Provence

Provence is a beautiful and important area in southeastern France. It stretches from the left bank of the lower Rhône River to the west all the way to the Italian border in the east. To the south, it is bordered by the Mediterranean Sea. Today, it largely matches the modern administrative region called Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur, and includes areas such as Var, Bouches-du-Rhône, Alpes-de-Haute-Provence, parts of Alpes-Maritimes, and Vaucluse. The biggest city and modern capital of Provence is Marseille.

Long ago, the Romans made this area the very first Roman province beyond the Alps, naming it Provincia Romana, which later became the name Provence we use today. For many years, it was ruled by the counts of Provence from their capital in Aquae Sextiae, now known as Aix-en-Provence. In 1481, it became part of the lands ruled by the kings of France. During the Middle Ages, an important event happened called the Avignon papacy, when the Pope and his court moved to Avignon from Rome.

Even though Provence has been part of France for over 500 years, it still has its own special culture and language, especially in the quieter parts of the region. People there still celebrate their unique traditions and history, making Provence a fascinating place to learn about.

Etymology

Provence got its name from long ago, during Roman times. Back then, it was called Provincia Romana, which meant "the Roman province." The name slowly changed to just Provincia. As the language shifted from Latin to Provençal, the way people said and wrote the name changed too.

History

Prehistoric Provence

The coast of Provence has some of the earliest known places where people lived in Europe. Simple stone tools from 1 to 1.05 million years ago have been found near Roquebrune-Cap-Martin, between Monaco and Menton. More advanced tools from around 600,000 years ago were found in a cave at Saint-Estève-Janson. Tools from 400,000 years ago and some of the first fireplaces in Europe were found in Nice at Terra Amata. During this time, the climate changed a lot and the sea level moved up and down, sometimes flooding early homes.

One amazing discovery was made in a cave under the sea near Marseille. Inside, walls were painted with pictures of animals and human hands, made around 27,000 to 19,000 years ago.

Ligures and Celts in Provence

Between the 10th and 4th century BC, groups called the Ligures lived in Provence. They may have been descendants of earlier people. Later, tribes of Celtic people came from Central Europe and settled in the area. They built forts on hills and worshipped nature.

Greeks in Provence

Traders from the island of Rhodes visited the coast of Provence as early as the 7th century BC. The first permanent Greek settlement was Massalia, established at modern-day Marseille around 600 BC by colonists from Phocaea. Massalia became an important trading port and established many small colonies along the coast and inland towns.

Roman Provence (2nd century BC to 5th century AD)

In the 2nd century BC, the people of Massalia asked Rome for help. Roman legions entered Provence and established permanent settlements. The Roman general Gaius Marius built roads to help move troops and trade. In 49 BC, Massalia chose the wrong side in a power struggle and lost its influence. Roman veterans founded new towns, and the Emperor Augustus began to bring Roman culture to the region. Roman engineers built many monuments, theatres, baths, and aqueducts that still exist today.

Arrival of Christianity (3rd–6th centuries)

Organised churches and bishops appeared in Roman towns in Provence as early as the 3rd and 4th centuries. The oldest Christian structure still standing is the baptistery of the Fréjus Cathedral, dating from the 5th century. The first two monasteries in Provence were founded around this time.

Germanic invasions, Merovingians and Carolingians (5th–9th centuries)

As Roman power weakened, Germanic tribes entered Provence. The region was ruled by Frankish kings but was actually governed by local nobles. In 879, Boso of Provence broke away from the Carolingian kingdom and became the first ruler of an independent state of Provence.

Fraxinet and the Counts of Provence (9th–13th centuries)

Provence was ruled by different dynasties of counts. In the 9th and 10th centuries, it was invaded by Normans and Muslim raiders who established a base at Fraxinet. Under Count William I, the Provençals defeated the raiders. In 1112, Provence came under the rule of the Counts of Barcelona, and later the House of Aragon.

The popes in Avignon (14th century)

From 1309 to 1377, popes ruled from Avignon. Seven popes reigned there before returning to Rome. The popes built large palaces in Avignon. This time was also marked by the Black Death, which greatly reduced Provence's population, and wars that forced cities to build defenses.

Good King René, the last ruler of Provence

In the 15th century, King René I of Naples, known as "Good King René," lived in Provence. He was a patron of the arts and built fine castles. When he died in 1480, Provence was incorporated into the French royal domain in 1486.

1486 to 1789

Provence became part of France and faced religious wars in the 16th century. The region suffered from plagues and economic changes. By the end of the 18th century, many industries began to grow, and Marseille became a major city.

During the French Revolution

During the French Revolution, Provence was largely royalist and conservative. There were violent events, including massacres and sieges. Revolutionary leaders from Provence played important roles, and the revolutionary anthem La Marseillaise got its name because volunteers from Marseille sang it in Paris.

Under Napoleon

Napoleon restored power to old families in Provence. The British blocked trade, causing hardship. After Napoleon's defeat, Provence celebrated his fall.

19th century

Provence prospered in the 19th century with ports connecting it to the French Empire. Railways linked Provence to Paris. Nice and other towns became popular resorts. Marseille and Toulon grew, and new buildings were constructed. There was a revival of the Provençal language and culture led by writer Frédéric Mistral, who won the Nobel Prize in 1904.

20th century

Between the world wars, Provence was divided between conservative rural areas and radical cities. After World War II began, Provence was in the unoccupied zone of France. Resistance grew against German occupation. In 1944, Allied forces landed on the coast of Var and liberated Provence. After the war, Provence faced reconstruction and saw an influx of people from Algeria. Cultural events like the Avignon Festival and Cannes Film Festival were revived, and tourism grew with new highways and high-speed trains.

Geography

The original Roman province was called Gallia Transalpina, then Gallia Narbonensis, or simply Provincia Nostra ('Our Province') or Provincia. It stretched from the Alps to the Pyrenees and north to the Vaucluse, with its capital in Narbo Martius, which is present-day Narbonne.

In the 15th century, the County of Provence was bordered by the river Var on the east and the Rhône to the west, with the Mediterranean to the south. Its northern border roughly followed the Durance. The area to the northwest included two territories that were once part of Provence: the Comtat Venaissin, centered on Avignon, and the Principality of Orange. The administrative region of Provence-Alpes-Cote d'Azur was created in 1982, including Provence and surrounding areas.

The Rhône river, on the western border of Provence, is one of the major rivers of France. It flows from the Rhône Glacier in Valais, Switzerland, and joins the river Saône at Lyon. Along its path, it meets several rivers on both banks. At Arles, the Rhône divides into two arms, forming the Camargue delta, which flows into the Mediterranean Sea.

The Durance river, a tributary of the Rhône, starts in the Alps near Briançon and flows through several towns before meeting the Rhône at Avignon. The Verdon River is a tributary of the Durance, known for its deep canyon, the Verdon Gorge. The Var River flows into the Mediterranean between Nice and Saint-Laurent-du-Var.

With an area of over 930 km² (360 sq mi), Camargue is western Europe's largest river delta. It is a flat area with lagoons, marshes, and many bird species, including the greater flamingo.

Outside the high Maritime Alps, Mont Ventoux is the highest peak in Provence, standing at 1,909 metres (6,263 ft). It is known as the "Giant of Provence" and has a bare, white limestone peak that looks snowy from far away. The Alpilles are a small mountain chain south of Avignon, rising sharply from the plain.

Montagne Sainte-Victoire is a famous mountain in Provence, often painted by the artist Paul Cézanne. It stretches over 18 kilometres between Bouches-du-Rhône and Var, with its highest point at 1,011 m. The Massif des Maures is a small mountain chain along the Mediterranean coast in Var, named after people from North Africa who settled there long ago.

The Calanques are a series of narrow inlets along the Provence coast between Marseille and Cassis. They were formed from ancient river valleys and are now invaded by the sea. The Cosquer cave in the Calanque de Morgiou contains ancient paintings and engravings of animals.

The garrigue is a common landscape in Provence, a type of scrubland with low trees and aromatic plants like lavender, sage, and rosemary, found near the coast where summers are dry.

Climate

Most of Provence has a Mediterranean climate. This means hot, dry summers and mild winters with lots of sunshine. The area also has some smaller climates, from Alpine conditions in the mountains to more continental weather in the north.

The winds of Provence, especially the mistral, are important. This cold, dry wind often blows down the Rhône Valley through the Bouches-du-Rhône and Var areas. Sometimes, it blows very fast.

Culture

Art

Artists have been painting in Provence since very old times. Paintings of animals like bison and horses were found in the Cosquer Cave near Marseille.

The wooden ceiling of the cloister of Fréjus Cathedral has paintings of scenes from the Bible and everyday life.

Nicolas Froment was an important painter of Provence during the Renaissance. Louis Bréa was a painter born in Nice. Pierre Paul Puget, born in Marseille, was known for his paintings and sculptures.

In the 19th and 20th centuries, many famous painters came to Provence because of the nice weather and clear light. This light is special partly because of the Mistral (wind), which clears the air.

Adolphe Monticelli was born in Marseille.
Paul Cézanne was born in Aix-en-Provence.
Vincent van Gogh lived in Arles and Saint-Remy.
Auguste Renoir settled in Cagnes-sur-Mer.
Henri Matisse lived in Nice and Vence.
Pablo Picasso spent summers on the Côte d'Azur.
Pierre Bonnard died at Le Cannet.
Georges Braque painted at L'Estaque.
Henri-Edmond Cross painted at Monaco and Hyères.
Maurice Denis painted at St. Tropez and Bandol.
André Derain painted at L'Estaque and Martigues.
Raoul Dufy painted in Forcalquier, Marseille and Martigues.
Albert Marquet painted at Marseille, St. Tropez and L'Estaque.
Claude Monet visited many places in Provence.
Edvard Munch visited Nice and Monte Carlo.
Paul Signac lived in St. Tropez.
Pierre Deval lived in La Valette-du-Var.
Nicolas de Staël lived in Nice and Antibes.
Yves Klein was from Nice.
Sacha Sosno lived and worked in Nice.

Architecture

Main article: Architecture of Provence

Literature

Main articles: Occitan language and Occitan literature

Historically, the language spoken in Provence was Provençal, a dialect of the Occitan language.

Provençal was widely spoken until the beginning of the 20th century. Today, Provençal is taught in schools and universities, but fewer people speak it regularly.

The golden age of Provençal literature, or Occitan literature, was the 11th and 12th centuries.

In the 19th century, there was a movement to revive the language, led by the poet Frédéric Mistral.

Provençal writers and poets who wrote in Occitan include:

French authors

Alphonse Daudet was known for his Lettres de mon moulin and the Tartarin of Tarascon trilogy.
Marcel Pagnol wrote stories of his childhood.
Colette became attached to Saint-Tropez.
Jean Giono wrote about life in Provence.
Paul Arène wrote about life around Sisteron.

Writers who lived in or wrote about Provence

Edith Wharton lived in Hyères.
F. Scott Fitzgerald wrote The Great Gatsby while living in St. Raphaël.
Ivan Bunin set stories on the Côte d'Azur.
Somerset Maugham lived in Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat.

Other writers who lived in or wrote about Provence include:

Scientists, scholars and prophets

Pytheas was a geographer who lived in Marseille.
Petrarch spent time in Avignon and Carpentras.
Nostradamus was born in Saint-Remy-de-Provence and lived in Salon-de-Provence.

Music

Music written about Provence includes:

"Di Provenza il mar, il suol", an aria by Giuseppe Verdi
The opera Mireille by Charles Gounod
Georges Bizet's L'Arlésienne
L'Arlesiana, an opera by Francesco Cilea
Works by Darius Milhaud
Tableaux de Provence by Paule Maurice
Works by Eugène Reuchsel
Suite Provençale by Jan Van der Roost
Settings of Vladimir Nabokov's poem "Provence"

Cinema

Provence has a special place in the history of movies. One of the first movies ever made was made by Auguste and Louis Lumière at the train station in La Ciotat. It was shown in Paris on 28 December 1895.

Parks and gardens

Main article: Gardens of Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur

Cuisine

Main article: Cuisine of Provence

The cuisine of Provence is influenced by the warm climate and the seafood available.

Basic ingredients include olives, olive oil, garlic, sardines, rockfish, sea urchins, octopus, lamb, goat, chickpeas, and local fruits.

Fish like rouget and loup are common.

Dishes include:

Aïoli - a sauce made from olive oil and garlic
Bouillabaisse - a seafood dish from Marseille
Brandade de morue - a dish made from salt cod
Daube provençale - a beef stew
Fougasse - traditional bread
Pissaladière - a specialty of Nice
Ratatouille - a vegetable stew from Nice
Panisse - a chickpea flour dish

An _aioli_ made of garlic, salt, egg yolk and olive oil

A traditional _[bouillabaisse](/wiki/Bouillabaisse)_ from Marseille, soup and fish served separately

_[Brandade](/wiki/Brandade) de morue_, a dish of salt cod and olive oil mashed with potatoes or bread in winter

_[Daube](/wiki/Daube)_, or Provençal beef stew, cooked in wine

_[Pissaladière](/wiki/Pissaladière)_

A bowl of ratatouille with bread

_[Socca](/wiki/Farinata)_ of Nice, also known as _Farinata_ in Liguria and parts of Tuscany, _La Cade_ in [Toulon](/wiki/Toulon) or [Marseille](/wiki/Marseille)

Calissons from Aix
Rouille - a sauce with red peppers
Tapenade - a relish made from olives and capers
The Thirteen desserts - a Christmas tradition
Herbes de Provence - a mixture of herbs used in cooking

Wines

The wines of Provence were introduced around 600 BC by Greek people. The wines of Provence are grown in hot, sunny conditions with little rain. Most are rosés.

There are three regional classifications in Provence:

AOC Côtes de Provence
AOC Coteaux d'Aix-en-Provence
AOC Coteaux varois en Provence

There are also five local classifications.

Pastis

Pastis is the traditional liqueur of Provence, flavoured with anise. It is usually drunk diluted with water.

Sports

Pétanque, a form of boules, is a popular sport played in towns and villages all over Provence.

The object is to throw a ball (boule) close to a smaller ball called the cochonnet, or to knock away an opponent's boules. Players compete one-on-one, in pairs, or in teams of three. The goal is to accumulate thirteen points.