One of the largest concentrations of the ruins of the Roman Empire in France can be found in Arles. From a long bridge leading into the city over the marshes to an amphitheater, large theater complex and a portion of the Roman Forum plus other ruins make this a destination not just for lovers of […]
Category Archives: France Tours
France Tours
Roman Aqueduct into Arles from Les Alpilles
We learned today when we visited the ancient Greco-Roman remains of Glanum, near St. Remy-de-Provence that an ancient dam once held back rainwater collected in the rugged gorges of Les Alpilles. This artificial lake fed an aqueduct that supplied water to the large city of Arles, located to the west. We found remains of that […]
View north from Room 5
The view north from our private terrace overlooking the Luberon in Provence. A gorgeous place where you can just sit and watch the sky change.
Lavendar blooming in Provence
Everyone hopes that they will be in Provence when the lavendar is blooming. We were a bit early in the season but we still found a lovely field near Gordes that was in full bloom.
Roman Orange, Provence
The Celtic settlement of Arausio (cf. the local Celtic water god Arausio), existed on the site; a major battle, which is generally known as the Battle of Arausio, was fought in 105 BC between two Roman armies and the Cimbri and Teutones tribes. Arausio was refounded in 35 BC and settled by veterans of the […]
Oppede Le Vieux wonderful stop in the Luberon
This is a place where we just had to laugh at the description given in a recent “Rick Steves” guide: “Oppede Le Vieux is a place to go and die in Provence.” Whaa? What did this esteemed travel write mean? That the village is so awesome that you will just drop dead when you see […]
Roussillon, Petit Luberon, France
We made a lunch stop at a delightful cafe with a wonderful view today in the reddish-ocher village of Roussillon. There’s nothing like a protein-filled omelet with ham and cheese to keep you going for an afternoon of sightseeing. In our case, we took the road up to Sault and then the drive through the […]
Aigues Mortes, France
The foundation of the city is attributed to Marius Caius, around 102 BC, but the first document mentioning a place called “Ayga Mortas” (dead waters) dates from the 10th century AD. We made a stop here on our way from Carcassonne to Gordes. Louis IX of France (Saint Louis) rebuilt the port in the 13th […]