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| Thousands of Flamants roses hang out in the Camargue region of France. |
After five mostly damp days along the Costa Brava, we head back to France to spend a few days in Provence. Too early in the year for lavender, we opt instead to visit ancient Roman sites and are thrilled by close encounters with pink flamingos.
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Surrounded by Corinthian column capitals, Maison Carrée
in Nîmes is considered an architectural masterpiece |
We've decided to spend our first day in Nîmes. Tucked between the Cévennes mountains and the Mediterranean, this splendid city dates back to the 6th century B.C. Striking remains of its Roman heritage can still be explored. We buy the three-site ticket that gives us entry to Maison Carrée, a pristine Roman temples; Les Arènes, considered to be the world's best-conserved Roman amphitheater; and Tour Magne, or Big Tower, which stands above a Roman sanctuary and was part of the Augustan walls. Clearly, we have a lot of walking ahead of us today.
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Built at the end of the 1st century, Les Arènes in Nîmes could hold
more than 24,000 spectators of gladiator fights and other events. |
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The Roman amphitheater Les Arènes in Nîmes is still used
for bullfights, concerts and sporting events. |
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| The Quay de la Fontaine leads to the famed gardens in Nîmes. |
After a breathless exploration of the amphitheater, we set out for the Jardins de la Fontaine. Built around Roman sanctuaries and fountains, the gardens were transformed in the 18th and 19th centuries, and are said to be among the first public gardens in Europe. After admiring various sculptures, the Temple of Diana, and the grand stairways around a spring, we begin the steep walk to the Tour Magne.
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| This smiley statue is located in Jardins de la Fontaine in Nîmes. |
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| No one know the backstory behind the Temple of Diana in Nîmes. |
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Tour Magne in Nîmes was built over an Celtic tower
as part of the city's Augustan walls. |
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| The views from the top of Tour Magne in Nîmes are, of course, spectacular. |
Full up on antiquity, we head to lunch before knocking about Nîmes for the afternoon. I'm really delighted with this very walkable city, and I add it to my list of France favorites.
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The Romans won a victory over Egypt in 31 B.C. and created a coin
to celebrate. That coin, minted in Nîmes, had a crocodile on it.
Yada yada yada, the crocodile is the symbol of Nîmes. |
We're now off to Arles. The centerpiece of this thousand-year-old city on the Rhone River, is yet another Roman site: a two-level amphitheater that hosts shows, concerts, and bullfights — both the kind where no bull is hurt (the tauromachie) and the traditional (barbaric) kind.
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This Roman amphitheater in Arles was plundered as a quarry
over the centuries, but what remains is an impressive site. |
Beyond the Roman sites, Arles is known for being home for a number of years to Vincent Van Gogh, and visitors can retrace his steps to see where he painted some of his best known masterpieces. He painted 300 pieces while he lived here, but none are housed in the city's museums.
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| Primatial Basilica of Saint Trophimes in Arles was once a cathedral. |
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The Romanesque-Gothic church of Notre Dame de la Major
in Arles was built in the 12th century. |
After a morning of walking around Arles, we head south to the Camargue. This sprawling wetlands park attracts those wanting to ride horses, cycle, hike, or just chill on a remote beach. Visitors keep their eyes open to spot wild white horses or bulls. But for me, I've come in search of
les flamants roses: pink flamingos.
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I'm fascinated watching the pink flamingos in the Camargue.
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I wouldn't call myself a bird enthusiast, but I've heard a lot about these flamboyant pink birds, and I can't recall seeing them except in a zoo. At the Parc Ornithologique Pont du Gau we are handed a trail map and pointed in the right direction. After admiring some egrets, ducks, and herons, we turn a corner and suddenly come upon hundreds of flamingos. Following the path which takes us at times to the water's edge, we'll see thousands of these beautiful birds. No exaggeration: An estimated 10,000 flamingos come here each year to breed.
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| Flamingos' pink color comes from the algae and shellfish they eat. |
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| Flamingos are drawn to the open, salty marshes and ponds of the Camargue. |
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In addition to pink flamingos, the Camargue is home to hundreds
of species of birds, like this gray heron. |
And onto another city packed with history: Avignon.
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| The huge Palais des Papes dominates the skyline of Avignon. |
It's the final day of our visit to Provence, and the weather has turned wicked. Our guide on a walking tour of Avignon claims it's the coldest day of the winter. This city is best known for its sprawling Papal Palace. In the 14th century, Avignon was the seat of the Christian world. Nine successive popes lived in this massive Gothic palace. These days, visitors are given tablets that provide a virtual tour of the 25 rooms that are open to the public.
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| Nine popes lived in the Papal Palace in Avignon in the 14th century. |
Rather than committing to a few hours (and hefty admission price) to the Papal Palace, we check out a couple of Avignon's free museums. The Petit Palais Museum houses a lot of Italian religious art, much of it part of the Louvre collection. More to my taste is the Palais du Roure, a 15th century manor that was once the cultural hotspot for Provençal culture.
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| Avignon's Petit Palais Museum houses religious art and artifacts. |
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Palais du Roure invites visitors to admire the art and furnishings
inside a stately mansion in Avignon. |
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| Avignon's Grand Opera has been hosting performances for 200 years. |
Sur le pont d'Avignon, a song I memorized as a child, claims that people used to dance here. Alas, that's probably only a tale as the bridge is very narrow. Once nearly a kilometer long and featuring 20 arches, the Pont d'Avignon fell victim to the Rhone's many floods. Today just a small bit of the bridge remains, which one can visit, but not actually dance upon.
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This trompe l'œil shows Picasso gazing out a window.
He was living in Avignon when World War I began. |
