PROVENCE THIS WEEK
 

Thanks for any suggestions--we are flying this thursday to Marseille and then staying at Le Baux for three nights == we have beem before to the region--but what special things do you love to see??

One of the best things we saw was the Chateau de Tarascon, northwest of Le Baux, about which Fodors' Guide to Provence writes "...considered to be one of the finest fortified medieval chateaux in the whole of France..."

It's an amazing place. We spent at least two hours touring the castle. You can climb up to the ramparts and wander around and take in the incredible views over the town and river. Across the street is another bonus--a very beautiful church with a medieval tomb in its cellars. Tarascon is well worth a little side trip!

Forgot to add this: I saved the brochure, which has the website. It's www.monum.fr. Click on "visit the monuments."

just across the river is the town of beaucaire, with yet another château.

tarascon was names for the fabled tarasque, a fearsome monstor that arose from the rhône river to devour everyone in its path. legend has it that st. martha killed the tarqsque by makign the sign of the cross at it; she is said to be buried in the tarascon church--you can see the lovely tomb effigy on the way to the crypt. every year there is a parade in tarascon, featuring the tarasque--rather like the lion in chinese new year parades.

les baux is a great place to stay and visit. if santons (the little folk dolls of provence) appeal to you there's a nice museum just outside the town of paradou. a visit to the olive-oil cooperative in maussane is also interesting.

Les Baux is spectacular, it rises 804 feet and overlooks two valleys where it sits on a spur in the Alpilles. The Renaissance houses date from the 16th century. You can actually see across to the Camargue. Nearby in the Val Dénfer is the Cathédrale d'Images(within walking distance of the main parking lot. What it is, is a a jagged gorge that ithis big quarry that the Cathédrale exists. There's a 3 demensional light show that is projected on the whitestone walls but also on the floor and ceiling, There are so many great restaurants:
Le Mas dÁigret, Oustau de Baumaniere, Riboto de taven, La Cabro d'Or.
Near by you can visit Fontvielle and if you are a fan of Daudet, visit the windmill he made famous in his tale.
Visit St Remy and on the outskirts, Glanum, together with Les Antiques. Glanum ranks amoung the best preserved examples from the Gallo-Roman period.
The ruins are an amazing site to walk through. In Maillane, you can visit Mistral's house, now a museum. There are two good olive mills to visit in Maussane, The Jean Cornille and the Mas de Barres.
Have a wonderful time so much to see, you never can see it all.