France – GoGrano

Arles, France – Van Gogh, Caesar, and everyone else

It was market day in Arles, so off we drove to the ancient little town in search of fabric, lavender, cheese and chanterelles. Along the way we discovered the trails that VanGogh followed and the wonders that Caesar left behind.

A ring road circles the inner city; on Saturdays wall-to-wall market stands blanket the ring road.

DSC03270 Arles — The ever-present security forces were cheerful as they made their rounds on market day in Arles.

DSC03250 Arles France 2016 — Marching past hundreds of market stands in Arles.

DSC03259 Arles France 2016 — That’s me trying to figure out how to get a watermelon home in my purse. Arles, France Market

DSC03258 Arles France 2016 — I wish I liked cheese – the selections were amazing! Arles, France Market

DSC03256 Arles France 2016 — Squash blossoms, anyone? Arles, France Market

DSC03253 Arles France 2016 — Every kind of olive – and I bought lots. Arles, France Market

DSC03249 Arles France 2016 — Arles, France Market

DSC03243 Arles France 2016 — I so wish I could have brought all this through customs. I wasn’t sure which would be considered spices and which would be considered seeds – customs confiscated my lavender last year. Arles, France Market

DSC03241 Arles France 2016 — I wish I could share the heavenly aroma. And, yes! I did bring home curry. Arles, France Market

DSC03232 Arles France 2016 — Market, ARles, France

DSC03235 Arles France 2016 — Just more and more wonderfulness. Arles, France Market

DSC03233 Arles France 2016 — The sweetest, freshest garlic. We took some home and roasted garlic with dinner. Delicious! Arles, France Market

DSC03261 Arles France 2016 — Here’s the forbidden lavender – I knew I couldn’t get it through customs. But the scent memory lingers. Arles, France Market

DSC03262 Arles — It was melon season in the south of France. Sweet and vibrant, the melons were our staple with nearly every meal. Arles, France Market

DSC03263 Arles — The euro stand thrives at French markets with all the little things you would find at an American dollar store, complete with “made in China” imprinted on most items. Arles, France Market

DSC03266 Arles — This old, boarded up building stood next to the market – no idea what it is or what it was once used for. But the grim, dirty structure reminded me of buildings left to decay on the streets of our rust belt cities. Arles, France Market

Puppies in a window. The French love their dogs and we usually saw pets in markets, under cafe tables, even in churches. But these were the only dogs we saw in the crowded Arles market. Arles, France Market — Puppies in a cage. The French love their dogs and we usually saw pets in markets, under cafe tables, even in churches. But these were the only dogs we saw in the crowded Arles market. Arles, France Market

The colors of Provence are subtle, worn and heart-breakingly beautiful. Arles, France Market

Van Gogh

Van Gogh’s life and paintings tapped us on our shoulders, demanding attention, wherever we traveled in Provence. Arles was ripe with reminders of Van Gogh’s prodigious work.

Van Gogh sat in a garden painting the entrance way to create L'Entree du Jardin Public in 1888. (The painting is now owned by the Phillips Collection in Washington, D.C. - one of my all time favorite galleries!) The sign posted in the garden contains Van Gogh's words in a letter to his brother: "Because I never had such luck, here nature is extraordinarily beautiful. Everything and everywhere the dome of the sky is admirable blue , the sun was a pale sulfur radiation and it's sweet and charming as the combination of celestial blue and yellow in the Van der Meer of Delft. I can not paint as beautiful as this, but absorbs me as I let myself go without thinking of rules." — Van Gogh sat in a garden painting the entrance way to create L’Entree du Jardin Public in 1888. (The painting is now owned by the Phillips Collection in Washington, D.C. – one of my all time favorite galleries!) The sign posted in the garden contains Van Gogh’s words in a letter to his brother: “Because I never had such luck, here nature is extraordinarily beautiful. Everything and everywhere the dome of the sky is admirable blue , the sun was a pale sulfur radiation and it’s sweet and charming as the combination of celestial blue and yellow in the Van der Meer of Delft.
I can not paint as beautiful as this, but absorbs me as I let myself go without thinking of rules.”

DSC03373 Arles Reglement du Jardens — This is the garden path that Van Gogh painted, as described in the photo above. Arles, France

DSC03374 Arles Reglement des Jardins Van Gogh — A tribute to Van Gogh just a few steps from where he once painted in Arles, France.

Stores throughout Arles sell everything from bobble heads to postcards in honor of their favorite visitor, van Gogh. Arles, France

The Fondation Van Gogh

The Foundation Van Gogh transformed the 15th century Hôtel Léautaud de Donines into a showplace for Van Gogh's art. Arles, France — The Foundation Van Gogh transformed the 15th century Hôtel Léautaud de Donines into a showplace for Van Gogh’s art. Arles, France

The Foundation van Gogh is a beautiful gallery that features the works of van Gogh alongside modern-day artists whose work relates. (Here’s an interesting article from the NY Times about the gallery opening in 2014.) We raced through the works of Glenn Brown, not quite understanding the connection, and a bit horrified at the personal agony undertaken in the art. But we were rewarded with the lucious paintings of Van Gogh.

Self portrait with Grey Felt hat, 1887. A museum display says the painting is, "very accomplished and portrays a more elegant van Gogh (than an earlier self portrait). It is well-considered and neo-impressionist experiment in his new modern style and technique, executed in strong, contrasting colors and expressive brushstrokes." — Self portrait with Grey Felt hat, 1887. A museum display says the painting is, “very accomplished and portrays a more elegant van Gogh (than an earlier self portrait). It is well-considered and neo-impressionist experiment in his new modern style and technique, executed in strong, contrasting colors and expressive brushstrokes.” Fondation van Gogh, Arles, France

Van Gogh's Pollard Willows at Sunset, Arles, 1888 — Van Gogh’s Pollard Willows at Sunset, Arles, 1888 Fondation van Gogh, Arles, France

Van Gogh's Avenue of Poplars in Autumn, 1884. The museum says van Gogh was an admirer of seasonal landscape motifs and was influenced by both Western art and Japanese prints. "Every year the arrival of autumn excited him and led to beautiful and slightly melancholic works." This landscape was painted near Neunen. — Van Gogh’s Avenue of Poplars in Autumn, 1884. The museum says van Gogh was an admirer of seasonal landscape motifs and was influenced by both Western art and Japanese prints. “Every year the arrival of autumn excited him and led to beautiful and slightly melancholic works.” This landscape was painted near Neunen. Fondation van Gogh, Arles, France

Van Gogh's Blossoming Chestnut Trees, Auvers-sur-Oise, 1890. Fondation van Gogh, Arles, France — Van Gogh’s Blossoming Chestnut Trees, Auvers-sur-Oise, 1890. Fondation van Gogh, Arles, France

DSC03316 Arles Van Gogh - Snow Covered Field with a Harrow, 1890 — Van Gogh’s Snow Covered Field with a Harrow (After Millet) Saint-Remy-du-Provence, 1890. (Don’t you love the line after line of paint like waves in the ocean?) Fondation van Gogh, Arles, France

DSC03312 Arles Van Gogh - Field with Trees 1888 — Van Gogh’s Field with Trees near Arles, 1888. (see those horizontal lines again?) Fondation van Gogh, Arles, France

DSC03309 Arles Van Gogh - Fishing Boats on the Beach at Les Saintes-Maries-de-la-Mer 1888 — My favorite painting in this collection. According to the museum, van Gogh was convinced that color was the key to modernity. That’s why I love this painting – the color! Fishing Boats on the Beach at Les Saintes-Maries-de-la-Mer, Arles, 1888. Fondation van Gogh, Arles, France

DSC03302 Arles Van Gogh - Sorrowful Old Man, 1890 — This painting breaks my heart. I can feel this old man’s despair. Van Gogh’s Sorrowful Old Man, 1890. Fondation van Gogh, Arles, France

Bistrot Arlesien

My favorite part of the day – lunch! We strolled around until we spotted the Bistrot Arlesien near the center of town. The cafe was empty (it was early) and we chose the perfect shady seats just out of reach of the hot sun.

DSC03336 Arles Bistrot Arlesien — We chose the special of the day. Delicious chicken, a crisp salad, and the expected French fries. Excellent. Arles Bistrot Arlesien

DSC03342 Arles Bistrot Arlesien — Menu at Arles Bistrot Arlesien, Arles. Lunch was about $15.

DSC03348 Arles — Painting on a column near our restaurant. Arles Bistrot Arlesien

Caesar comes to Arles

I was surprised at the huge presence of Rome in southern France. Every city seemed to have a bit of aquaduct or an arena to call their own. Those Romans were wiley! First they provided extraordinary infrastructure – roads and water – to their conquered citiies. Then they added government buildings. Entertainment soon followed housed in centrally-located arenas and coliseums.

Hard to turn my back on this view of the Roman coliseum! Arles, France

This coliseum still has it's third story placard in place, rare for a Roman ruin. Arles, France — This coliseum still has it’s third story placard in place, rare for a Roman ruin. Arles, France

You can see that modern entrepreneurism sits cheek to jowl to the ancient coliseum. Arles, France

The beautiful colors of Provence, ready to take home, next to the coliseum. Arles, France

Many of the ancient buildings have been used and reused over the centuries. This building was the Franciscan Cloister in 1469, the Chapelle des Penitents Gris in 1562, and is currently the College of St. Charles.

Ancient Antiquities

Arles takes its treasures seriously and established the Musée de l’Arles et de la Provence antiques in 1995. Of course, we had to see it!

Musée de l’Arles et de la Provence Antiques. Photo source: Arles-guide.com

Model of the Arles coliseum. Musée de l'Arles et de la Provence antiques — Model of the Arles coliseum. Musée de l’Arles et de la Provence antiques

So what do you do when your city is under constant attack in the middle ages? How about building your city inside the walls of the long defunct coliseum? That’s what the people of Arles did during the 1500’s.

People built their homes inside the walls of the coliseum in medival times. Musée de l'Arles et de la Provence antiques — People built their homes inside the walls of the coliseum in medival times. Musée de l’Arles et de la Provence antiques

Here's my man, Cesar. He couldn't be everywhere so a statue of his likeness was posted in every occupied town. Napoleon liked the idea so much that he sent paintings of himself for display in his conquered cities. Musée de l'Arles et de la Provence antiques — Here’s my man, Caesar, about 100 BC. He couldn’t be everywhere so a statue of his likeness was posted in every occupied town. Napoleon liked the idea so much that he sent paintings of himself for display in his conquered cities. Musée de l’Arles et de la Provence antiques

According to the Musée de l’Arles et de la Provence Antiques: “In 49 BC, in the midst of civil war, Caesar who wanted to take the City of Marseilles that supported his opponent Pompeii resolved to build 12 ships at Arles which being completed and rigged in 30 days – from the time the timber was cut down – and brought to Massila (Marseilles)” (De Bello civili, I-36).

“At the end of the conflict with the supporters of Pompeii in the Iberian Peninsula, victorious Caesar rewarded Arles for its help by founding in 46 BC a colony under Roman law and granting it with part of Masilla-confiscated territories. He settled there the veterans of the VIth legion who had remained faithful to him during the civil war, whence the name of the new colony Colonia Julia paterna Arelate sextanorum this decision allowed the free Arlesian people to become Roman citizens.”

A Roman floor fount intact in Arles. Musée de l'Arles et de la Provence antiques — A Roman floor fount intact in Arles. Musée de l’Arles et de la Provence antiques

Part of a grand Roman mosaic floor. Musée de l'Arles et de la Provence antiques — Part of a grand Roman mosaic floor. Musée de l’Arles et de la Provence antiques

Statue of a captive slave. Musée de l'Arles et de la Provence antiques — Statue of a captive discovered in 2007. The Museum says this is a high quality bronze figure of a man in the classic attitude of a prisoner, symbolizing that the people of Arles are now under the authority of Rome. This was a monumental public figure. Musée de l’Arles et de la Provence antiques

Ancient lion discovered in Arles. Musée de l'Arles et de la Provence Antiques. — Ancient lion of l’Arcoule was discovered in Arles. This lion, made from local materials, was unusual for the region and the era, was probably used as part of funeral art. Musée de l’Arles et de la Provence Antiques.

I cannot believe these graceful scrolls were created more than 2,000 years ago. Musée de l'Arles et de la Provence Antiques. — I cannot believe these graceful scrolls were created more than 2,000 years ago. Musée de l’Arles et de la Provence Antiques.

More grace discovered in Arles, with flowing robes and curvy legs. Musée de l'Arles et de la Provence Antiques. — More grace discovered in Arles, with flowing hair and curvy legs. Musée de l’Arles et de la Provence Antiques.

So how did all this stuff get to Arles? Much of it was created onsite but much also arrived by boat. The museum features a preserved merchant boat that carried everything from rocks to wine.

DSC03393 Musée de l'Arles et de la Provence antiques — Merchant boat. Musée de l’Arles et de la Provence Antiques.

DSC03396 Musée de l'Arles et de la Provence antiques — Merchant boat. Musée de l’Arles et de la Provence Antiques.

So much Roman remnants have been discovered that sarcophagi cover an entire wall of the museum. These items are at least seven feet wide! Musée de l'Arles et de la Provence Antiques. — So many Roman remnants have been discovered that sarcophagi friezes cover an entire wall of the museum. These items are at least seven feet wide! Musée de l’Arles et de la Provence Antiques.

Close-up of a sarcophagus. Musée de l'Arles et de la Provence Antiques. — Close-up of a sarcophagus from a later period of Arles history. Musée de l’Arles et de la Provence Antiques.

Here's a close-up of the detailed carvings on a sarcophagus. Musée de l'Arles et de la Provence Antiques. — Here’s a close-up of the detailed carvings on a sarcophagus. Musée de l’Arles et de la Provence Antiques.

A Roman frieze. Musée de l'Arles et de la Provence Antiques. — A Roman frieze. Musée de l’Arles et de la Provence Antiques.

More Roman artwork. Musée de l'Arles et de la Provence Antiques. — More Roman artwork. Musée de l’Arles et de la Provence Antiques.

The museum offers free portable seats - most welcome after a long day of walking on cobble stones and asphalt. Musée de l'Arles et de la Provence Antiques. — The museum offers free portable seats – most welcome after a long day of walking on cobble stones and asphalt. Musée de l’Arles et de la Provence Antiques.

We only scratched the surface of Arles during our day trip. You could spend days here roaming the countryside, visiting the shops, enjoying cafe life, and meeting the residents. And I will – on another day!

Marseilles: Through the eyes of a native – 1. Unite d’Habitation

We were so very lucky to be introduced to Marseille by our new friends Carole and Daniel. Daniel grew up in Marseille and graciously showed us his favorite places in this French city by the sea.

It was an especially exciting time to visit Marseille because France was playing Portugal in the finals for the Europe Cup that day. Fans started celebrating early, carrying drums, wearing blue jerseys and filling restaurants up and down the sparkling beaches. Flags flew from balconies in every direction I looked. Excitement was electric in the air! Here’s a very short video of fans gathering to watch the game on big screen TVs.

The football stadium. The Europe Cup game was not held here but the stadium is loved by soccer fans. Marseille, France — Jean-Pierre Buffi designed the Strade Velodrome, the football stadium that was completed in 1998. The Europe Cup game was not held here in France’s second largest stadium, but the stadium is loved by soccer fans. Marseille fans viewed the Europe Cup match at large venues throughout Marseille that featured huge screen TV’s. Marseille France

I was tickled to see David standing in a traffic circle in downtown Marseille.

David in the center of a traffic circle. Marseille, France — David in the center of a traffi circle. Marseille, France

Daniel first took us to see the sea. We enjoyed the wind that wasn’t quite Mistral strength, but gusty winds blew steadily on us from the water and cooled us a bit on a hot and sunny day. Lots of people were strolling next to the sea on a Sunday morning so we had to wait for a break in the “traffic” to get a photo.

Daniel, Sher, Denise, Carole. Marseille, France — Daniel, Sher, Denise, Carole overlooking the sea in Marseille, France

Daniel then took us to a huge housing tower that we never would have seen on any packaged tour of Marseille. The building is a self-sufficient city within a city with housing, shopping, a school, recreation, restaurants, and a hotel. The hallways are called streets and resident committees create a rich social life.

One of the "streets" in the Unite d'Habitation Le Corbusier. Marseille, France — One of the “streets” in the Unite d’Habitation Le Corbusier. Marseille, France

The French are so stylish! Here's the lobby of the Unite d'Habitation Le Corbusier. Marseille, France — The French are so stylish! Here’s the lobby of the Unite d’Habitation Le Corbusier. Marseille, France

Swiss-French Architect Le Corbusier designed several of these all-inclusive habitats around 1950 but Marseille’s is the most famous. He strived to build modern living quarters for people in crowded cities; these were buildings where residents would never have to leave the building unless they wanted to.

Information about the history of Unite d'Habitation Le Corbusier. Marseille, France — Information about the history of Unite d’Habitation Le Corbusier. Marseille, France

An office in the Unite d'Habitation Le Corbusier. Marseille, France — An office in the Unite d’Habitation Le Corbusier. Marseille, France

Lots of Realestate for sale. Unite d'Habitation Le Corbusier. Marseille, France — Lots of realestate for sale. Unite d’Habitation Le Corbusier. Marseille, France

Hotel located right in the high rise. Unite d'Habitation Le Corbusier. Marseille, France — Hotel located right in the high rise. Unite d’Habitation Le Corbusier. Marseille, France

There's even a school "Ecole" in this self-contained city. Unite d'Habitation Le Corbusier. Marseille, France — There’s even a school “Ecole” listed on the elevator panel in this self-contained city. Unite d’Habitation Le Corbusier. Marseille, France

Unite d'Habitation Le Corbusier. Marseille, France — Postal service at Unite d’Habitation Le Corbusier. Marseille, France

I was thrilled to meet the artist Felice Varini as he finished his dizzying graphic in the building’s gym. The design offers a different perspective if you move even a few inches forward or backward, left or right. The Swiss-born artist lives in Paris and is known for his urban paintings on buildings, walls and streets.

The gymnasium of the Unite d'Habitation Le Corbusier. Marseille, France. — The gymnasium of the Unite d’Habitation Le Corbusier. Marseille, France.

On his website, Varini writes, “My field of action is architectural space and everything that constitutes such space. These spaces are and remain the original media for my painting. I work “on site” each time in a different space and my work develops itself in relation to the spaces I encounter.”

The rooftop of Unite d'Habitation Le Corbusier. Marseille, France — I don’t know if this is Varini’s work on the rooftop of Unite d’Habitation Le Corbusier, but something was certainly going on! Marseille, France

View of Marseille from Unite d'Habitation Le Corbusier. Marseille, France — The rooftop view of Marseille from Unite d’Habitation Le Corbusier. Marseille, France

The designer of the building itself is LeCorbusier. He, perhaps, launched the Brutalist movement in architecture which used “raw” (brutal) materials such as unfinished concrete. (Some folks say the huge buildings are just brutally ugly but I like them.) In the photo below, the 66-year-old building is getting a bit of a face lift but the redesign still incorporates raw materials.

Brutalist buildings often incorporate repeated modular units and exposed building functions. You may have lived in a brutalist building while a university student. I can think of a couple twin towers at The Ohio State University when I was there (known facetiously by students and parents as Sodom & Gamorrah in the age of free love).

I kept thinking that this building reminded me a lot of the Habitat 67 at the World’s Fair in Montreal. Then I realized, this building was a bit of a deconstruction of Unite d’Habitation.

e6509bd8-2da6-4b8f-8860-5e175ecb7592-1020x612 — Designed for Montreal’s 1967 Expo, Habitat 67 was an attempt to balance cold geometry against living, breathing nature. Photograph: Landscape borrowed from the website theguardian.com

I’m no architect or even a critic. But I do find it fascinating that minds sharper than mine are working to explore new and better ways to live. I am thankful to Daniel and Carole for giving me the chance to tour Unite d’Habitation.

NOTE: We saw so much that I’ve split Marseille into three separate blog entries.

1. This is the first entry, Unite d’Habitation Le Corbusier. Marseille, France.

2. The second entry is Basilique Notre-Dame de la Garde. Marseille, France.

3. The third entry is the waterfront and a typical French lunch. Marseille, France.

Marseilles: Through the eyes of a native – 2. Notre Dame

Daniel and Carole showed us the magic of Daniel’s hometown of Marseilles. After enjoying stunning views of the Bay of Marseilles at sea level and a panorama of the city from the top of Unite d’Habitation, we raced to the Basilique Notre-Dame de la Garde.

David in the center of a traffi circle. Marseille, France — We got to see David again in the center of a traffic circle. Marseille, France

Yes! Daniel is a true French driver. That means we got to each destination quickly, efficiently, and thrillingly. Not only was it interesting to see Marseilles through Daniel’s eyes, it was fun to drive with him at the wheel.

We saw many children riding behind their parents on scooters and motorcycles in Marseilles. Not many bicycles here, but lots of different kinds of motor vehicles.

When Daniel parked the car at the bottom of about 1,000 steps, I thought we were hopping out for a view from the bottom of the mountain upon which sits Basilique Notre-Dame de la Garde on Marseille’s highest point. But, no, Carole started hiking up the stairs like voila! here we go. Sher and I looked at each other, gulped, and started climbing.

We climbed ALL of those stairs in high heat under a blazing sun. Basilique Notre-Dame de la Garde in Marseille, France

I discovered this plaque along the way. Helpfully, the second paragraph is in English.

Basilique Notre-Dame de la Garde in Marseille, France

As we climbed, I kept turning around to take photos of the expanding panorama below me (and to catch my breath). The view just kept getting better the higher I climbed.

Can you see the ferris wheel down by the inner harbor? It was still huge when we were standing right next to it later in the day. Marseilles, France

According to Marseille’s website, “Marseille’s iconic figure, Notre-Dame de la Garde or “La Bonne Mère” watches over sailors, fishermen and the entire city…Garde Hill has three roles: a surveillance post, a military structure and a cult and pilgrimage site.”   As you can see in our photos, “The Good Mother” is definitely a surveillance post.

Soldiers patrolling the Basilique Notre-Dame-de la Garde in Marseille, France

The Basilique Notre-Dame de la Garde, built in the mid-19th century atop a 13th century chapel, is also a place of worship. When we arrived, mass was being said. Here’s a tiny video of the mass.

Mass at the Basilique Notre-Dame de la Garde in Marseille, France

The walls are made of white carrara marble. The red marble serves as a bridge to the intensely colored mosaics. The glorious gold ceilings lift your eyes to heaven. I’m thinking that’s probably the idea.

Several side chapels held further wonder but the smallish basilica was so crowded that it was difficult to get near anything.

The outside of the basilica is just as beautiful as the interior. It reminded me of many Florentine churches I’ve seen in Italy with striped exteriors. This church, built about 1850, features layers of white and green stone. There’s a large plaza in front of the church overlooking the city and the church is about two dozen steps above the plaza.

Going down the mountain was a LOT easier. I was so surprised when we reached our car that there was a huge tank with its turrent pointed up hill just steps from where our car was parked.

You have to look closely but the tank is in the middle of the photo behind the little square black car. In 1944, the Germans had taken Notre-Dame de la Garde. You can see how steep the streets are that the Allies had to climb from the sea to try to retake the high ground. Snipers picked the men off until a French soldier from Marseille was able to lead the men through a building and up a secret stairway to confront the Germans. A few hours later, the tanks made their way up the hill. They retook Notre-Dame de la Garde on that day, August 24, 1944.

So, next stop: the waterfront. Come with us to lunch and the sea!

NOTE: We saw so much that I’ve split Marseille into three separate blog entries.

1. The first entry is Unite d’Habitation Le Corbusier. Marseille, France.

2. The second entry is Basilique Notre-Dame de la Garde. Marseille, France.

3. The third entry is the waterfront and a typical French lunch. Marseille, France.

Marseilles: Through the eyes of a native – 3. The beach

Our friends Carole and Daniel planned the perfect day for us in Marseille, complete with sunshine and breezes in this beautiful French coastal city. After touring all morning, we were hungry! So we looked for parking and lunch in a town crowded with soccer fans and Sunday strollers.

Parking garages indicate how many empty spots are available on each level. Marseille, France — Parking garages indicate how many empty spots are available in each garage in Marseille, France.

L'Ecailler Restaurant in Marseille, France — A typical French cafe, the L’Ecailler Restaurant in Marseille, France

Here’s a tiny video of Denise and Sher trying to figure out a French menu before they were brought the menu in English.

We ate outside on a screened porch but this is the interior of the L’Ecailler Restaurant in Marseille, France

L'Ecailler, Marseille, France — A surprise egg was holding the bass up to make the plate pretty and give a bit of lagniappe at L’Ecailler, Marseille, France.

The Everglades! in Marseille, France — Look what I discovered outside the restaurant: an Everglades sticker on a scooter! in Marseille, France. (I WANT this scooter.)

Full and relaxed, we headed out to explore the waterfront of Nice. As we walked, we passed a small market, a mirrored shaded area and the huge ferris wheel we had seen from the basilica.

There was a Picasso exhibit in Marseille but we had already visited Picasso museums in Barcelona, Malaga and Paris and we had viewed his art at numerous galleries throughout Europe (damn, that man was prolific!). So we skipped this exhibit although the Museum of European and Mediterranean Civilisations building, itself, is stunning. It’s called the J4 (the name of the pier) for short.

See that lacy work extending out from the museum? That is concrete! It encases the building and provides shade.

The walls of the Museum of the European and Mediterranean Civilisations building features quotations from the Universal Declaration for Human Rights which I teach in my ethics courses. It was adopted by the United Nations in 1948 and set out for the first time fundamental human rights to be universally protected (United Nations). It was thrilling to see these words written on walls for all to see.

The real reason we stopped at the museum was to use the restrooms and take the exterior spiralling walkway to the roof. Once on the roof we climbed round and round the building to a bridge that connected the museum to an old sea-side port. The port has been rennovated into a relaxing space for concerts, cocktails and relaxation next to the sea.

This shows the the J4 museum and the bridge extending over to the old Fort St. Jean. If you look closely at the museum you will see the exterior staircase on the left which we used to walk around the building to the roof. Photo source: http://us.france.fr/en/events/picasso-lart-populaire-%E2%80%93-retrospective-museum-european-and-mediterranean-civilisations-marsei

DSC03657 Marseille France — Here we are crossing the bridge to the port. J4 in Marseille, France.

As we crossed the bridge, several young teenagers were stopped in the middle of the bridge calling down to boys diving into the sea and urging them to “Jump!” Here’s a little video of their antics. And here are the boys, below, swimming. And here’s a very short video of a boat coming into port.

We often stumbled upon choirs singing in unexpected places. This choir was singing in the courtyard of the old port next to the Marseille waterfront. Here’s a little video.

The bridge/walkway is a beautiful place to view Marseille. Here’s a city view I took while strolling.

Now here’s why we were going to skip Marseilles. Back home in the states, just before we left, I binge-watched the European crime drama series The Last Panthers. The series is set in Marseilles and concerns Balcan jewel thieves called the Pink Panthers. It shows a dirty, gritty harbor-front city where no one is safe. Ever. Alors, that’s television for you. Thank goodness Carole and Daniel changed my mind entirely about this wonderful, clean, happy city of Marseilles.

At the end of our very long and rich day in Marseille, we were blessed with a gorgeous sunset at our swapped home in Mallemort thanks to Pascale and Renee. We also swapped homes with Carole and Daniel in Paris and I look forward to lending them my home next spring. Homeexchange.com gives us such a rich experience when traveling in Europe because we get to live in real homes in real neighborhoods. More important, we meet the most wonderful people!

DSC03704 Mallemort France — Good night! Mallemort, France

We are forever grateful for this wonderful day with Carole and Daniel.

NOTE: We saw so much that I’ve split Marseille into three separate blog entries.

1. This is the first entry, Unite d’Habitation Le Corbusier. Marseille, France.

2. The second entry is Basilique Notre-Dame de la Garde. Marseille, France.

3. The third entry is the waterfront and a typical French lunch. Marseille, France.

Paris – Invalides

Paris La Nuit aux Invalides DSC05465 — La Nuit aux Invalides, Paris, France Military Museum The beautiful gold dome in the back? Napoleon’s tomb.

La Nuit aux Invalides is one of the not-to-miss highlights of a summer night in Paris. The monumental sound and light show is displayed on the interior courtyard of the Military Museum. The late night spectacle – it starts at 10:30 pm – is a sumptuous display of video, narration and music that tells the history of France in just 45 minutes.

We arrived very early because we wanted to make sure we got a good seat….meaning we did not want to stand or sit on the hard cobblestones. Turns out 30 minutes ahead of time is plenty of time. We spent our waiting time watching kickball teams of young people playing ball on the grass lawns in front of the museum.

The workers, however, responded to our request for seats and gave us a place to sit while we waited and escorted us to a small section of seats reserved for handicapped and elderly. After a month on the road we are a bit of both.

While waiting for the show we noticed hundreds of rabbits romping in the bushes outside of the military museum. One of the employees laughed and said the rabbits are very used to humans. “And what else do they have to do? So, voila! we have many, many rabbits.”

Invalides rabbits DSC05462 — Military Museum rabbit. Paris, France

Paris Lupin DSC05457 — Military Museum rabbit.

Rabbits aside, the computer-generated sound and light show gives breathtaking visuals from Gaul to the middle ages to the French Revolution and two world wars. The story line is all based on the history of the Sun King’s palace for the veterans of France’s wars and the many uses of the building for nearly 350 years.

Here’s the 2014 promotional video for the event. The promotional videos are just a tease for the beauty and spectacle of the show. Here’s the 2016 promotional video.

You can buy tickets at the museum or online for about 18 Euros. The show is presented in English on Monday and Thursday nights.

The Invalides metro stop is nearby but we Ubered over for about 7 Euros and got dropped off at the front gate.

After the show, we called another Uber who arrived in about 5 minutes. It was thrilling to see Paris lit up at night. We should have done a night right earlier because everything was so beautiful.

Paris National Assembly DSC05468 — The French National Assembly lit up in blue white and red. Notice the flags at halfstaff in the front in honor of those who died in Nice. Paris, France.

Enjoy the show!

Gordes, France: “Les Martyrs de Gordes”

We got lost on the only road running through Gordes, France but discovered a story of Nazis and murder in a tiny cemetery at the top of the town. After we took a wrong turn, we ended up stuck on a narrow street. We got out of the car to admire the valley of vast lavender fields hundreds of feet below us and to figure out how we were going to turn around in the impossibly narrow gravel path we found ourselves on.

When we turned from the beautiful mountain view, we discovered the cemetery and strolled in for a look. We saw ceramic wreathes of flowers decorating most of the graves.

But to the left of the entrance, we found a small fenced in area with a dozen headstones bunched together. Curious, we moved in closer to learn why these headstones were situated differently than the others in the cemetery.

Gordes DSC02955 — “Les Martyrs de Gordes”

Gordes DSC02956 — “Les Martyrs de Gordes”

A typed list located in the cluster read “Les Martyrs de Gordes” and listed 12 names of people who died within days of each other in August, 1944.

The Germans invaded the homes of Gordes because the town was one of the major centers of resistance during WWII. The village was bombed, destroying a dozen homes. Many other homes were blasted, burned and looted; the few people who could not get away were shot and five people were sent to prison camps.

Finally, a monk from the Abbey Senanque intervened with the commander of the Germans to make the killing stop. The village received the Croix de Guerre with Silver Star after the war for their resistance (http://www.ajpn.org/commune-Gordes-84050.html).

The beautiful village has long recovered from the war and become home to artists such as Marc Chagall. Artists continue to make their homes in this mountain-top retreat.

We carefully turned our car around and continue on the Lavender Road. We felt richer for knowing of the sacrifice of the dozen people buried in mountain-top graves so long ago.

Les-Baux-en-Provence and Carrieres de Lumieres

I am totally smitten by the south of France. It’s kind of like the southwest USA but entirely different: Arid, rocky hills give way to lush green mountains anchored by flatlands of lavender and vineyards. Simply, incredibly, beautiful.

And the people! They are wonderful! No one speaks English until I greet them with “Bonjour” followed by my explanation that I do not speak French, even as I speak my pathetic French. I speak a little Italian, Spanish and Portuguese but I’ve always run from the complicated French language. In fact, that’s something I hear all the time from French people: it’s complicated.

But everywhere we go, French tourists and shopkeepers are quick to point the way, describe what we need to know and do their best to communicate in English to us. While the language is not natural, the people are. We could not be treated more warmly.

Our first road trip took us to Les-Baux-en-Provence on the recommendation of our friends, the Freshmans, who visited while on a Viking cruise. We were prepared for the beautiful light show (see Carrieres de Lumieres, below) but we were taken totally by surprise by the gorgeous approach to the hill-top town of Les-Baux-en-Provence.

We twisted through tight turns even as we climbed through sun-bleached rock formations. Breathtaking both because it was beautiful and also because we were scared to death we would meet an on-coming car with no place to pull over to the side of the road to pass. It was a bit like Sedona but with white rocks towering over us on both sides of the road. Beautiful homes were built right into the rocky hillsides often incorporating caves as part of their design.

Les Baux-de-Provence DSC02327 — The road to Les-Baux-en-Provence.

Les Baux-de-Provence2326 — The road to Les-Baux-en-Provence.

When we reached the town, we waited nearly 15 minutes for a parking spot to open in the 15-car parking lot next to the village rather than hike up the rest of the mountain. The picture below shows where we bought our parking pass – $5 for the entire day – after much coaching from some lovely French tourists. After a few hours of fabuloso shopping and gelato, we went to leave the parking lot when there was a tap on our window. “Do you speak English?” Yes, we do. “Can we have your parking pass? We can’t figure out how to use the machines. We don’t have Euro coins and it won’t take our credit cards.” Yes, you can. Where are you from? “Tampa.” No way! They live about 10 minutes away from us in the States.

Les Baux-de-Provence2336 — The pay booth at the teeny tiny parking lot next to the delightful village. 5 euros for the entire day. Les Baux-de-Provence.

The tiny village sits at the base of an old, decaying castle in a medieval town updated in a Sausolito kind of way. My friend Denise Brewster thought all the little villages would look this way. She said this was a great place to start our trip because it was such a stepping-back-in-time village.

Les Baux-de-Provence DSC02384 — Les-Baux-en-Provence

Les-Baux-en-Provence DSC02358 — Les-Baux-en-Provence

You wander down twisty little streets that circle back on themselves then turn up or down the mountainside to be connected again by a flight of stairs. Shops the size of tiny living rooms feature timbered and plastered ceilings and lightly stocked shelves.

Les Baux-de-Provence DSC02393 — Les-Baux-en-Provence

Les-Baux-en-Provence DSC02360 — Les-Baux-en-Provence

Shops sell honey, tiles, hats, dresses, toys, postcards, candy, carved wood…just about anything you would find in an upscale tourist town. See something you like? Ask if they have more or a different size and the shopkeepers hurry out the door to a nearby warehouse to get you what you want. We absolutely delighted in wandering through the little village imaging what life was like here 500 years ago.

Les Baux-de-Provence DSC02405 — Sher Peterson selects a hat in Les-Baux-en-Provence

Les Baux-de-Provence DSC02395 — Les-Baux-en-Provence

One of Denise’s best memories: “We sat on a terrace overlooking the village, eating rabbit and black bull raised on a local farm Barbara had a very nice pasta which was delicious.” Oh, my good God, the French can cook! We ate at Bautezar Restaurant where we relaxed with decent service and fabulous food.

Les-Baux-en-Provence DSC02368 — Bautezar Restaurant in Les-Baux-en-Provence

Les-Baux-en-Provence DSC02372 — Dining in Les-Baux-en-Provence

When we had exhausted all options in the tiny village, we headed for the sound and light show just down the hill. “You cannot miss the Carrieres de Lumieres,” my friends the Freshmans advised, “Great art is projected on the walls of an old limestone quarry.”

We purposely visited late in the day after the buses and hordes of tourists had left the mountain. We parked in a spot right in front of the show, walked up to the ticket office and purchased tickets for 12 Euro each.

Carrieres de Lumieres Barbie DSC02421 — Barbara at Carrieres de Lumieres

Carrieres de Lumieres DSC02423 — Ticket office for Carrieres de Lumieres

We really needed restrooms after our very long lunch and way too much wine and we were directed down a hall to the left. Down the hall to the left ended up being a very, very long walk of about 2,000 yards down sandy paths and up short ramps! The bathrooms are immaculate but use the toilets before you arrive unless you’re ready for a very long walk.

The show, itself, was glorious! Images of Chagall’s paintings drifted through the air, landing on a stone wall or the ceiling or the floor or down a corridor. If you paused, the show landed on you and you became part of the festivities. Here’s a little video by Joelle Luce to demonstrate what a previous show was like. We didn’t see the Renaissance painters; we saw Chagall.

Carrieres de Lumieres 2469 — Works by Chagall at Carrieres de Lumieres

Carrieres de Lumieres DSC02449 — Works by Chagall at Carrieres de Lumieres

The show is projected on 5,000 square meters of limestone walls. The story of Russian born French Citizen Marc Chagall is told through 12 dream scenes of a summer night. Music ranges from classical to Janis Joplin as the viewer slowly falls in love with the work of Chagall.

Carrieres de Lumieres DSC02445 — The works of Chagall at Carrieres de Lumieres

Carrieres de Lumieres DSC02437 — The works of Chagall at Carrieres de Lumieres

Here is more information on the Chagall show. Here is more information on visiting Les Carrieres de Lumieres.

It is impossible to aptly describe the experience. Let’s just say I left transformed.