Paris and Provence, Day 9: Van Gogh, Roman Ruins, and Les Baux
We took a day trip with Pierre to Saint-Rémy-de-Provence, Les Baux, and Arles. Saint-Rémy was small and cute, with two main streets to wander. We grabbed a baguette and a croissant, then visited Saint-Paul-de-Mausole, the hospital where Van Gogh stayed and worked. Across the road stood a Roman mausoleum and triumphal arch built about 2,000 years ago.
We stopped for crêpes and a walk in Les Baux-de-Provence. I had La Savoyarde, with bacon, cheese, potatoes, and onions; Ksenia had an andouille crêpe. The village was a fortified town perched above some very nice views.
In Arles, the Roman amphitheater and theater are both still used. Arles has French bull races, where competitors try to snatch a ribbon from the bull’s horns—kind of like a golden finch, but less stabby than the Spanish version. I liked the maze of masonry in the town hall’s ceiling. We also saw Saint-Trophime, Le Café Van Gogh, and the site where Van Gogh painted another garden.
Dinner back in Aix was at Marie-Georgette, a fancy hamburger place. It was rather bland. My burger was lightly cooked and kind of cold; I should have ordered it medium-well instead of medium-rare. There just wasn’t much flavor.
Part of our August–September 2019 trip through Provence and Paris. Trip summary.
From the Notebook
