Aix-en-Provence

Before “returning” to Paris again, another post from my recent trip to Provence, this time about Aix-en-Provence.

Several cities have the name of Aix, the origin of this name being the Roman Aqua, for water. The Romans looked for hot water springs and gave this city the name of Aquae Sextiae, founded in the year 122 BC by Gaius Sextius Calvinius as the first Roman city in what today is France - after the destruction of a Ligurian oppidum just north of the present city.

Today Aix-en-Provence is a major cultural centre with its important university, its music festival during the summer weeks… and also with different public institutions like an important Appeal Court.

As many cities in the south, Aix-en-Provence has a definite, particular, atmosphere, light… and the high number of students brings a lot of life to the city (also late nights), full of cafés, beautiful several centuries old “hôtels particuliers”, open places, squares… .

I found this particular light and atmosphere also during a visit here in January this year, although the trees were naked.

There are of course a number of churches, including the Cathedral of the Holy Saviour (5^th – 17^th century)…

… and not only church towers but also the one of the Town Hall from 1510.

As said, the hot water springs attracted the Romans and there are numerous fountains around the city, including very ancient ones on the central street, Cours Mirabeau, covered by moss and other vegetation, and the more recent Rotunda Fountain.

Aix is also an artist city, particularly known for having been Cezanne’s home town. The different paintings he made of his beloved Sainte-Victoire Mountain are especially well-known. The studio he built north of the city centre can be visited (but not photographed inside). The trees of the surrounding little park have grown since.

Les Baux-de-Provence

I have had little time to visit other blogs lately. So sorry! Some travels, a number of friends around… I will try to improve, but the coming week looks also largely “booked”.

So, I was in the south of France, in the Provence area for a couple of days. I have already from previous visits blogged about Arles, Camargue… This time I thought I would add something about what is today a little village with few inhabitants but many visitors, Les Baux-de-Provence.

Les Baux is situated on a rocky beginning of a plateau, dominating the surroundings and has thanks to this strategic situation been inhabited since thousands of years. The name of the village in the old local language referred to a cliff. … and Les Baux has later given the name to bauxite – the ore of aluminum, which was first discovered and exploited in the surrounding mountains in the beginning of the 19^th century.

During the Middle Ages, Les Baux became the stronghold controlling the majority of the surrounding cities and villages; a fortress was built during the 11^th and 13^th centuries and the princes of Baux controlled the whole of Provence during a long period. A lot of fighting about this strategic site took place. The fortress which also became a castle was renowned for a highly cultured court and chivalry until the 15^th century, when the last Princess of Baux died and finally Les Baux was attached to the Crown of France, lost its importance and was more or less abandoned. In 1642, the village was offered to the Grimaldi family as a marquisate and Prince Albert still carries the title of Marquis de Baux.  … and today Les Baux survives largely as a tourist attraction.

First a general view of the village with the ruins of the fortress on the top and some views of the surroundings.

Some further views of the village with its narrow alleys, old buildings, chapels…

… and some from the ruins of the fortress, castle, where stairs and some rooms still can be seen carved into the rocks.

When you the see the nearby valley, named “Val d’Enfer” (Valley of Hell), today looking extremely attractive and housing some of the French best hotels and restaurants, it’s surprising to learn that  - with its white limestone rock formations - it obviously once inspired Dante to describe the Hell (Inferno) in his Divine Comedy, here illustrated by Botticelli. 

  

"Monumenta 2012" - Grand Palais

Since 2007 the Grand Palais (see previous posts)…

…. organizes some special “Monumenta” exhibitions, using the full space under the fabulous glass nave. The fifth event, this year, features Daniel Buren, maybe especially known for the Columns at the Palais Royal (see previous posts).

Previous artists who have been invited include Anselm Kiefer, Richard Serra, Christian Boltanski…

… and Anish Kappor (see my post last year).

Some of the glasses in the nave had got a blue colour for the event and even the French flag had been replaced.

This is what you can see, until June 21, when you enter.

The view from the top of the stairs allows a general impression.

The transparent circles enable to see the nave in different colours.

The colours are reflected on the floor.

Some people took pleasure of the large coloured space.

Mirrors on the middle of the floor offered a confusing game of what is up and down.

There was some space for refreshments and for buying of documentation.

I normally don’t make any restaurant promotion on my blog, but I must admit that there is a nice place for brunch, lunch, dinner, drinks… at the Palais ((MINIPALAIS), to be enjoyed indoors or outdoors under the arcades.

On my way I discovered a little flower… (Pont Alexandre III (see previous post) in the background).

Music

If you are looking for an instrument (or want to have it restored), Rue de Rome is the place to go. There are some tens of instrument makers - instruments of all kinds. You find some of the most remarkable ones, used by leading instrumentalists, but pure amateurs (like me) are of course also welcome. You have also a number of shops where you can e.g. find a piano …

 ... or maybe just some piano scores (like me - I bought some scores on sale).

It’s so nice to see some of the instrument makers working behind the glasses.