Provence: Art, Architecture and Landscapes - Tapa dura

HAZIRLANIYOR

Provence, the eternal province, has always been remote from the center of administration, and nothing changes there. For more than 3000 years, this is the myth that the region has fostered. The Greeks founded colonies here, the Romans established their first province in Gaul. In the Middle Ages, the area dynastically linked to the far distant kingdom of France. Provence has been a favorite vacation destination since the 18 th century. This is due to its wonderful opportunities for leisure: beaches, the Alps and their foothills, antiquities, churches, modern art museums, bullfighting, and summer festivals. All of these continue to contribute to the mixture which is the fascination of Provence.

This publication, which concentrates on the art, architecture and landscape of Provence, makes its treasures much more visible. It is an invitation for a cultural excursion, one which can also be experienced at home. The individual chapters present groups of districts which can easily be visited at one time, with maps showing the important sites followed by their history and art. The book can also be used as a travel guide. Its primary purpose, homewer, is to serve as a feast for the eyes through its glorious photography.

The book follows the most sensible route for touring Provence. The tour leaves the old quarter of Orange for Mont Ventoux and the Papal town of Avignon. It includes a side-trip to Nimes and the Pont du Gard Aqueduct, before the big towns are tackled. These are the university town of Aix-en-Provence and central Marseilles. The way leads eastward to the Italian border, along the coast road, with its beaches, paradise islands, and the splendor of the buildings of the Belle Epoque. In the hinterland behind Cannes, Nice, and Monaco there are the Alpine peaks and their foothills as well as awe-inspiring geological formations, especially the deep Gorges du Verdon.