Provence is located in the south of France, extending from the Mediterranean coast to the inland hilly areas, with a big river Phone flowing in the middle. Many historical towns have amazed the world with their beautiful sunshine and blue sky since ancient times.
Since its birth, Provence in the south of France kept her secret carefully. Until the arrival of peter mayle, an Englishman, the veil of Provence's unique life style for a long time was gradually lifted. In Mel's works, "Provence" is no longer a simple geographical name, but also represents a simple and carefree, relaxed and lazy lifestyle; A kind of humiliation, watching the flowers bloom before the court; I have no intention of staying or staying, looking up at the leisurely mood of clouds and clouds in the sky.
Nowadays, millions of people flock to Provence and C? te d 'Azur in South France every year to visit the scenery that is hard to describe in the picture book and the incredible leisure in the novel. If you travel to get rid of the shackles of life, Provence will make you forget everything.
Eternal Provence
The whole Provence region has an unusual charm because of its great variety-the weather is uncertain, the warm wind is warm, the cold wind is wild, the terrain is ups and downs, the plains are vast, the peaks and mountains are steep, the lonely canyons, the desolate castles, the winding mountains and the lively metropolis-all of which show thousands of customs on this French land. From July to August, lavender blooms in the wind, rich colors decorate the green valley, and the slightly spicy fragrance is mixed with the fragrance of burnt grass, which interweaves into the most unforgettable atmosphere in southern France. In terms of food, Provence's greatest advantage lies in its rich agricultural products. Fresh vegetables and fruits, olive oil, garlic, seafood and spices combine to form a paradise for diners.
There are many activities in this area, which are even more dazzling, from the Monton Lemon Festival in February to the Avignon Art Festival in July and August. Ou Hongji's Opera Festival to the Lavender Festival in Puwangsi Mountain in August echoes the unrestrained years in the mountain city at four o'clock.
this free color has bewitched artists' creative inspiration, including Cezanne, Van Gogh, Monet, Picasso and Xia Kaer, who all started a new stage of their artistic life in Provence. The hedonistic atmosphere of the Cote d 'Azur also attracted American writer Fitzgerald, British writer D.H. Lawrence, French writer Huxley, Nietzsche and others to make pilgrimages, and of course, included A Year in Provence. Provence-lavender-romantic colors and endless art also attract us to hear the wind.
roaming in the world of lavender
lavender, a purple flower with the flower language of "waiting for love", has fascinated many people. Mr. Pascal of Self Voyages Provence took us across mountains and fields in his Toyota, over white limestone, which looks like the snowy Mont Ventoux even in summer, through a large golden sunflower garden, and finally stopped in a piece of transpiration land in Zi Xia.
Lavender Sault, the lavender capital, is so beautiful. It is the first time I have seen such a lush lavender field, such pure purple blooming in the high and low fields, and opening romantic symbols in the summer wind, like the quietest yearning and the sweetest melancholy, as if hiding in the heart of a loved one but never being able to hold your hand.
The harvested haystacks are rolled into oak barrels, which are dried in the fields in three or five places, and the yellow color is very simple. Yellow and purple are so cleanly stretched, and the air, our hair and skin are full of lavender smell.
Our driver and tour guide, Mr. Pascal from Self Voyages Provence, has set up a picnic chair for us in the cypress forest. The content of the picnic is so rich that the only worry is that we have a good appetite, Chinese and Western dishes, freshly squeezed juice, bread, cheese, fruit, wine and even desserts! The sunshine reveals the golden spots from cypress leaf, the wind is soft, the birds sing tactfully, the eyes are full of pure purple, and the breath is full of sweet breath-the so-called happiness, but that's all!
The original Provence started from the Alps in the north and reached the Pyrenees in the south, including the whole southern region of France. During the Roman Empire, Provence was listed as its province. With the decline of ancient Rome, Provence was controlled by other forces ... Franks, Saracens, feudal lords, and were also divided between the French Empire and the Pope.
Based on this factor, the boundaries of Provence have changed greatly in history. During the Great Revolution in the late 18th century, France was divided into five different administrative provinces, of which Provence was one. In the 196s, the administrative provinces were regrouped and divided into 22 regions, so there was the Provence-Alpes region. Before and after the gentle university city of Aix and the papal city of Avignon, there are also small medieval villages and ancient mountain towns that have escaped the changes of the century.
Although the turmoil of the century left Provence with a confused concept of boundaries, it also gave Provence a colorful past. As the years passed, Provence perfectly blended the ancient and modern fashions.
In the small town of Oranges, you can sit in the Roman amphitheater and watch the play. In Arles, another small town, you can spend an afternoon sitting in the coffee shop of Place du Forum. The intoxicating scenery is almost the same as that painted by Van Gogh a century ago ...
However, it is dramatic that those picturesque small mountain villages always remind people of their bloody history. Lesdex and Gettys are located in the steep mountainous areas in the north-central part of Provence. The dispute between feudal lords in the Middle Ages plunged the whole southern France into war. For the sake of safety, the mountain villages in this area are closely structured and built on the edge of steep cliffs, as if to be isolated from the dangerous world forever.
in the past few centuries, their isolation has been successful. But since the 196s, a group of new invaders quickly broke the peace here. They are tourists.
"In summer, in order to buy some daily necessities, there is often a long queue of tourists waiting for them to pay for one or two postcards one by one. This is boring. " Although the locals complained so much, after the tourist season, peace was restored here.
Aix-en-Provence in Aix is the hometown of the painter Paul Cezanne. It has been a university town and a famous "spring city" since the Middle Ages. This is the ancient capital of Provence in Rome. Today, it is still famous for its ancient Roman ruins, medieval, Gothic and Renaissance architecture. Aix is also famous for its unique cooking, rose wine and special language-Provence dialect.
The life in Provence is simple and noble. Just coming here to slow down the pace, take a good breath of forget grass and taste delicious cheese is also a rare realm of life.
local high-quality grape wine, of which 2% are high-grade and top-grade wines. Due to the sunshine in the Mediterranean, the grapes of Provence contain more sugar, which is converted into alcohol, making the alcohol content of Provence wine 2 degrees higher than that of the northern wine. Dry peach red wine with a slight orange color is the most distinctive. Common red wines are: Cotes de Provence, Coteaux d 'aixen Provence, Bandol.
Arles, an ancient town in South Provence, is famous for its warm and bright Mediterranean sunshine and fashionable artistic style. Anyone who has seen the Biography of Van Gogh will probably remember that outstanding painters once created and lived here. The streets, houses and bars here are full of strong artistic atmosphere. Ancient Roman architecture (the Arabs are descendants of the ancient Romans), artists' works and people living in modern civilized society live in harmony, quiet and beautiful here. Every year in July, a fashionable international photography festival will be held here. On the Stone Gu Xiang and Little Square, great photographers and romantic figures who are creating trends today will be exhibited.
Six Impressions of Provence make you forget everything.
Every year, millions of people flock to Provence and C? te d 'Azur in South France, hoping to visit the beautiful scenery that can't be described in the picture books and the incredible leisurely and gorgeous life in novels and essays. If you travel to get rid of the shackles of life, Provence will make you forget everything.
1. Beach
Surrounding the coast of Provence in the Mediterranean Sea, it is called Riviera. In 1887, poets praised it in the name of' C? te d 'Azur'. Since the 18th century, it has been the most fashionable holiday destination for royalty and wealthy celebrities. When the north is covered with heavy snow and ice, they fly south like migratory birds, and gather at the beach to enjoy the warm sunshine, air and extravagant and flashy life. This type and reputation have continued to this day. In fact, the beaches on the C? te d 'Azur are not naturally beautiful. They are bounded by Antibes, with sandy beaches in the west and gravel in the east, so it is necessary to import sandy soil for paving. However, under the deliberate management of the hotel operators, the beaches are very clean.
2. Flower Sea
Lavender and sunflower are the most famous flowers in Provence mountain area. The quality of lavender in Provence is the highest in the world, but it is not easy to get close to the purple sea of flowers, because most of them are distributed in remote mountainous areas. During the blooming period in July, the flowers are fragrant, and the sunflowers that compete with the sunshine in southern France are blooming all over the mountains, and the flower fields occupy the mountains wantonly. These gorgeous colors are the orthographic marks of Provence.
3. Delicious
For France, the biggest advantage of Provence lies in its rich agricultural products and its reputation as a' French farm'. The biggest feature of Provence cuisine is the extensive use of seafood, fresh fruits and vegetables, olive oil, spices and garlic, which is unique in French cuisine with its fresh, light and healthy features. Finally, coupled with the sunshine of Provence, Provence has become a paradise for gourmets.
4. Art
The bright colors of Provence bewitched artists' creative inspiration. From the 19th century to the early 2th century, Cezanne, Van Gogh, Monet, Picasso, Matisse and Xia Kaer all started another stage of their artistic life in Provence, and the hedonistic atmosphere of the Cote d 'Azur also attracted countless writers to make pilgrimages, such as American writer Fitzgerald and British writer D.H. Lawrence. Don't miss Peter Mayer, who pushed Provence to the top with '(A Year in Provence. These creators describe different styles of Provence with color or literary talent.
5. Celebrations
There are so many activities in this area, from the Nice Carnival in February, the Monton Lemon Festival, the Avignon Art Festival from July to August, the Opera Festival in Ouhongji, and even the Lavender Festival in the Provence Mountains in August. Summer in Provence is especially lively, and there are music activities everywhere, such as the jazz festival in Antioch, the music performance in the old city of Cannes, and the fireworks party at sea. It seems that only with lively and colorful large-scale activities can we echo this unrestrained time.
6. Roman and medieval architectural relics
The coastal area adjacent to Italy was the first area where the Romans entered France. The Romans who were good at irrigation and water conservancy and building reclamation left many unique style relics, including complete ancient city pools, arenas, circular arches and fountains, or decaying stone pillars and lost mosaic murals. Another feature is medieval monasteries, which are square monasteries made of local marble.