We left the Cinque Terre and crossed the border into France and suddenly, the signs, cars and terrain looked different. (Also our phones stopped working!) Our first stop was a small town above Nice called, Colle de Loup. It’s very near the lovely town of St. Paul de Vence – home to many artists and writers throughout the years – and incredibly beautiful.
Our hotel turned out to be in an ancient abbey transformed into a hotel and was run by a charming young couple. They still were working on the grounds, but it was beautiful.
St. Paul de Vence
On our first night in France, we ventured up to a famous village of St. Paul de Vence, knowing that it might be impossible to park as it’s a must see for tourists. Being ahead of the season, we got lucky!
Built on its rocky outcrop and surrounded by its ramparts looking out to the sea and mountains, St Paul is certainly one of the most beautiful villages in Provence.
The city of Arles – Roman legacy, Van Gogh memories and music!
“When the Good Lord begins to doubt the world, he remembers that he created Provence.” – Frèderic Mistral
Lonely Planet says, “Roman treasures, shady squares and plenty of Camarguais culture make Arles a seductive stepping stone into the Camargue. And if its colourful sun-baked houses evoke a sense of déjà vu, it’s because you’ve seen them already on a Van Gogh canvas – the artist painted 200-odd works around town, though sadly his famous little ‘yellow house’ at 2 place Lamartine, which he painted in 1888, was destroyed during WWII.”
Our good friend, Bettina has lived in Arles for many years and happily was in town during our visit. In fact, she invited us to a delicious dinner at her country home she’s currently renting. On a beautiful spring evening we sipped the local “gris” rosé and caught up on our lives.
Over the next few days we covered a lot of the Arlesian tourist spots and ambled around the back streets finding charming little cafés to sip some wine and take a break!
On our first day, right down the street in the main square, they were having a celebration to mark the end of WWII. There literally was dancing in the streets!
The beauty of Van Gogh
The Romans knew a good thing in Arles!
From circuses for chariot racing to the theaters for drama, the arenas for the gladiators and then a nice hot bath – the Romans had a good life going in Arles. Their cultural mark is everywhere. It’s fascinating to explore the city and imagine a Roman way of life. And the current citizens enjoy a modern cultural life embedded in the beauty of history!
La Camargue
The Camargue is famous for its white horses, black bulls and pink flamingos – an amazing natural area on France’s Mediterranean coast. Chris and I decided to take a horseback ride on the morning we left Arles. It was fun and we even trotted and galloped!
The Camargue horse is an ancient breed of horse indigenous to the Camargue area in southern France. Its origins remain relatively unknown, although it is generally considered one of the oldest breeds of horses in the world.
We stopped for lunch in a beautiful medieval city called Aigues Morte (the still waters) and set our compass for Toulouse and the southwest of France! 🇫🇷
Chris and Ellen’s 2022 European Adventure 