The departure point of this
tour is in the Alpilles Hills, exactly in the village of Baux
de Provence. True eagle nest, the Rock of les Baux, with sloping lanes, is
a magnificent viewpoint between sky and earth.
On
the road to Avignon, the fortress of Tarascon will allow
you to discover the history of a king René poet and sponsor, the Castle
of Barbentane, one of the smarter mansion of Provence the surname of it was
"Petit Trianon du Soleil".
Then,
huge and majestuous, the Palais des Papes, which stands
in the center of the marvelous city of Avignon will enforce your visit.
The Baux, are first of all
a magnificent sightseeing stunning of beauty, where the nature, over the south
flank of the Alpilles Hills, reveals its unbelievable powers. Under a sky of a
bright radiance, ragged by the winks or softened by the erosion, the bare rocks
dazzled by the sun splashe the green maquis of their whiteness.
Springed
up a mysterious push, shaping a vessel, a long and narrow limestone plateau surrounded
by teared cliffs supports the village which stretches from north to south its
narrowed lanes lined of beautiful Renaissance houses and sumptuous mansions, that
a lot of tourists invades all long are attracted by the prestigious past of the
city and of its castle and fascinated by the unic and magnificent view which display
at the foot of this rocky spur.
Long
time lusted, this strong position, true natural fortress becomes during the 10th
century, the kingdom and the den of the powerful and proud seigneurs des Baux,
so involved of their courage and origins that they pretend to descend from Balthazar,
this king guided by his holy star to Jésus.
This
magic and protected site, one of the most visited in France, will offer the most
beautiful sightseeing ! 360 degres of fascinating landscapes.
Recognizable between all
the others, the castle of Tarascon, superb of pride, is appreciated far away and,
if today one jumped over the river, it is not as an enemy but as an admirer of
this huge fortress that the comtes of Provence built to defend their ownership.
From the other side of the Rhone river, in the kingdom of France, Beaucaire, neighbour
and opponent, supervised the works. We have to wait the reign of king René
to see the achievement of the works during 1479.
"The
good king René" who tries first of all to recover the kingdom of Naples,
will be fond of the Provence and will make Tarascon his favorite castle. Unhappy
polician but man of culture, painter and poet, he is surrounded by artists and
leaves his refined marks to this robust citadel. He is found of festivities, huntings
and tournaments, and his court is one of the brightest in Europe.
He
in the one who organizes the popular festivities of La Tarasque, a seafaring monster
who was shattered by Sainte Marthe (holy Marthe). At the time of his death during
1480, his nephew Charles IV of Maine succeeds him only one year and Tarascon enters,
the Provence too, in the kingdom of Louis XI.
Today,
if the bombards and the guns have abandoned the terraces, these one offer an impressive
sightview over the country of Arles, Alpilles and Beaucaire.
At
the edge of Barbentane village, dear to Daudet and Mistral, the castle of Barbentane,
definitely attractive and smart, switches under the sky of Provence the classic
style of Ile-de-France (Paris), which conducted its noble and sobber architecture,
and the splendour of Italy, to which refers the sumptuousness of its interior
decors. Successful perfect union which made it the most elegant mansion of Provence
and was worth the label of "Petit Trianon du Soleil ".
It
is Paul-François de Barbentane, being inspired by the drawings issued during 1654
by his dead father, who will undertake during the second half part of the 17th
century the building of a sumptuous mansion coping to the classic architectural
references in order under the reign of Louis XIV.
For
the performance of this big project, the one that Madam de Sévigné surnames "le
brave Barbentane", called active and famous architects, such as Mignard or Franque.
A recent analysis allocates however the masterpiece to the architect Louis-François
de Valfenière.
But
it is during the 18th century that Barbentane will take its definite aspect and
gain its true personality. Its owner was Joseph Pierre Balthazar, grandson of
the builder. During 1768 Louis XV promotes him ambassador close to duc de Toscane
(duke of Tuscany), Léopold of Austria, who will become emperor in 1790. This job
allowed him to enjoy the splendour of florentins palaces and push him to change
his provençal castle. Taking model from these mansions which have so delighted
him, he will offer to Barbentane new arrangements and a sumptuous decoration which
borrows to Italy its seductions !
(If
you wish to visit only Avignon and la Palais des Papes, click
here)
At the dawn of the 14th
century, Italy, during a full political crisis, Italy crosses a time of big troubles.
In Roma, the safety of the pope becomes precarious, threats affect the life of
the Pontiff, requiring inevitably the selection of an another residence. These
events are exacerbated by the misunderstandings between the pope Boniface VIII
and Philippe IV le Bel.
The
election during 1305 of a French prelate, loyal subject to the king of France,
will affect the peace between the Holy-See and the kingdom. Bearing the papal
tiara at Lyon, the new pope decides, under the pressure of the sovereign, to stay
in France. The one who will be the first pope in Avignon, will reign under the
name of Clément V. Formally he came into the city on March 9, 1309.
Clement
V lives in the Dominican's couvent but considers Avignon like a temporary residence
where helodges time to time. In 1316, his successor Jean XXII, moves into the
old episcopal palace near to the cathedral Notre-Dame-des-Doms. He will rule up
to his death in 1334, easily satisfied to enlarge and to draft again his residence
in view to fit it to the obligations of his new attributions.
From
a temporary position, the the popes' residence in Avignon becomes permanent at
the time of the election of Benoit XII in 1334. He proceeds to the demolition
of the old palace and builds an huge fortress appropriate to pray and mobilizing
all the means of defense at this time: it is the "Old Palace" the architecture
of which sober and severe is the reflexion of its sponsor, an old Cistercien monk
of modest origin, born in defiance of the luxe.
In
1343 gets up on the throne of Saint Pierre an aristocrat, archbishop of Rouen
and old Chancellor of France kingdom. Willing to settle the papacy in walls worthy
to it, Clement VI, entrusts to the Parisian architect Jean de Louvres, the building
"Palais neuf" (New Palace) enlarging the Old Palace of Benoit XII. But all
these expenses cause the ruins of apostolic treasure. Innocent VI and Urbain V,
hostile to luxe and abuse, will satisfy only to complete the works undertaken
by their predecessor and to embellish the gardens.
In
1417, the new pontiff elected by the whole of Christendom, Martin V will sit in
Roma. The pontifical legates live in their residence up to the Revolution time.
Pillaged, the hude monument was deteriorate then was used like barracks and jail
before to be handed over to the town in 1810, then the restoration shall wait
the 20th century before to be undertaken.
High
historical, cultural and touristic place, the Palais des Papes (Classified universal
heritage by UNESCO), after proudly having crossed the centuries, enjoys an universal
renown and endlessly amazed, with the proportions complexity of its architecture,
the whole world tourists.
