Wendy, Graham went home to Hemel Hempstead after a fine week with us, and Will went on to Germany to perform a house concert. Louie, Rene, and I enjoyed a few more days of exploring new places in Provence. The weather was perfect and the drives from Aix on back roads were just gorgeous.
St. Remy had been on my wish list for years, primarily because of its deep association with Van Gogh. He spent a very productive period here near the end of his life, most of that time while he was a patient at the Saint Paul Asylum just south of the town center. After enjoying a large street market and lunch in a lovely, traditional restaurant, we followed the well-marked walking path from the town center to the hospital, surrounded by scenery from Van Gogh's paintings that's still recognizable today.
Saint Paul's is also across the road from Glanum, an ancient Celto-Ligurian site later adopted by the Romans. An inspiring, beautiful historic site.
link to information on Glanum
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| City Hall square with fountain |
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| l'Aisle ou la Cuisse (obviously named after a film) |
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| Happy fellows |
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| Dessert choices - YUM! |
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typical street scene, note gate in ancient city wall at the top of the street
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| One of the signs along the path from St. Remy to Saint Paul's Asylum |
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| Scottie with olive tree full of fruit (see below) |
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| Entrance to Saint Paul's Asylum |
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| Old quarry just outside the asylum walls |
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| typical mountain near Saint Paul's |
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| Rene upon arrival at Saint Paul's |
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| Louie with explanatory sign at the quarry |
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The amazing arch and mausoleum at Glanum from Roman times,
right there across the road from Saint Paul's Asylum! |
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Van Gogh's image of Saint Paul's
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