Location Location Location

Posted on by mcohen15

This posting is about three small towns all of which are tourist destinations for different reasons.  L’Isle Sur La Sorgue is the closest to where we are staying and is a cute town with a small river (the Sorgue) running through it.  There are more ice cream shops than banks and it attracts attention for having a great daily market but the thing that gets the most attention is a once a week antiques market that we avoided.  Roussillon is a charming hill town whose buildings are all ochre colored because it is where ochre has been mined since ancient times. There are many galleries and shops where you can buy all kinds of artist pigments.  The third town is St. Remy en Provence and its claim to fame is the asylum where Vincent van Gogh spent time and from where he painted many of his most well known works (more on him later).

The river runs through the heart of the town and it's sometimes called the Venice of Provence.
The river runs through the heart of the town and it’s sometimes called the Venice of Provence.
These two happy pooches were waiting for their owner who was across the river shopping. When he came out of the store they swam across, jumped up on the dock, and went on their merry way.
These two happy pooches were waiting for their owner who was across the river shopping. When he came out of the store they swam across, jumped up on the dock, and went on their merry way.
The open air market covers one side of the river and the restaurants and shops on the other.
The open air market covers one side of the river and the restaurants and shops on the other.
On the way to Roussillon a demonstration of farmers and their tractors, very patriotic, NOT a protest.
On the way to Roussillon a demonstration of farmers and their tractors, very patriotic, NOT a protest.
Hay "art"
Hay “art”
Ochre (from yellow to red to orange pigments) has been used since prehistoric times. It was especially in demand in the 18th century for dying textiles and that's when this town was booming. Now it's a tourist/artist haven.
Ochre (from yellow to red to orange pigments) has been used since prehistoric times. It was especially in demand in the 18th century for dying textiles and that’s when this town was booming. Now it’s a tourist/artist haven.
As you can see the hillsides show the ochre that was mined and processed from the 18th century to 1930.
As you can see the hillsides show the ochre that was mined and processed from the 18th century to 1930.
Looking out from the highest point in the town.
Looking out from the highest point in the town.
Entrance to the old mines below the town.
Entrance to the old mines below the town.
The color of the buildings is distinctive because of the ochre.
The color of the buildings is distinctive because of the ochre.
Fun for artists- pigments galore
Fun for artists- pigments galore
These are the different natural colors of the ochre.
These are the different natural colors of the ochre.
The town of St Remy en Provence's architecture is in stark contrast to the color of the buildings in Roussillon.
The town of St Remy en Provence’s architecture is in stark contrast to the color of the buildings in Roussillon.
Tenacious wisteria
Tenacious wisteria
For some reason this was a fairly quiet day in this little town
For some reason this was a fairly quiet day in this little town
Alleyway with a built in sukkah
Alleyway with a built in sukkah
A nice composition of "Frenchness"
A nice composition of “Frenchness”
This is the birthplace of Nostradamus, originally a Jewish French apothecary from the 15th century. He started out in medicine and ended in the occult. His predictions are easily interpreted to mean whatever you want them to.
This is the birthplace of Nostradamus, originally a Jewish French apothecary from the 15th century. He started out in medicine and ended in the occult. His predictions are easily interpreted to mean whatever you want them to.

One thought on “Location Location Location”

  1. Hi Mina,
    Thanks for the great pictures and history. What a treat. The historic district of San Miguel de Allende in Mexico was traditionally painted in different natural shades of ochre. It is still part of the “building codes” today. Travel safely.
    Harriet

    Reply

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