Tags
architecture, artist, arts, asylum, Chateauneuf du Pape, Culturious, France, Glanum, paintings, provence, robin bass jewelry, St Paul de Mausole, St Remy, Starry night, sunflowers, tasting, Tauck, travel, Van Gogh, wine
The skies were gray and there was a bitter cold drizzly rain on this day we visited St Paul de Mausole, the asylum where Vincent van Gogh spent a year and painted starry night along with many other masterpieces. It was an eery feeling being in the same room that he painted his famous “room” paintings. The asylum is still a working institution which helps to heal mentally ill women through art therapy. The patients who are living there sell their art in the gift shop. It was hard to believe many of them were untrained artists before they arrived there. The work was very moving.
We left there to explore the ancient city of Glanum-one of the largest and oldest archeological sites in France. Glanum was founded by Celto-Ligurians in the 3rd century BC, well before the region was conquered by the Romans under Julius Caesar. It was a vast area of ruins that we walked through with a guide explaining all the areas. Some of the structures were constructed later from fragments that were found to give the visitors a better feel for aesthetics of the city.
Then that evening we traveled to the world-renowned wine region of Chateuneuf-du-Pape where we were treated to a wonderful wine tasting and a delicious and memorable dinner at a restaurant high on a hill with spectacular views of the region.
This was such a special journey. I will never forget these seven days and the glorious sights, tastes, smells, laughter and wonderful experiences we shared in this very beautiful part of the world.
Van Gogh’s Bedroom Window
the ancient city of Glanum
These columns are newly constructed on the site designed from remnants found among the ruins.
This was our favorite at the tasting.
Au Revoir!
