Today is once again an incredible mix of layers of the past–Arles’ adaptation of an ancient city to medieval and present day civilization. Roman monuments, the earliest – the arena, the Roman theatre and the cryptoporticus (subterranean galleries) – date back to the 1st century B.C. During the 4th century Arles experienced a second golden age and building boom with the baths of Constantine and the necropolis of Alyscamps. Today these monuments just rise up in the middle of neighborhoods, cafes, and winding streets surrounded by 21st century teeming life. Kids are kicking soccer balls up streets in front of monuments, pedestrians hurry by talking on the their cell phones and as you will see, a school photo is taken on the steps of one of the monuments, It is totally amazing, Do you suppose someone gives directions to his home, “two blocks past the arena and make a sharp right”???

In the 11th and 12th centuries, Arles once again became one of the most attractive cities in the Mediterranean. Within the city walls, Saint-Trophime, with its cloister, is one of Provence’s major Romanesque monuments.

All of the above to be seen as we walk the evocative Van Gogh trail, a circuit of the city marked by footpath-embedded plaques, takes in spots where Van Gogh set up his easel to paint canvases such as Starry Night Over the Rhône (1888). At each stop a lectern-style signboard with a reproduction of the painting and interpretative information. Often the contrast between the painting and the current status of the setting is dramatically different but more important is to grasp the concept of him painting what he knew and saw at the time.

What a magical day!!

Today was about learning our way around St. Remy, a delightful village filled with affluent international visitors and lovely restaurants as well as a rich history and famous past residents, Van Gogh was hospitalized for a year at the end of his life after he had cut off his ear. The hospital is now open to visitors where we are able to see the views and locations painted by Van Gogh while he was incarcerated. Nostradamus was born here and is claimed with pride as a native son.

Our little second floor condominium is a 15 minute walk to the center of the village. We now can find the grocery, the bakery and everything else we need. the weather is glorious and life is good.

Tomorrow we are off to Avignon and Orange.

        Click on the arrow above to watch an interesting YouTube video describing St. Remy.

An early departure from Toulouse, put us in Caracassonne in the middle of Saturday markets of every kind, farmers’, swap meets, antiques, books and flowers to name a few. A gorgeous hectic hodgepodge of family activity and weekend tasks.

We climbed up the cobbled path to the Cathar castle and citadel, a walled cite, enclosed by ramparts which are intact. Since the pre-Roman period, a fortified settlement has existed on the hill where Carcassonne now stands. In its present form it is an outstanding example of a medieval fortified town, with its massive defences encircling the castle and the surrounding buildings, its streets and its fine Gothic cathedral. Carcassonne is also of exceptional importance because of the lengthy restoration campaign undertaken by Viollet-le-Duc, one of the founders of the modern science of conservation. Built in a unique southern French Gothic style from local brick in characteristic red and orange colors, the lofty fortified Cathedral (late 13th century) dominates the city, demonstrating the power regained by the Roman Catholic clergy. Alongside the Cathedral is the vast bishop’s Palais de la Berbie, overlooking the river and surrounded by residential quarters that date back to the Middle Ages.

Today the walls enclose every tourist tout imaginable, every fast food known to the western world and even one good quiet one. Keeping in mind that this is the “off season,” tickets to walk the ramparts were sold out and the line was interminable. What can it possibly be like in summer. We walked the space between the inner and outer walls to escape the shops and to get a feel for the vast structure. This castle and others in Southern France were a part of a religious breakaway heretical Christian sect called the Cathars which flourished between the 11th and 13th centuries. Cathars were only brought to heel by the Inquisition in the 14th century and today remain as an historical footnote.