An epic journey in Provence. We visit Arles, Camargue, Saintes-Maries-de-la-Mer and pink flamingos !
#arles #flamingo #travel #france #roadtrip
In parallel with the end of our #roadtrip in the #balkans , we’re embarking on a new journey that will take us from #milan to #cotedazur via #provence before moving on to #switzerland and back to #annecy! A loop of almost 2,500 kilometers that will let you discover some little-known corners of France, Switzerland and Italy on @Autourdumonde1! Between #tourism , #history and #gastronomy , this journey of a few weeks will make you discover splendid places both on the ground and from the air.
In this fourth episode, follow us on a real #guided tour of #arles in the rain! And yes, unfortunately, our first day was partly washed out. But we loved visiting the city, especially its basement, the #cathédrale saint-trophime and its cloister and the #alyscamps. Afterwards, we set off to discover the #camargue with a stop at #saintesmariesdelamer and a superb ornithological park. We hope you enjoy the adventure!
0:32 Introduction
0:56 Start of the day in Arles
1:54 Visit to the Cryptoportiques
3:57 Stop at the Cathedral
5:15 Discover the Cloître St-Trophime
7:19 Stroll through the Alyscamps
9:24 Camargue roadtrip
9:44 Visit to Saintes-Maries-de-la-Mer
12:01 Incredible discovery of a bird park
14:12 Return to Arles
15:03 Aerial view of the city and its monuments
Arles : With its six Unesco World Heritage monuments and four museums, Arles is definitely a city to discover. Arles retains all the charms of what was once a thriving Roman city. A Celto-Ligurian proto-city, Arelate (the city of marshes) temporarily became a Greek emporion and city in the 5th century BC. The city then came under native domination, and later under the rule of the Marseillaise.
In 46 BC, it became a Roman colony, then an imperial residence under Emperor Constantine I, with the nickname Constantina. Until the fall of the Empire in 407, it housed the prefecture of Gaul, which had been transferred from Trier, and remained a Roman refuge under the Visigoths, Burgundians, Ostrogoths and Franks, who took possession of it in turn. The invasions of the 6th, 7th and 8th centuries were difficult for the city, which was taken and brought to heel in 739 by the Carolingians.
In the Middle Ages, the city became the capital of the Kingdom of Arles, then the residence of the first dynasties of the Counts of Provence. After a period of conflict, during which Arles tried to emancipate itself, the city came under the domination of the Angevin dynasties and gradually lost its political, commercial and ecclesiastical importance. In 1483, Arles and Provence finally became part of the kingdom of France.
Arles, a city rich in history, art and culture.
Saintes-Maries-de-la-Mer:
Saintes-Maries-de-la-Mer or Les Saintes-Maries-de-la-Mer is a town built around its 11th- and 12th-century church. For a long time, the town was enclosed by a wall, which explains the configuration of its often narrow streets. However, the town owes its fame to a legend about the three Maries.
Although the place owes its existence to the simple Marian cult (Césaire d’Arles founded a women’s monastery here in the 6th century), Notre-Dame de la Barque or Notre-Dame de Ratis became known in the plural in the Middle Ages, spurred on by the legend that the three women mentioned in the Gospels at the foot of the cross (the mother of Jesus and two other Maries), arrived here with Lazarus after the crucifixion.
This cult, which only dates back to the Middle Ages, developed in particular through beliefs stemming from the Golden Legend. The relics of the three Maries were not invented until 1448, thanks to King René.
It is still a place of pilgrimage, particularly for Travellers, who flock here from all over Europe every May 24 to venerate their black saint Sara and baptize their children according to the Catholic rite.
The commune also boasts a bullring, as bullfighting is still practiced here. There are even signs warning you to watch out for bulls on the loose.
Useful links
Tourism in Provence :
https://provence-alpes-cotedazur.com/provence/
https://www.myprovence.fr/
Tourism in Arles :
https://www.arlestourisme.com/
https://www.provence-pays-arles.com/
Camargue :
https://www.camargue.fr/
https://www.parc-camargue.fr/
Bird park :
https://www.parcornithologique.com/