jmneuy

notes about provence

  • [Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur region]
  • Home to Arles (Van Gogh sights, evocative Roman arena), Avignon (famous bridge and brooding Palace of the Popes), the ancient Roman aqueduct of Pont du Gard, Orange (Roman theater), the beautiful Côtes du Rhone wine road, and rock-top villages such as Les Baux, Roussillon, and Vaison-la-Romaine.
  • Cotes du Rhone wines
  • Nimes – roman architecture, ruins, arena
  • Denim – from nimes!
  • 1hr drive from cotes du rhone – there’s a wine drive?
  • Gigondas
  • 🍷red, white & rose; major grapes: grenache, syrah
  • Provence, in the south-east and close to the Mediterranean. It is perhaps the warmest wine region of France and produces mainly rosé and red wine. It covers eight major appellations led by the Provence flagship, Bandol. Some Provence wine can be compared with the Southern Rhône wines as they share both grapes and, to some degree, style and climate. Provence also has a classification of its most prestigious estates, much like Bordeaux.
  • avignon: in southeastern France’s Provence region, is set on the Rhône River. From 1309 to 1377, it was the seat of the Catholic popes. It remained under papal rule until becoming part of France in 1791. This legacy can be seen in the massive Palais des Papes (Popes’ Palace) in the city center, which is surrounded by medieval stone ramparts.
  • Aix-en-Provence: famous for its outdoor markets and handsome pedestrian lanes, as well as its cultivated residents and their ability to embrace the good life. Nowhere else in France is l’art de vivre (the art of living) so well on display. It was that way when the French king made the town his administrative capital of Provence, and it’s that way today. For a tourist, Aix-en-Provence is happily free of any obligatory turnstiles — there’s not a single ancient site to see. It’s just a wealthy town filled with 140,000 smartly dressed people, including 40,000 students who give the city a year-round youthful energy. And Aix’s numerous squares, lined with cafés and fine shops, allow everyone a comfortable place to pose. Combine a village visit with lunch alfresco – La Table de Ventabren near Aix-en-Provence is one such dreamy address that you’ll never want to leave. 
  • Arles: on the Rhône River in the Provence region of southern France. It’s famed for inspiring the paintings of Van Gogh, which influenced the contemporary art displayed at the Fondation Vincent Van Gogh. Once a provincial capital of ancient Rome, Arles is also known for many remains from that era, including Arles Amphitheatre (les Arènes d’Arles), now hosting plays, concerts and bullfights.
  • Marseille: port city in southern France, has been a crossroads of immigration and trade since its founding by the Greeks circa 600 B.C. At its heart is the Vieux-Port (Old Port), where fishmongers sell their catch along the boat-lined quay. Basilique Notre-Dame-de-la-Garde is a Romanesque-Byzantine church. Modern landmarks include Le Corbusier’s influential Cité Radieuse complex and Zaha Hadid’s CMA CGM Tower.

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