keep watch over the road passing between the nearby towns of Glanum and Arles.
Relative to other Provencal sites, the Roman period mostly passed Le Baux by. But as the Pax Romana decayed, promontories once again became attractive as security considerations trumped flatland comfort. In Les Baux's neighborhood were the borders of three medieval principalities, a fact which ensured political turbulence. Such trouble-prone and contested border regions tended to sprout castles and to beget men with stout arms and aggressive personalities to defend them. In the 10th Century, the oft-ferocious Lords of Baux -- a dynasty which proudly boasted in its coat of arms descent from one of the three authors of the Epiphany, Balthazar the Magi -- erected a keep on the summit. In the next century fortifications spread along the clifftop, and a town grew in the very limited flattish area to the west of the keep, later spilling down the less steep south and west sides of the mountain. Securely nested on this windy height, for more than a half millennium the Counts of Baux ruled 79 towns in the surrounding hills and valleys, and for part of that time even held title to the principality of Orange.
Visitors ascend the narrow, steep, impossibly charming cobblestone streets which are still far below the summit. The streets are festooned with photo opportunities, along with many shops, restaurants, and a lovely church. As you climb upward, you will arrive at a relatively flat area of several acres, above which looms the chateau-laden pinnacle. Here you obtain an audio guide, which will dispense a great deal of information about the site and its ruling dynasty as you amble around the hilltop before making the ultimate ascent to the ruined chateau and fortifications. In the medieval period this flattish area was populated with everything required by a great, powerful, and self-sufficient medieval lord, such the lord's church, his garrison, and his blacksmiths, carpenters, wheelwrights, and bakers.. A close look will reveal that the many caves and recesses in the limestone cliffs were once occupied by the lord's troglodytic craftsmen as homes and workshops, their wooden interiors and facades long since decayed. This area also has a very large trebuchet, and evidence of windmills from a later period. You will savor the magnificent views over the bucolic valley to the east and south which sweeps down to the Mediterranean coast, and the forbidding and rugged hills to the north and west.
Every reasonably fit person should ascend to the keep and the summit fortifications, which afford the grandest views over the site and surrounding region. Occasional handrail support is essential because some of the steep steps carved into the mountain's limestone backbone are very deeply eroded by the footsteps of countless watchmen who ascended these ramparts daily for more than 500 years. The chateau of the troublesome Lords of Baux was pulled down in 1483 on the orders of the king of France, who had recently become the principality's new overlord. During the Renaissance the keep was rebuilt and the town below revived, but in 1632 it became a Protestant stronghold opposing the king during the Wars of Religion. The chateau and fortifications were once again mostly destroyed by the troops of Cardinal Richelieu.
When a solitary visitor enters the shell of the ruined multi-story chateau and carefully listens, he is soon aware that he is not alone. The hauntingly muffled wind-sounds that reverberate and echo in every corner and cranny of the hollowed interior are the whispering memories of the generations of lords, ladies, vassal-servants, and children who lived, loved, and died here.
On one of Les Baux's village streets is prominently displayed a red rock that does not look at all like the whitish limestone of which Les Baux's mountain and its building stones are composed. This is another type of rock which is found in the area, and it is this rock that has made Le Baux's name world famous. In 1822 Pierre Berthier, a geologist and mining engineer was in the area prospecting for iron. He discovered a rock which was later called bauxite due to the locale. Instead of iron, bauxite happens to be the rock in which the element aluminum is most heavily concentrated. Elemental aluminum was first isolated in 1825, and in the 1880s processes were invented to extract it from bauxite. This strong, lightweight metal went on to change the structure of the modern world, and every schoolgirl learns that bauxite is its geological source -- as do the schoolboys if they are paying attention!
If you really want to savor Le Baux, you will need a half day plus. If you are very ambitious, get an early start and combine Le Baux with a visit to the nearby town of St- Remy-de-Provence and the archaeological site of Glanum.
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Nimes (53 min to the southwest)
Tourists might think of Nimes as a glittery ring highlighted by a pair of dazzling Roman era jewels, which happen to be two of the world's best preserved Roman structures. But in this ring are other gems of note, and not all are from the Roman era. Nimes is not a World Heritage site -- yet. It has been nominated, and there is no doubt that one day it will become one. Beyond the world class monuments, Nimes has a special charm, and is a wonderful city in which to stroll, shop, and dine, with attractive fountains and many ornate 18th Century buildings constructed during the prosperous textile boom.
Part of Nimes' modern charm and much of the city's history is tied to water. The Celts tended to site their fortified Iron Age towns around sacred springs. The city's ancient Gallo-Roman name, Nemausus, was also the name of the Celtic god of the city's spring. In Roman times, the Pont du Gard was built to bring water to the city. During the early 18th Century, Nimes developed a robust textile industry, which required a larger and more reliable source of water. About the time of the building of Versailles, canals were constructed which delivered these larger water volumes. The Nimes textile business -- which gave us the word denim (textiles de nimes) -- is gone, but townspeople today still stroll and lounge beside those lovely canals. Every visitor should likewise linger there, in summer shaded by stately rows of plane trees.
In terms of world-class, tourist-pleasing structures, undoubtedly Nimes' most notable history happened during the Roman period. The very water that flowed through the Roman engineering masterpiece of the Pont du Gard was destined to slake the thirst of the inhabitants of Nimes. The terminus of the aqueduct, called the Castellum divisorium, can be seen a few blocks east of the Tour Magne (see below). The Castellum received the aqueduct's water, and distributed it to various parts of the city. Nimes' preserved castellum is one castellum from being unique; no other has been preserved except another which was buried in volcanic ash at Pompeii.
No visit to Nimes should exclude its two Roman jewels, the Arena, and the Maison Caree. The Maison, constructed circa 5 AD, and the Pantheon in Rome are rivals for the best preserved of all Roman buildings. The superb preservation of both can be explained by the fact that they were never abandoned. The Maison was at times a church, town hall, stable, archive, and art gallery. Its original purpose was as a temple to honor two grandsons of Augustus. On the inside of the Maison is an auditorium which shows an interesting circa 30 minute movie about Gallo-Roman Nimes during the Augustan era.
The Nimes Arena, built about 70 AD, is the best preserved of all Roman arenas. It is still used for public events. In season, it hosts the last vestige of Roman gladiatorial bloodsport -- bullfighting. Spectacle this is, but bloodsport it is not. In this version of bullfighting, men attempt to snatch a ribbon from between the bull's horns. The bull leaves the arena for a hay dinner.
Pick up an audio guide before you enter the Arena. You will learn about the spectacles held there, the men who financed them, and the class and gender-based seating arrangements. There is much information about gladiatorial combat, including the types of gladiators and their weaponry. You will learn what a vomitorium is -- and it's not what you think it is! During the turbulent Medieval era, the Arena was converted to a fortress, and later it was a neighborhood complete with plumbing and gardens.
Visitors should not miss a stroll west down the Quai de la Fontaine to the Jardins de la Fontaine. The fountains at the base of the hill mark the location of the original spring of Nemausus. Beside this is a Roman ruin called the Temple of Diana. For a grand view of the city, zig zag up the hill from the fountain through the lovely trees and gardens to the Tour Magne, which was a tower on the Roman wall protecting the city. For grand views of the city, climb to the top via the interior ladder. It is all downhill if you head east to the Castellum.
To do full justice to Nimes, plan to spend an entire day.
Gorges d'Ardeche Area (40-60 minutes to the NE)
If you would like a change of pace from castles, hill towns, Roman ruins, and lounging in cities, the Gorges d'Ardeche offers a history vastly more ancient in the form of Ice Age art, as well as natural scenery and outdoor activities that will especially appeal to kids and active adults.
It is surprising to American visitors how rural much of France is. These gorges are particularly rural. Large portions of the central and south of France are underlain by limestone, which can result in rugged, hilly terrain with large numbers of caves, springs, and crystalline rivers. Parts of America such as the Ozarks or portions of Kentucky come to mind. Just like American limestone country, outdoor activities abound such as scenic drives, hiking, rock climbing, and in-season swimming and floating activities. There are also a number of caves to visit in which Mother Nature has crafted finely artistic cave formations. Several Gorges d'Ardeche caves are extra colorful due to the trace minerals deposited with the limestone.
The Ardeche river gorge is about 40 km long, and has portions which reach chasm status. High, nearly vertical cliffs -- some of which are used by summer daredevils as leaping pads for quick access to the river -- make for spectacular scenery. There are grand views from various levels above the river as it winds through the gorge, and there are a sufficient number of things to do to easily justify a full day and more. The Pont d'Arc -- a spectacular natural limestone bridge through which the river has sliced its path -- is a major reason to visit the area.
For many millennia before recorded history this river valley was trod by people who left spectacular evidence of their presence. Here during the Ice Age period dwelled Cro-Magnon humans, who used certain caves as artistic and ceremonial centers, leaving art that is close to the oldest ever made.
The Chauvet cave, which is very near the Pont d'Arc, would be a world-class must-see -- if it were open to the public. But the good news is that visitors to the area can see a nearly perfect replica of its most spectacular parts. This replica is also a must-see, and by itself a very good reason to visit the area. The real Chauvet cave was discovered in the 1990s by cavers. It had been literally buried into obscurity after a rockslide covered its entrance. What makes this cave so special is the hundreds of Ice Age animals which Paleolithic people drew on its walls. This cave is by all accounts one of the best of all European caves with cave art! Moreover, radiocarbon dating of the charcoal pigment indicates that at least some of this art is 35,000 years old -- putting it very near the beginning of Europe's cave art period which ended about 12,000 years ago. This is some of the world's oldest art! As you experience the replica, you might easily forget that you just walked into a building rather than descended into the earth. The reproductions of Mother Nature's cave formations and ancient mankind's art are superb.
The reproduction cave is true to the original right up to the cave bear claw marks that in places compete for wall space with the human art. Cave bears were larger than grizzlies or polar bears. For those who are into extreme nature adventures or who are getting tired of the husband or kids, special sessions sans tour guides exist in which cave bears are released in the replica cave. Inquire at the ticket office for times. (Just kidding!!)
But what is certainly true is that a day or two in the Gorges d'Ardeche has the potential for the types of activities that will provide good medicine for jumpy kids and spouses!
The Luberon Region and Sites Around the Hill Town of Gordes (1 hr 10 min to the SE)
The Luberon is a massif consisting of craggy, rugged limestone uplands and narrow valleys with clear flowing springs and rivers; nearby are broad, sweeping, cultivated valleys. The differences in relief make for splendid scenery, and this is especially true where the hills are crowned by hill town jewels such as Gordes and Roussillon. Many consider Gordes to be the loveliest hill town in all of France. In this region there are quite a number of very interesting and scenic places to visit. One day in the Luberon cannot do it justice, and it would be impossible to see every site listed below in even two days. To really savor the area, three days would be ideal, but a majority of the places could be seen in two long spring or summer days -- assuming not much time spent lunching and lingering. Your time in the Luberon will combine sites with historical, cultural, religious, architectural, geological, and industrial interest, all in a region with great natural beauty. Hiking opportunities abound!
Gordes (1 hr 18 min to the SE)
Don your sturdy walking shoes, and be sure you have plenty of camera storage space -- Gordes will charm and compel you to keep your shutters busy! More that a few connoisseurs of hill towns consider Gordes to be the loveliest in all France.
The most scenic view of the village is on Hwy D-15 which makes a northerly ascent before taking a final eastern jog at the head of the valley to enter the town. The road occupies a separate upland, which looks to the east across the narrow valley to the town. There is a very limited designated area on the road to turn out, which is always busy with cars and tour buses stopping for quickie-pics. But to really savor this most iconic panorama of the village, after parking in town take a walk down the highway. The view on this walk is extremely rewarding, although watchful care is essential due to the narrow road and steep cliffs. From this view, the splendid sentinel village of white to gray limestone tumbles down its cliffs like a stair step waterfall.
In the town itself there are photo opportunities galore along the narrow, cobble stoned, flower studded streets. And many points along the streets and promenades offer splendid views out into the valley and across to the distant hills! The chateau at the crown of Gordes' hill contains displays of modern art. Originally built in the eleventh and twelfth centuries, it was extensively renovated during the Renaissance. The town has many small hotels, cafes, and shops with Provencal-themed merchandise. Other sights include the St Firmin church (early 18th Century) and some underground workshops carved into the cliffs. Visitors can tour the Caves of St Firmin, which feature an underground area once used for producing olive oil.
Gordes was an oppidium (Gallic hill fortress) in the pre-Roman and early Roman period. During the centuries of the Pax Romana, the population mostly descended to the valley. As Roman power waned, the political turbulence caused the inhabitants to re-ascend to the more secure, if less convenient and less comfortable heights. Nowadays the town is a haven for artists and those with the considerable monetary resources to afford the superb views.
If you come in high tourist season, be ready for large crowds. The town is popular for a very good reason -- it is truly one of the must see sites of Provence!
Abbey Notre Dame de Senanque
(Important Note: Because it still serves as a contemplative refuge of poverty, piety, and prayer, visiting times are very limited. Consider planning the rest of your day around the abbey's visiting times. Check ahead!)
Ardent armchair travelers have probably seen pictures of this abbey, taken during the season of the blooming lavender, which is cultivated on the grounds by the monks. The iconic image of stark, gray medieval Romanesque architecture set against the brilliant blossoms and the green hills finds its way into most of the guidebooks of Provence.
But there is deeper experience awaiting the visitor. This is one of the best places in Europe to gain an understanding of the monastic life that so influenced and animated pious medieval Christians across Europe. Indeed, visitors should lower their voices and ready themselves for a contemplative change of pace as they tour a still working Cistercian abbey that was founded in 1142 under the patronage of the Counts of Barcelona who held political sway over the region. Major construction began in the next decade, and continued for about a hundred years.
Although only a very circuitous 5 km from the bustle of Gordes, the abbey is ensconced in a secluded, craggy green valley. Exclude the modern road and the motorized vehicles and visitors can easily imagine themselves as medieval travelers seeking spiritual and material refuge from the political and military turbulence of their feudal world. The Cistercian movement had begun only a few decades before the abbey's founding, in order to reform the Benedictine Order by returning to a more simple and austere lifestyle. Among Cistercian beliefs is that part of the day should be devoted to hard agricultural work. Thus, when the abbey's population was high, the valley was more heavily cultivated than it is today.
Although it suffered damage during the French Wars of Religion, the abbey is in a remarkable state of preservation. Several areas are open to visitors. The interior is spartan and austere, reflecting the belief that ornamentation is worldly and distracting to ideals of simplicity and modesty. The abbey church lacks a large door to the outside because it was only used by monks. The Dormitory is a large room that once served as the sleeping area for up to 30 monks. The Chapter House is a relatively smaller room in which the community has met for centuries to study the Benedictine Rule, which is read aloud by the abbot. Among the monks, this is the only place where speaking is generally allowed. The loveliest area of the monastery is the Cloisters.
The monastic movement was very influential during the Middle Ages, and people desiring to understand the history and mindset of this period should consider a visit to this abbey a great opportunity to better understand those times. Guided tours are offered.
Bories Village
Care to take a walk on the humble side by visiting a site deemed an "architectural masterpiece?" Most tourists visit Europe to concentrate on the high culture centered in edifices constructed by powerful, influential, or famous people. Bories Village is an interesting departure to the low brow architecture of the common people who were, after all, the majority. This site is a unique opportunity to see about 30 meticulously restored structures built by the rural peasantry. Most of the construction is believed to date from the 18th and 19th centuries, but the construction methods apparently go back at least to the Bronze Age.
The Provencal term borie is derived from a Latin word meaning ox stable. More generally, bories are temporary seasonal buildings constructed by farmers, herders, and hunters. They were not meant to be fine buildings, but structures built with minimal effort but nevertheless very efficacious for a myriad of purposes. Bories consist of stacked flattish stones which have been assembled without masonry. The roofs are corbelled for stability. The buildings of Bories Village functioned as houses, barns, storehouses, bake houses, tanneries, sheep folds, henhouses, and pig sties. Some buildings give evidence of their former functions with the black soot on their ceilings, obviously inscribed with many seasons of fire. One building on the site -- in which visitors watch an information video -- is two stories!
For those who travel the back roads of southern France, the site will be an educational experience, bringing into focus similar structures more commonly seen in isolation. Bories construction is most commonly seen in walls, with stone-roofed barns being another prominent example.
Bories Village occupies a sunny upland, wooded by small trees. The ground is a rocky outcrop of limestone which weathers into flattish stones which are easily gathered, shaped, and worked. It is 4 km west of Gordes. The sinuous road becomes very narrow as you approach the site. The road is bordered by walls that give a sneak preview to the type of construction you will see on a grand scale upon entering the site. The structures are rustic and simple, lacking the beauty of churches or castles. They are simple monuments to the architectural ingenuity of simple people, which are nevertheless a very intimate window into the culture of the region.
Roussilon
Roussilon is a lovely hill town perched on a multi-hued rocky outcrop. Iron in the sandstones and claystones has create variegated shades from near purple, to red, orange, yellow, and brown. The same colors seem to grow upward in the village's dwellings and structures, which are constructed out of the same colorful bedrock. Its vivid colors make Roussilon a unique town in the region. These and other attributes consistently place it on lists of France's most attractive hill towns.
As the French textile industry took off in the late 17th Century, there was a sizable demand for pigments. The town prospered as the ochre hills in and around Roussilon were mined for these pigments into the early 20th Century. The village offers an Ochre Trail, in which visitors can walk through some of the old ochre quarries in a 30 or 60 minute walk. Some of the natural rock formations make interesting erosional shapes that are reminiscent of the national parks in the western US. Visitors can also visit a museum which provides details of the ochre industry and the village's history.
It is a great pleasure to ascend and explore the narrow, winding, shady streets. Most are quiet, with various shops, cafes, and art establishments. Have your camera on the ready! The lovely town square has relatively more activity, and the clock tower has its own special personality. The visitor who climbs to the top is rewarded by lovely views of the valley and the nearby hills, with Mount Ventoux peeking down from farther beyond. A look down and back at the cliffs upon which the town is perched offer colorful contrasts that are unique among the area's hill towns.
Other Stopping Points in or in Transit to the Luberon
L'Isle-sur-la-Sorgue (55 minutes to the SE, and 25 min from Gordes) is worth a stop if you have time going or coming from Luberon destinations. The clear flowing River Sorgue has been diverted into canals which flow through the city. Canal-sides are festooned with flowers, and the canals themselves are punctuated with antique wood waterwheels and bridges. The water-rich city does conjure an atmosphere which is reminiscent of Venice. The canals and waterwheels are now ornaments and tourist attractions, but they once served a practical purpose: supplying power for textile and paper factories. The manufacturing economy provided the wealth for the city's attractive homes and other buildings that visitors appreciate whilst strolling through the town. Make time to walk the winding streets, visit the church, and take a snack along one of the scenic canals. Antique lovers beware: the city hosts antique conventions, and has far more than its share of antique shops!
Fontaine de Vacluse is a town in a scenic narrow gorge positioned at the source of the Sorgue River. During times of high water its spring can gush forth massive flows of water from the limestone. En route to the gorge, this water is collected by Mother Nature on the Vacluse Plateau and channeled underground through the highly permeable limestone. Although its flow is often modest, at peak flow periods in a wet year the spring is one of the largest in the world. A common theme springing from Medieval and Renaissance literature was obsessive admiration for an inaccessible woman. Such writings were epitomized by Dante for Beatriz and Petrarch for Laura. In fact, Petrarch's longing and lamenting of his unrequited love for Laura was a theme of many of his verses composed while on retreat in this scenic area -- which was no doubt far more secluded in his time than ours. Tourist activities include strolling on the riverside, and visiting an antique paper mill, which was a local industry beginning in the 16th Century. There are also restaurants and shops, and a small museum about Petrarch, a late medieval writer and thinker who anticipated the Renaissance.
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Uchaux, Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur, France
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The home is located in a small medieval village only 12 km north of the World Heritage designated Roman Amphitheater in the city of Orange.
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We love to travel and to spend time exploring. I’d be happy to answer any questions related to the property or area in which it is located.
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