Page 517 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - France

Provence. Its sombre exterior
gives no hint of the beauties
within – a Flemish-Gothic
court yard, a spiral staircase
and the painted ceilings of
the grand banqueting hall.
Opposite is Beaucaire, a
ruined castle and gardens.
Château Royal de
Provence (Tarascon)
"= ⌂ Blvd du Roi René
# Hours vary, check website
∑ chateau.tarascon.fr

18
Fréjus
Les Baux-de-Provence, beautifully framed
! G6 ⌂ Var £ @ n 249 rue by a natural window in the cliff face
Jean Jaurès; www.frejus.fr
The modern town of Fréjus is
dwarfed in importance by two Amphithéâtre The glory days ended in 1632.
historic sites. Though not as "' - ⌂ Rue Henri Vadon It had become a Pro testant
complete as those at Orange § 04 94 51 34 31 # Hours stronghold and Louis XIII
or Arles, the remains of the vary, call ahead ¢ 1 Jan, 1 ordered its destruction. The
Roman Amphithéâtre May, 25 Dec ruins are a reminder of
(founded by Julius Caesar in a turbulent past and offer
49 BC) are of excep tional Groupe Episcopal spectacular views. The village
variety. As well as the great "'= ⌂ 48–58 rue du below has a pleasant little
amphitheatre, frag ments of an Cardinal Fleury # Hours square, a 12th-century church
aqueduct and part of a vary, check website ¢ 1 Jan, and Chapelle des Pénitents
rampart gateway remain. The 1 May, 1 & 11 Nov, 25 Dec; Blancs, decorated by local
sea has receded over the cloisters ∑ cloitre-frejus.fr artist Yves Brayer, whose work
centuries and there are few is in the Musée Yves Brayer.
traces of the original harbour. Bauxite was discov ered
The cathedral on rue de 19 here in 1821and named after
Fleury marks the entrance to the town. Deposits ran out at
the Groupe Episcopal. The for- Les Baux-de-Provence the end of the 20th century.
tified enclave includes the 5th- ! F6 ⌂ Bouches-du-Rhône To the southwest are ruins
century baptistry, one of the @ Arles n La Maison du of the Abbaye de Montmajour
oldest in France, and the Roy; www. lesbauxde with a 12th-century church.
cloister, its coffered medieval provence.com
roof ornately decorated with a
spectacular bestiary. One of the strangest places in TOP WALKS NEAR
In 1959 Fréjus was hit by a Provence, the deserted citadel 3 LES BAUX
wall of water, as the Malpasset of Les Baux is like a natural
Barrage burst. To the north of extension of a huge rocky Val d’Enfer
the town, the ruined dam can plateau. The ruins overlook Explore a valley full of
still be seen. the Val d’Enfer (Infernal twisted rock formations.
Valley), with its weird rocks.
In the Middle Ages this was Flânerie entre
home to powerful lords, who les Oliviers
Did You Know? claimed to descend from the Stroll through the area’s
famous olive orchards.
Magus Balthazar. It was the
most famous of the Provençal
The River Rhône Cours d’Amour, at which trou- Le Rocher des
is home to some ba dours sang the praises of Deux Trous
monster catfish high-born ladies. The ideal Hike to the“Rock with
that eat pigeons. of ever lasting but unrequited Two Holes”, which offers
courtly love contrasts with the panoramic views.
warlike nature of the lords.
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