| Wednesday
the cooking adventure began for my partner. I certainly wasn't going
to slave over a hot stove for 4 days on my vacation but I enjoyed the fruits
of the cooking class students' labor every evening at 20:30.
While Pierre
and his group of 3 other participants did the market, visited cheese
and wine producers, had a hands-in-the-dough baking lesson, I was visiting
every museum and monument in Arles.
The 65 franc
pass to 8 museums and monuments in Arles has to be one of the best deals
anywhere in France. You can take in all of them in two days - or at a more
leisurely pace as I did, in three days.
My suggestion
is to start at the Musée de l'Arles antique, a 20-minute walk
from the city center in a low-slung modern building. Ignore the ugly exterior
architecture and delve into the fascinating history of Arles. Beautifully
presented and explained in detail on wall panels (in French only).
I read every description and looked at almost every piece displayed. From
7000 B.C. up to the 5th century A.D. the history of Arles is put into perspective.
In 46 B.C.
Julias Cesar promoted Arles to the rank of a colony. Emperor Augustus
built the10,000-seat Theater at the end of the first century B.C. and the
20,000-seat Circus was built on 28,000 oak and pine posts cut down in the
winter of 148-149 A.D. under the reign of emperor Antonius. Now that's
precise archeological dating!
The Amphitheater
was erected around 90 A.D. and is the prime tourist spot in central Arles
today. Climb the tower for a view of the city in the day and walk round
it in the early evening to admire the lighting and hark back to the days
of the Romans.
Using my pass
I also visited the roman baths (no running water today), Saint-Trophime
cloister with a lovely view of the city and the Alyscamps, a Roman graveyard.
The Museon
Arlaten housed in the Hôtel Laval-Castellane was built on the remains
of the Roman Forum. This musée d'ethnographie provençal has
a splendid collection of daily life in Provence. You'll want to spend at
least two hours to take it all in as it is an outstanding museum.
The Réattu
Museum is Arles' musée des beaux arts. It borders the Rhône
River and the 16th-century building is worth the visit in itself. I particularly
enjoyed the 57 Picasso drawings.
Marketing,
tasting, cutting, cleaning, preparing, baking, frying, beating, boiling,
basting, tasting with Erick and Madeleine Vedel at their School of Provencale
Cuisine was nearly over. The cooking students were very pleased.
Time to
head for home. So, early Saturday morning we packed bags, recipes and
10 liters of local olive oil heading through the heart of National Park
of the Cevennes on a different route.
Nature lovers,
put the Cevennes on your list. It was gorgeous in May. I imagine there
are swarms of visitors in summer given all the camping, hiking, canoe,
kayaking signs we saw!
We meandered
all the way up to the highest point in the Cevennes, (1,567 meters)
to the Observatoire du Mont Aigoual (in service around the clock since
1894!). We visited the fascinating Méteo France museum (open
from 1 May to 30 September, no entry fee). Their gift shop had lovely
T-shirts, gadgets and even dried mushrooms.
We didn't encounter
any 'extreme' weather events fortunately. The observatory has had some
nice weather records. Lowest temperature recorded: minus 28 C. - hottest
day: 29.9 C. - 1.86 meters of snow fall in one day - 300 kilometer per
hour wind gusts (that was in 1968). It's normal to encounter fog (241
days a year) but being on a roll with the weather, are view was clear!
Alas,
we had to get back on the auto route. But there was still no traffic and
the hot sun and blue skies kept us smiling. By 19:00 we agreed another
2 hours to get home was just too much. Pulling out the handy guides again,
my scientist and navigator did some quick calculations as to the closest
spot for dinner and bed. Voila! A short drive off the autoroute and we
arrived at Le Prieuré in ignous-sur-Barangeon between Bourges and
Orléans on the National 76.
Their champagne
flavored with fresh melon juice was perfect after our very long day on
the road. I was too tired to take notes on the meal, but it was delicious!
Zooming down
the auto route on the last lap home we knew we wanted to explore more of
France. Treasures await you. Don't miss them. |
