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What’s more in Provence than lavender?
Romain Rolland has a famous saying: “The reason why the French are romantic is because they have Provence.” In Peter Meyer’s pen, Provence is no longer a simple geographical name, but also represents a simple and worry-free, A relaxed and lazy way of life, a leisure mood.
The full name of Provence is “Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur”. It is not only the “city of knights” known to the world, but also the birthplace of knightly lyric poetry, an important literary genre in the Middle Ages, and has all kinds of beautiful towns. Therefore, since ancient Greece and ancient Rome, Provence has attracted countless tourists and is still a tourist destination.
Purple romance
Nine out of ten people who come to Provence are for the purple romance. The creator of this romance is lavender, a small purple flower whose flower language is “waiting for love”.
Due to the abundant and bright sunshine that is most suitable for the growth of lavender, coupled with the local residents’ love for the aroma and curative effect of lavender, in Provence, various lavender sachets and sachets are also common in various households and even street shops. Even essential oils, soaps, candles, etc. made of lavender.
The Valensole Plain is the birthplace of lavender and is currently the largest lavender plantation on land. Every summer, the local blooming lavender has a huge visual impact, and Valensole has become one of the locations for many couples to take wedding photos.
If time permits, it is best to stay in Valensole for two or three days. Along the self-driving and carpooling tour routes, you can use the shortest time, the most leisurely pace, the most leisurely mood, and the deepest perspective to tour the essence of Provence. Scenic spot.
Living here, you can experience true Provence life. Like the residents of the town, sleep until you wake up naturally every day, then go to the bakery in the town to queue up to buy freshly baked baguettes or croissants, and then sit in the small cafe in the center of the town to start a beautiful life.
“Little Rome” Avignon
The beauty of Provence is not only for lavender, but also for the surrounding towns. Avignon is the first stop for most people arriving in Provence and the only gateway to the Côte d’Azur from Paris. The ancient city is surrounded by a solid stone wall with a total length of 4,300 meters. Around the city wall, 7 city gates and 39 towers are displayed in turn. One of the most famous attractions in the city is the Pope’s Palace, which stands high.
The Pope’s Palace is sacred and solemn, with extraordinary momentum. It is more appropriate to say that it is a castle rather than a palace, because it takes into account the dual functions of a military fortress and a palace for the Holy See. The solid outer wall is 50 meters high and 4 meters thick. It is difficult to defend and attack, and within the high wall is the central management organization of the Holy See.
The Pope’s Palace is connected by the Old Palace and the New Palace. To outsiders, it is like a labyrinth, with rooms on different floors scattered in heights and loops. Most of the rooms are paved with wooden boards or bricks, and the decoration is simple. Only the tallness of the room shows the style of the Pope. Today, the Pope’s Palace and its surroundings are included on the World Heritage List, and some of its rooms have been turned into museums.
Walking in Avignon, you will find that most of the streets here still retain the names of the Middle Ages, such as Blacksmith Street, Dyeers Street, Carpentry Street… It seems to reproduce people working in narrow lanes hundreds of years ago scene. The streets are lined with restaurants and cafes, and there are always entertainers performing on the Clock Tower Square.
For today’s Avignon, the art festival held every July has become an annual event in the local and even the world’s theater circles. This is also the most glorious and lively time of the year in Avignon. Avignon has also become one of the most important performing arts centers in France and the world with this festival.
From the Palace of the Popes, cross the alley across the square to the Broken Bridge. The full name of “Broken Bridge” is St. Benezer Bridge. It was originally more than 900 meters long and had 22 arch holes. It was a masterpiece of European medieval architecture. However, after it was built in the 12th century, it was washed away by floods and rebuilt many times. It was not until the 17th century that people decided to give up rebuilding, so there are only 4 arch holes left in the Benezer Bridge today.
Metropolis Aix
Aix is the former capital of Provence, just 35 kilometers from the famous Cote d’Azur. This medieval city with boulevards, fountains and mansions is the most “metropolitan” area in Provence. It has been the political, economic, cultural and artistic center of southern France since the 12th century. The artistic atmosphere has made Aix a tourist city that is loved and longed for by literati and tourists from all over the world.
Sunshine, ancient city, stone road, spring water, phoenix tree, lavender… endow it with colorful and charming colors and rich and colorful culture. Aix is also the hometown of the Impressionist painter Cézanne. Many art galleries in the city, as well as Cézanne’s former residence and studio, have Cézanne’s paintings.
Born here in 1839, Cézanne studied at the local Bourbon Academy with excellent grades, especially in classical literature. He and Zola are classmates and friends, and they often travel together to explore the surrounding countryside. The teenager’s experience tied his emotions to the Provencal landscape, and it appeared in all of his later works.
“City in the Sky” Stone City
Provence has countless beautiful towns, and the Stone Town nestled in the middle of the mountain is undoubtedly the most fantastic. Many stones, which are illuminated by the sun all year round, meander and pile up a gray-yellow “city in the sky”.
Stone Town, transliterated as Gordes, is known as one of the “most beautiful towns in France”. It is located in the southern part of the Vaucluse ridge, 370 meters above sea level, facing the Luberon Mountains, and the town has about 2,000 permanent residents. Most of the buildings in the town were built in the Middle Ages from the accumulation of granite from the mountains. These houses are entrenched together in a trapezoid shape and extend to the top of the mountain, looking like a castle in the sky from a distance.
The unique architectural style and special geographical location make this town present a unique charm, attracting countless tourists to visit, and writers and artists even come here to find inspiration. The famous artist Picasso has visited this place many times, the painter Matisse lived in the villa for 5 years, and the romantic painter Chagall settled here in 1950 until his death… Gold’s morning and sunset have stayed one by one. on their drawing boards.
Along the sheep intestine path covered with long pebbles, the surrounding stone buildings are full of the taste of the Renaissance, and visitors seem to enter a tunnel through time and space. The shades of green are interspersed between the scattered stone houses, which eases the sense of historical heaviness brought by the grayish yellow.
