2016 PROVENCE Arles, Nimes, Avignon, Saint Remy September 2016

RETURN VISIT TO PROVENCE 1-19 SEPTEMBER 2016 
In memory of our fine visit to Arles in June and of our original intention to spend nearly 4 weeks exploring Provence we decided to again fly by Easyjet from Bristol - Marseille returning on their last flight of the year on 17 September. The 1st was selected for outbound rather than a couple of days earlier thinking it prudent to avoid our Bank Holiday. 
1 September 2016  Leaving home at 2am that morning intent on following Joan's well researched route swapping the section through the city of Bristol for minor roads just to the south which looked OK on the map. Needless to say we all but got lost in the dark lonely B roads, fooled by the one and only road sign we saw to Bristol airport, which would have diverted us through through village of Flax Bourton, the birthplace of my grandad, which our planned route just avoided. We discovered why 'they' wanted traffic to avoid this intended rout for it was very narrow with long sections of one way traffic, troublesome even in the depths night.

Luckily the trains were running normally though there was strike action affecting Air Control, but without thinking I jumped on the first bus to Vitrolles just as it was leaving, which turned out not to have been the shuttle but a regular service bus and didn't go passed the station. So we ended up at a bus stop in the centre of Vitrolles town grappling with my French in an attempt to establish which bus to take,  not for a while understanding the reply thinking it Spanish because it began with an el (L..) !! An hour or so later the same bus driver with the same number going on a long circular route headed for (rather than from) the airport dropped us off at the station. Half an hour later we were on a train to Arles where we had booked just three nights with the intention of then heading by train for Nimes. Over confidence gets you no where fast! 

ARLES 1 to 3 September 

ARLES Northern Town Wall from bedroom.

Thanks to the early flight in spite of the hick-ups we arrived at the hotel acacias before the room was ready left our luggage and went in search of our old lunch time haunt but could not locate it so eventually settled for a coffee and were tempted into goats cheese salad for lunch. Next stop was the Post Office to get cash from my savings account maximum withdrawal 500 euros a week. 

In the Place de la Republique we discovered the attraction for the whole of September was 40 Photography exhibitions in 23 different locations across town entitled Les Rencontres de la Photographie.  Given the generous value of the Pass it seemed the tickets at 31E each were high but concluded this new interest would be better than simply retracing our steps. With this thought we continued to the hotel and crashed out for the night.

ARLES Place de la Republique

??? Surely I took some photos of these exhibitions, in which case they have probably been added to the wrong picture folder??? Any way here goes with the summary.

First stop and the reason we bought the tickets was 'Nothing but Blue Skies' the story of 9/11 in New York. Pictures, a room full of Newspaper headlines of the day, books, a film telling the story, catching the scenario, the mood, New York life of the day, which incredibly was simply an apparently seamless end on end collage of a huge number of snippets from commercial released films.


The Street photography of one of the early great photographer Sid Grossman in the difficult to find Espace Van Gogh (difficult because it is a huge square of three blank walls open but wide open on the fourth. He lived from 1913 to 1955 and documented the New York life of his day almost all in black and white finishing with jazz of the Sarah Vaughan era.

Thermes de Constatin

The second day we headed for the Atelier des Forges, four large derelict factories now being reclaimed as a public space, structurally secure but empty and stripped of machinery. I guess this the first use in its new role - what a breath of fresh air. 

We were headed for the Magazin Electrique initially for the stunningly beautiful 'Jungle Show' of Yann Gross huge photographs from the scenes and above all the people of the Amazon Jungle.

Whilst there we had no choice but to zigzag through the other exhibitions in this hall, including one from a modern revisiting of the full length of 'Maginot Line' by Alexandre Guirkinger, built after the First World war but overrun  by the Nazis in the Second World War and proved useless in its day, seen now reclaimed by nature.

But the greatest impression of all to both Joan and I goes to Laia Abril with the 'Chapter On Abortion', the first chapter in her 'History of Misogyny'. Case after case of worst case refusals all over the world were documented, especially dare one say it from the Catholic World. For me the case which ran deepest was the terrible refusal from Cork, Ireland in 2012. I remembered the case of a friend's sister in the 1950's being turned out of the her parents house in Cork - just for becoming pregnant.  

As regards eating we took dinner at Le Criquet near the arena for the first time, a small restaurant which is highly regarded, with some seating in an alley alongside. The food was excellent as expected though my choice of Bass fillets was disappointing everything went well until the lights came in the alley on as night descended and the pleasure gave way to torture as the mosquitoes bit viciously - plagued as ever since my honeymoon in the USA in the 50's!

We would have visited more in our last day 16 September in Arles before flying home but found I had thrown out the tickets.

From the brochures in the hotel we learned of two interesting festivals. Firstly the Feria du Riz (Provencal) or Fete du Riz (French) in Arles over two weekends the first being 9-11 Sept involving bull fights both Spanish and Camargue types in the Amphitheatre as well as celebrations in town, and the second  16-18 Sept starting with the arrival of the 18th Ambassadrice Du Riz par le Rhone. Although we would dearly miss the huge excitement of the first weekend we thought it important to move on and explore Provence further so we booked the train and three days in a hotel in Nimes, leaving open the possibility of returning to Arles 9th September. 

The other discovery was the three night, six concert, jazz festival at St Remy de Provence. Unfortunately we would be flying home on the third day and rightly concerned about the prospects of public transport between being St Remy and the airport at Vitrolles we decided to book our last night in Arles. 

The lack of the need for precise planning of routes and timescales is one of the joys of our 'pay as you go' style of travel with only one deadline - the return flight.

NIMES  4 to 8 Sept
The birthplace of denim a particularly strong cloth made by oblique weaving of at least two threads of cotton and coloured by indigo by a vegetable dye from Italy. In the nineteenth century Levi Strauss, who made clothing for miners and gold prospectors, bought  batch 501 of this cloth de Nimes, hence the name and his trade mark.

We booked our the Budget Ibis hotel, in Nimes via the Internet originally for three nights but quickly ruled out any thoughts of returning to Arles for the first weekend of the Feria du Riz and upped it to five nights. It was a superb choice of hotel judged by cost, quality, friendly young welcome at the desk and location, in a newly developed modern area so close to the railway station that we walked straight past after correctly following instructions.

A wide newly developed boulevard leaves the station to the north for pedestrians via gardens and channeled running water, on either side are one way roads for traffic including city buses. Its first point of contact with the old town centre being the impressive amphitheatre and that was reached by us oldies in ten minutes.

NIMES AMPHITHEATRE

Walk instead out of the station by the south door into another modern area the very first building being the Ibis hotel which is seamlessly divided into budget and higher priced sections. In this section are several platforms for regional buses. There are colour coded maps illustrating the bus and routes, in Nimes they are identified by letters of the alphabet, for both city and regional buses in a style ideal for travellers commonly found in France. French buses put Swansea systems to shame in terms of cost and convenience. In general city buses transit through the north side of the station.

This city is as fine example as I have met of modern town planning combining visual attractiveness and atmosphere with efficient transport.

4 September 2016
We arrived to the day the headlines in the paper were that this department, Gard, had just broken its temperature record without the energy to read the detail but it would have exceeded 35C probably breaking the record for September It certainly was hot and we were exhausted after walking around the old town via the Tourist Office near La Maison Carree following their advised route of narrow streets including Les Halles and the Cathedral and a multitude of squares, outdoor restaurants and bars.

That evening in a street restaurant in a square (Place du Marche ?) off Rue d'Etoile I ordered Black pungent Toro stew destinctive food as recommended by the guide who drove us around the Camargue, the restaurant we had selected didn't open until 7:30 but was packed by 8pm as were the others.

5 Sept The tourist office had told us little else than a B41 bus went to Pont du Gard aqueduct. While confirming the route and the times at the regional bus station a girl offered us day ticket because she had completed her use of it that day and that was the straw which decided us to visit that day, in fact the driver declared it not valid but we bought one way tickets for 1.50 euros each. An hour later, one change of buses and a journey of say Swansea to Cardiff' we were dropped off on at a roundabout on a country road with a half dozen other young tourists. 

Pont du Gard was signposted and we walked along a country road in say a quarter of an hour. Most tourists arrive at the comparatively newly developed visitors centre in cars and provides a ticket office a couple of restaurants and a map of the site. First priorities first so as usual we checked at the information desk to establish the times for buses back to Nimes.

PONT DU GARD

All have to walk by path to the aqueduct on the hillside high above the Rhone suddenly. It is quite simply staggering, though our first sight was of the side shaded by a fierce sun so we walked past to view the sunny side, then over the bridge and up and down stream, thus viewing it from every angle.

One wonderful surprise was to see all the bathers on the beach below and  hired canoes regularly passing under the bridge. Signs we at first thought to forbid swimming were only advising people to be aware of the dangers of the cliffs and the water. 

MAGNIFICENT STRUCTURE BRINGS PEOPLE TO SIZE

After walking back to the large roundabout the next question was which of two possible roads would the return bus come by settled only by a recky of each finally locating a small bus stop. 

6 Sept
Decided to investigate the main sites and started with La Maison Carree and bought a Roman Pass we thought gave free entrance to several sights in Nimes. In fact there were only three the rest were far away in other parts  of Provence such as Orange. This first visit was not to see the temple but to see a film specially made to provide a brief introduction to Nimes.

LA MAISON CARREE and CARREE d'ART (MODERN) designed by Norman Foster

The towns origin was as a Celtic settlement and its success was all based on the decision of the leader of an army of 500 men to offer support to the newly invading Romans intent on building an empire.

They helped with the Roman Conquest of Gaul and Egypt over his life time during which great wealth was plundered. The Romans decided to build Nimes as one of their greatest centres and the very first edifice was the overlooking Tour Magne and the high point was reached in the 2nd century AD.

As often happens discussion with adjacent tables suddenly blossoms into a interesting exchange. The conversation started as the couple on the next table prepared to leave, up till then it had simply been a fine meal in a very popular restaurant I think called La Madelaine (check needed!!). The couple on my left who we had already noticed were speaking English and also that the woman was a fairly fluent French speaker to my left started the conversation. It turned out both were born in England but the woman had lived in Nimes for twenty years, her visitor like me had retired twenty years ago and loved every minute. He voiced an opinion we have long shared that we were the lucky generation, scarcely scarred by the second world war and benefiting from a great education in a steadily improving world. He said pity the great weekly free jazz concerts had just ended when the woman on the table to our right said that wasn't true, the final one would be at the Hotel Imperator was this week at 7pm, an interjection of little interest to him as he was flying home tomorrow. Nevertheless it was clearly a great free event in the large gardens of a classy hotel in Nimes.

The second woman who we had taken to be French turned out to be an English trained nurse who had worked in the local hospital for eight years. She and her partner who was black and French speaking from a French colony were clearly celebrating a special event. He told us of the fine reception he had received when visiting her parents and the pleasant surprise from his welcome completely without any of the racism he had expected.

If only he would will be able to say the same the way the atmosphere is altering fast after Brexit. Only today (10/10/2016) in parliament as David Davis was at the dispatch box leading the Brexit debate, reveling in their victory in the referendum. One of the big movers Boris Johnson was showing real remorse for his buffoonery and bravado support of the Leave campaign. Like so many he never thought they would win. His chances of becoming PM damaged probably beyond repair.

What a mess, a dreadful insular result. Apparently 73% of the MPs personally voted to Remain, though ironically 73% of their consistencies had voted to Leave. But what matters is that the country voted Leave by 52% to 48%. 

We promptly booked two more nights in Nimes so as to include the concert and another Ibis in Avignon.

7 Sept Given our knowledge of the bus routes we planned to get off near the Jardin de La Fontaine. It is a wonderful place the lake being filled naturally from a spring as signified by the ring of disturbance in the water. 

JARDIN DE LA FONTAINE TEMPLE OF DIANE left rear

Lovely statues all around and the partially ruined Temple of Dianne.

JARDIN DE LA FONTAINE

Our Roman Pass allowed us free entry to Tour Magne that was at the summit of the hill. Joan tired from her exploration of the opted out but I was determined to see this iconic symbol.

TOUR MAGNE, NIMES

On my return we had a lovely lunch in the shade at the park restaurant.

That evening seeking only a light dinner we decided to try one of two tapas restaurants on rue d'Etoile but being the first arrival we did not get to grips with the detailed hand written menu which may have been written in Spanish. We finished up ordering only one plate of mixed charcuterie/ham which served only to remind us of the unforgettable plate of Serano ham we had had for the same price just a year ago in Malaga, Spain. 

8 Sept Used up the third free entry on our Roman Pass to visit the Amphitheatre. Less restored and therefore different to the Arena at Arles but well worth the visit. Full of excellent large posters detailing the uses, weapons and dress of gladiators in Roman days.

AMPHITHEATRE NIMES

ABOVE THE MODERN SEATING

VIEW OF TOWN FROM TOP OF THE AMPHITHEATRE

Walked up the rue d'Etoile looking for a light lunch and were struck by the small menu at the restaurant next to last night's fiasco and decided to try - it was excellent well cooked unique food, close to the best of the holiday. That restaurant - Cave a manger is called Le Chabanais, highly recommended with a very friendly waitress who explained the tasty starter was all made from slices of pig's ear. Apparently although they provided just two carefully selected menus for lunch in the evening they follow the tapas style with an easy to read menu in French with some interesting mixtures. 

We were a 30 minutes late for jazz at the Hotel Imperator but the garden was already packed and for a while we unable to find a seat among the rows of tables and chairs laid out in rows. At a guess the audience was well over one hundred. Some were sipping Mojito cocktails others with wine or beer and many more like us drinking nothing. The concert was about to start with about 8 musicians including the mandatory Uphonium. It was simple New Orleans style reminiscent with the trad jazz revival in the London of my student days in the early 50's.

JAZZ in the IMPERATOR HOTEL GARDENS

At one time I counted at least a dozen players, at least two of everything except piano  They even finished up marching around the audience playing the Saints (a number which would have got an inevitable jeer from the more knowing of us students).

The audience were predominately from an advanced age though at the end two much younger hotel staying guests were jiving stylishly on the dining room balcony. It was great fun.

I all but got us lost walking home by heading off in precisely the wrong direction, but we recovered once we had identified a junction on street map. Walking down a main thoroughfare at midnight we were amazed at the huge cheerful crowds drinking outside the pubs, mainly young, probably university students starting term time.

 NIMES, CROWDS IN A MAIN BOULEVARD at MIDNIGHT

AVIGNON, 9-13 September
The train station was a few metres from the hotel in Nimes and almost as close to the Ibis hotel we had chosen in Avignon, there is lots to be said of these locations which in both cases are also within easy walking distance of the interesting town centres. The room was nicely fitted but quite the smallest hotel room we have ever had.

AVIGNON NEARING POPE'S PALACE

AVIGNON WEST CITY WALLS from within

9 Sept  First stop was the tourist office where we had an excellent introduction to Avignon, we noted her enthusiasm and scope as she spoke to the three english speaking young men in front and got the same welcome. On learning of our interest in jazz she gave us full details of the location of two days of free evening concerts in the small Theatre Doms close to the popular old Utopia Cinema and spoke with personal evaluation of some of the musicians. She accepted my observation that she was an amateuse de jazz replying she liked music. Unfortunately she finished up giving us two marked up street maps but we used the one without that scribbled detail, finding the cinema but not the jazz, though it was in the very next narrow street, until the last excellent modern jazz of the second concert!

Virtually everything else she suggested we do was followed and filled our stay with great interest. 

That evening in search of the jazz we found the Utopia and thought we had located the area of the street where the jazz would start, though it was to the site of a street party. Never the less adjacent to the cinema we found La Menutention, an excellent friendly out door restaurant, and I opted for tartare de boeuf a style of serving uncooked food which seems common here and extents to salmon reminiscent of the seafood ceviche in Peru. 

During that meal I thought I heard distant clips of jazz, thinking they might be coming from  Rocher des Doms up the steep cliff directly west. By the time we left the square was full of locals some eating at trestle tables, a crowd just drinking and the area we had imagined might be for a jazz band was being used as a playground for youngsters. We caught a glimpse of our contact from the tourist office as we entered the cinema foyer in search of the program but she was with company and did not recognise us.  
 
10 Sept A pleasant walk though the west side of the city and through a small gateway in the village walls got us to the banks of the Rhone. Following it to the north we came to the Pont d'Avignon, useless as a bridge as it doesn't reach the other side, but by tradition good for dancing.

LE PONT D'AVIGNON from far shore

Further north is a small motor ferry offering a free regular service and access to the footpath on the opposite side to the more modern traffic bridge. 

NAVETTE - free ferry

But just before crossing back to Avignon we lunched outside in a shaded garden of a restaurant, a great way to escape the heat of midday. 

AVIGNON CITY WALLS from outside

Walking south following the outside of the town wall we reached the Ibis Budget. We had cancelled our first internet booking in this Ibis Budget simply because the picture on the website, reminiscent of the Etap triple bed we had in La Rochelle, made us think the bed would be too low for Joan to get out unaided. On explaining our reason for cancellation we were kindly shown a sample room and discovered that the bed height would have been OK for Joan and that all rooms were en-suite though basic. It was an easy ten minute walk to the station along good pavement following the town's south walls, quite acceptable for trailing a wheelie bag.

In the afternoon we walked around the old town route as
recommended by the tourist office one objective being to identify the location of tomorrow's celebrations. 

A second evening we sat at an unlaid table at La Menutention for a couple of beers. Then as the tables around we gave up our intention of finding the jazz and, stupidly not asking the friendly young waiter of its whereabouts, decided to stay for dinner. This time without the voluble neighbourhood gathering we soon started to hear clear sounds of jazz. Finishing our leisurely meal we determined to seek the source and found it almost immediately, a packed enthusiastic audience in the sloping high walled garden of the tiny theatre Doms. 

FREE JAZZ in THEATRE DOMS AVIGNON

The intended seats were full, the steps were in use as seats, the wall beside the steps was over flowing but we found space on a bench beside the side wall. Just in time to add to the applause which produced one final ten minute encore, thus driving home our mistake.

As we left we read the information posted in the street about the Theatre Doms and the local modern arts organisation INOUI (two dots above the I). Reading at last the informative A4 brochure from the tourist Office we realise there are a huge number of small theatres around and this one is associated with French speaking Belgians. We had barely scratched the surface of Avignon and of all the places we visited feel we did this one less than justice. 

Sunday 11 Sept was the Medievales des Carmes. On first glance there was little sign of activity in Place des Carmes except a local market but outside the church half way along there were a few displays of earlier days, we later learned the main singing and dancing action that morning was at Les Halles.

MEDIEVALS DISPLAY TO ATTRACT PEOPLE INTO CHURCH CLOISTERS

On entering the church cloisters the activity became clear with many dressed in medieval clothing, many tables selling specialised items and areas, tables ready for lunch and people in ancient dress serving at a bar for drinks from coffee up. One had to ask to find someone in dress, in the know, to locate the single unadvertised toilet.

Later four instrumentalists returned to play tunes in the garden, a few singers sang and dancers danced. Seats in the shade were highly prized by us. 

MEDIEVAL MUSIC

At 3pm the temporary open air auditorium was the location for an a theatrical production portraying one presumes historical events in the blazing sun. It was hot enough for the spectators but must have been exhausting for the not so young cast. 

MEDIEVAL HISTORY on stage

12 Sept Before leaving we spoke to Susan who had regularly spent her holidays in Provence. She recommended a visit to their favourite the small town of L'Isle sur la Sorgue. 

By this time we had got into the habit of breakfasting at the bakery in the station, initially with fougasse similar to pizza but made with olive oil, later with a large pain au raison plus a coffee which came in the form of a paper mug and a sealed metalised token containing ground coffee.

The regional bus station was nearby and it was a pleasant drive of around an hour till being dropped in the centre of the town outside a disused water mill. 

L'ISLE SUR LA SORGUE WATERWHEEL opposite bus stop

L'ISLE SUR LA SORGUE

We soon learned from the nearby tourist office that there were no less than fifteen such mills with a street map showing their locations, one suggestion was to walk round the lot another to walk out of town proper along the river until the fifteenth would be found where the river divided. We opted for the latter. 

15TH WATERWHEEL end of river walk

These mills were perhaps the only reminder this town was once a hive of rural industry the power being used for grinding say flour but also the driving force for a textile industry. Today it was full of activity but one suspected it catered mostly for the needs of tourists or retired seeking a great place to live. For it was very pleasant.

On returning from our walk we found not only a wonderful lunch the best yet at Cafe Fleurs at the Hotel du Poete, two courses the main being gambas (prawns) with a fine desert. 

Straight opposite was very interesting museum of sculpture of the 20th and 21st centuries.

It is called the Villa Datris Foundation and was founded Daniele Kapel-Marcovici and Tristan Fourtine. Over a hundred sculpture exhibits in a purpose built modern building and large garden. Villa Datris opened in 2011 with the first of five large scale exhibitions, this one being entitled Sculpture en Partage (sharing sculpture) of works produced since the fifties.

VILLA D'ATRIS  Sculpture en Partage

RESPONDS IN FANTASTIC WAYS to SLIGHTEST BREEZE  in Garden

MUSHROOMS IN GARDEN of VILLA DATRIS

After each exhibition the owners purchase a number of the artworks and thus build up their permanent collection of their own choices. This year featured work by three young artists, Caroline Tapernoux, Laurent Perbos and Alexis Hyere.

Tuesday 13 Dept 
We had intended to visit Le Musee de Petit Palace until we realised it was closed on Tuesdays and instead went to the Angladon which had been Joan's first choice but were very disappointed.

Our secondary option was to visit Villeneuf lez Avignon to visit the Saint Andre.

ENTRY TO FORT SAINT ANDRE

Using the Pass in Avignon merely reduces the entry price somewhat and here there were separate tickets for the Fort or the Gardens. We went home having enjoyed the day without even visiting the Fort. 

GARDEN of FORT SAINT ANDRE

The gardens were extensive and pleasant, though obviously in better bloom earlier in the year. Once again only I walked to the church at the summit whilst Joan went of to order a picnic lunch the one and only option. A great idea for the cook with unpredictable numbers of customers, but great for us too for it could be eaten in a pleasant shaded area of the garden. 

PICNIC LUNCH

Lots of wonderful tomatoes of differing colours, peppers and a colourful salad with generous three generous jars with pork pate, aubergine pate, and a tapenade of olives and gherkins.


Dinner at the same cheap restaurant Joan stuck to the Canard but I opted for entrecote steak and both went for saignante which was a distinct improvement accompanied with pints of beer as has become our habit in this hot weather.

SAINT REMY de Provence

VAN GOGH painted some of his best work here

14 Sept We had chosen to book a privately run hotel Le Castalet des Alpilles based by its location on near the centre of this small but very dispersed town since it seemed close to the last stop of the bus just a little north of the Tourist Office on the road towards the Roman remains of Glanum and looked just within walking distance of the Alpilium where the three day jazz weekend was being held. 

VIEW OF ALPILLES FROM BEDROOM WINDOW

It was a very pleasant hotel in a large old house with a pool used mainly by sun worshipers, though at 98euro/night it was the most expensive of the holiday. They offered a large breakfast selection including egg but we had opted for smaller ones though unlike Avignon station it didn't save us any money, though we did discover delicious coffee, crusty bread tartine on the pavement in a quiet area of the old town.

The first question at the Tourist Office was 'is there a bus to Arles on Sunday' for we were working to a bus timetable good until the end of September but not read the small print saying the bus we had come on from Avignon which normally went on to Arles had ceased that extension early in September. Pleased to learn there were just two buses on another village route to Arles this Sunday we bought tickets for tonight's concert and would be able to stick to our plan to spend our final night in Arles. 

FRIENDLY CAFE RICHE

We ate tapas plates of Serano ham and Crevettes for lunch in a local bar La Grande Cafe Riche which was packed for lunch perhaps a reflection that the weather, brilliant but rather too hot so far was turning to rain across the whole of France. 

Nevertheless we decided to follow the Vincent Van Gogh route to Glanum rather than waste the afternoon. The hours stroll south was OK but we deliberated on paying the entrance fee and on our first point of interest site the rain started. In doing so we passed reluctantly by the mental hospital in which Van Gogh spent his year in Saint Remy. We weren't quite alone in persevering and after a final shelter in the booking office walked back in the gloomy cloud checking the series of outdoor displays of the great man's paintings.

ALL THAT REMAINED OF GLANUM before discovery of ruined city

 GLANUM before discovery of ruined ROMAN CITY

GLANUM ROMAN CITY

GLANUM ROMAN CITY

Seeking to eat in the same bar we were surprised to learn they only did lunch but the pointed out a good restaurant on the opposite corner which proved excellent. Initially we sat outside under a large panoply but as the rain got fiercer and colder tables one after another cleared their diners moving indoors, in minutes the slightly sloping road outside became a raging torrent, when the lightning and thunder claps coincided we too sought shelter. Luckily there was a break later and it was almost dry for the walk to the hotel. 

 15 Sept We decided to walk from the Avenue Van Gogh from the hotel back to the centre of town so as to discover the heart of the town centre and in so doing locate the rest of placards of his paintings. We weren't able to find one, ??? In doing so we got lost in the small streets and were unable to locate the Maitre Artisan Patisser for breakfast but and as the rain started we headed for tartine in the Grand Cafe Riche instead.

Maitre Artisan Patisser

Next stop was Hotel de Sade in town a fifteenth century building re-opened in just 2015 to see Collections du Site de Glanum. An absolutely fascinating museum. Lots of well presented historical information including video commentaries. This was just the second of the five locations associated with our Pass Saint Remy.

Hotel de Sade exhibit

But we were surprised with the size and variety of the reconstructions outside, half the exhibits being  parts of large buildings. 

Hotel de Sade exterior reconstruction

Walking out of the Sade we were immediately aware of sounds of jazz and pursuing the music down the narrow street were soon in a the familiar Place Hilaire where a quartet was placing to a standing audience. One of several free shows associated with the jazz festival and tonight they would be playing for outside l'Alpilium before the concert proper. 

LUNCHTIME FREE CONCERT IN SAINT REMY

The one we regret having missed was the Musee Estrine devoted to modern painting and 'Centre d'Interpretation Van Gogh' but we decided it was more urgent to find the location of tonight's concert. The route was simple enough walking out to the main bypass and then along its pavement to Maison de l'Alpilium a boring, noisy, energy sapping walk, 100 minutes in the returned summer heat. The concert Hall had the look of a modern nondescript leisure centre but in fact there was also a fine large concert hall. We found a much more quieter way back. 

Returning to the previously empty hotel to find other guests sunbathing round the pool. But we needed a snooze before the evening. Running out of options getting as close to the Alpillium as possible we stopped for a quick meal in an unexciting largish restaurant 'Bistrot des Alpilles' on Rue Carnot and its limited printed menu.  But were pleasantly surprised by the delightful taste and quality of their 'Exotic Salad'. A big bowl of salad great crunchy lettuce, tasty small tomatoes, coloured peppers and the rest, plus lots of mango, pink grapefruit and avacardo pear to give it a real zing. The most unexpected, surprisingly good meal of the trip.

We got to the concert hall in plenty of time important because the seats were not allocated and the doors opened within minutes of arrival. In fact the front half of the rows were entirely reserved for people chosen by the organisers and annoyingly a lot were unoccupied throughout.

The concert lasted three and a half hours including thirty minute interval outside. It began with a duet between Emile Parisien playing soprano sax and Vincent Peirani on accordion. Many of the numbers were attributed to Sidney Bechet but sounded far more modern and was well received. First impressions were of physical  height difference with Emile being dwarfed by Vincent, whose height was announced as 2.02 metres, The saxophonist soon impressed with his fancy footwork as he squeezed his some notes out theatrically. The accordionist often producing bop like rhythms.

It was not until returning home we realised this year's birthday present 'Belle Epoque' from son Jim, who following Brexit can't wait to take French Citizenship, was a recording of these two players. 

JAZZ from THREE CELLOS, ONE DOUBLE BASE and an ACCORDION

The second half was new in every way. Ever heard of jazz quintet of three cellos and a double bass all bowed throughout plus the leader Daniel Mille on accordion. It was dedicated to the l'intouchable Astor Piazzola. They produced one of the most unique sounds I have heard, whether it was modern classical or modern jazz is immaterial, it was simply beautiful. The pace was throughout the 90 minutes would have qualified in jazz terms as a ballad, melodic with occasional bursts of rhythm produced by staccato bowing on one of the cellos. The accordion was delicate throughout, often holding soft, tapering. chords at the end of a piece.

Diversity was added by adding a flugel horn to one number by a trumpeter appearing elsewhere in the festival, but the show stopper was provided as a backing to a frail tall old man who had to be helped from his seat in the first row of the audience. Leaning against the raised stage he recited with a strong speaking voice a long beautiful poem (unknown to us) 'Je voudrais pas crever'  ... sans ... by a French polymath Borie Vian (writer, poet, musician, singer, translator, critic, actor, inventor and engineer) who died in 1949. He got the biggest, most heart, felt applause of the night. 

The audience was split, for some devoid of swing it was not jazz at all, others like me found it enjoyable, a quite fantastic change. I debated whether it should be best in Swansea Jazz Festival who are benefiting from a variety of styles, or the Swansea Festival now struggling to diversify from solely classical music.

We aim to be back for the whole concert next year the icing on the cake for a return visit of discovery to Saint Remy. 

ARLES AGAIN  16 September 2016
On arrival by bus it made sense to buy tickets for tomorrows return to Vitrolles and the airport shuttle (navette). Nor was it far to walk to Hotel Les Acacias to leave our small wheelie bags. Starting by sheltering indoors from the rain in a restaurant in Place Voltaire. Then as the sky lightened a stroll down the footpath along the Rhone. 

At 18:30 we were in the group of spectators on the other side in Trinquetaille to see the arrival of L'Ambassadrice du Riz by small boat.

L'Ambassadrice du Riz arrives

Her small party was greeted by dignitaries, the old ladies in particular being dressed up in fine traditional dresses.

L'Ambassadrice du Riz

OLD DIGNATORIES FOLLOW

She lost much of her bouquet gerbe of rice to one of the three fine horses in the reception party, pity because this was to be handed over later as a symbol of the start of the harvest. Finally mounting it to head the procession to l'Eglise Saint Pierre followed by the crowd of spectators.

L'Ambassadrice du Riz entering church

I missed probably my best photo opportunity of the holiday when one of the old local posed just by us on the steps for a friend with an old camera, but I didn't like to intrude in the occasion regretting only when she gave such a fine haughty smile as he took his record. 

A THE ONE I MISSED

By this time the clear skies were back giving fine views of the old town across the Rhone. 

 Arles from Trinquetaille at sunset

Back over the bridge we stopped for our last meal of the day and returned for our last night. Unfortunately we would not there to enjoy the activities of the weekend ahead in town.

IMPRESSION
Our intended spring in Provence had to cut short by ill health but there was plenty of interest happening in September to attract the tourist. All would be worth retreating possibly including Narbonne further south and Orange further north and we still haven't been to Aix en Provence or Marseille. Ken, jive, was recommending their favorite Nice recently. We have vivid memories of delivering new Beneteau yachts to Greece from Toulon and Isles de Hyeres. 





 




R



BRIEF REMINDERS , SEPTEMBER 2016 - Blog to follow



14 & 15 Sept SAINT REMY de PROVENCE
Le Castelet des Alpilles Hotel bill 196 euros for room only
14 Sept First stop Tourist Office got map and confirmed direction to hotel and bought ticket for Jazz concert first night of three day weekend
Lunched on Tapas one of Serano Ham the other of Crevettes
Walked to Glanum  along Avenue Van Gogh
15 Sept Ate excellent breakfast of Tartines and coffee
Withdrew 250 euros from Nationwide by ATM (all other cash 1200 euro from La Banque Postale)
Went to Museum L'Hotel de Sade, associated with Glanum discoveries
Walked to Alpillium where the Jazz concert would be held and back took nearly 100 mins in heat
Eat Tapas again for light lunch Serano Ham and Cheese 4 types
Rapid evening meal of Exotic Salad (excellent) 40.80 euros with beer and cafe at Bistrot des Alpilles the nearest we could find to Apillium and then walked in around 40 mins
Jazz concert, two sessions lasting from 8.30 to near midnight with outdoor break, walk home in 35minutes 

16 Sept ARLES
Acacias Hotel for one night with breakfast 81.80 euro
Eat well for 14 euro each 

17 Sept rail Arles-Vitrolles and then RETURN FLIGHT