Provence
 October/November 2003
by JHD

For one week a group of 22 friends from the Objectivist Center and I stayed at the Hôtel Aquabella in Aix-en-Provence .  We visited Cassis, Marseille, Aix , Arles , the Château d'Ansouis, Lourmarin, Cézanne's studio, Isle sur la Sorgue, Gordes, and the Abbay de Sénanque.  There were lectures on the history of this region of France, contemporary France, and Cézanne.  We also had local people come and answer questions about life in France .

So, just where is Provence ?  It is the southeastern-most region of France , as shown here.  Its climate is moderated by the Mediterranean , and is a favorite vacation spot for Europeans.  Humans have lived there for tens of thousands of years.  The region has been the location of strife and conflict.  (I don't know if it is more than anywhere else in the world!)  Back around the sixth century BC, the Greeks established towns there.  Then, every hundred years or so someone else conquered the region, such as the Celts, Ligurians, Romans, Visigoths, Burgundians, Ostragoths, Moors, Saracens (Muslims - Arabs, Turks, Kurds).  Then came the feudal era (!)  Finally at the end of the fifteenth century AD it was effectively annexed to France .  

Cassis

We had a great tour director, Charlotta Adolfsson.  The tour was conducted by Alumni Campus Abroad, a division of AHI International.   Throughout the various towns we visited, some of the streets were very narrow and twisty, reflecting their medieval origins.  I loved the outdoor markets. 

The lunches and dinners were arranged by AHI, and often were quite elegant.  After each course the waiters would remove the old silverware whether or not used and replace it with the "proper" silverware for the particular food being served.

Arles

We learned a lot of Roman history in Provence .  Our lecturer and guide for this part was Claude Blanc, who was one of the most enthusiastic history professors I have encountered.  We visited the Musée d'Arles Antique, which contained many Roman artifacts.  Some of the detail on the bas-reliefs was incredible.  The tile floors reminded me of Pompeii , and I was also intrigued by the still existent lead water pipes (they didn't know about lead poisoning then).

We went out to the center of Arles and toured there.  Especially interesting was the church on the town square.  Notice all the intricate carvings.  They tell stories since back "then" many people could not read or write.   On the middle row, there are folks going to heaven.  They are shown as ecstatic, while in another spot there are folks going to hell.  Feel their anguish!

Under the town hall were ancient Roman basements, used for storage and who knows what else.

We also enjoyed viewing the coliseum in Arles , which is being somewhat restored.      

Ansouis

We visited the castle, Château d'Ansouis, and were given a delightful tour by Vicomtesse de Sabran, the owner who lives there and raised her family there.  Parts of the castle date from the 12th century.

I  remarked to the Viscountess that it must have been fun for her kids to be brought up in a castle.  She said that when they were young, it was scary for them, but as teen-agers, they loved it, with all the passageways and rooms.

Lourmarin

Notice the parked cars on the sidewalk.  I observed that in all the towns I visited in Provence .  Also enjoyable in Lourmarin was a visit to a fish market.

Winery at Val-Joanis

We visited a winery at Val-Joanis, where in addition to the vineyards, we photographed their extensive herb garden.

Day of Cézanne

Along some of the streets in Aix-en-Provence were markers in the pavement for a self-guided tour of points of interest in the life of Paul Cézanne.  Of course we had our own guide.  We drove out in the country to Mont Ste-Victoire for lunch and then to Cézanne’s studio.

(Left) Mt. Ste-Victoire as Paul Cézanne saw it.

(Right) Mt. Ste-Victoire as Paul Cézanne painted it (one of many).  

Abbay de Sénanque

After visits to the Isle sur la Sorgue and Gordes, we delighted in a trip to the Abbay de Senanque, a medieval abbey constructed without mortar.  Inside was very stark, with an unmortared ceiling which allowed shifting to take place during earthquakes.

Hanging on the wall were the saws used to cut the limestone blocks.  The workers were paid piecemeal, and so to identify and count how many blocks a worker cut each day they each had their own "signature" symbol or letter they put on the blocks they cut.  Very clever, these monks.

Art

Our last day was a free day, and one of the offerings was an art class.  We went to the studio/home/farm of Marie DuBost, a resident artist.   There wasan olive tree in her yard, where some of us found out that olives right off the tree, green or black, are VERY bitter.  They are marinated in salt water or other concoctions before they get to us to eat.  Marie fixed us lunch - an outstanding salad and lasagna with a scrumptious dessert.  

Marie demonstrated painting techniques to us and then we tried out our skills.  It looked so easy when she did it.

My right brain at work 
on my very first painting.

Sing-a Long

Often in the evenings a group of us would gather around the piano and sing songs.  We found that a good key for most songs for our voice ranges was B flat.  (You had to be there!)

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