Contributor blog post by Barefoot Blogger: There are hardly more historically significant towns in France than Aigues-Mortes. Within the walled city, legends and facts reveal a rich history of conquering heroes and suffering martyrs. Today the place has transformed into a popular destination for travelers, filled with souvenir shops and …

The Heart of Darkness or Niger Focus (later Nerluc) might have been an appropriate name for the hamlet located on the shores of a murky, swampy river. The muddy, opaque waters fueled rumours cultivating the nightmares of residents who asked was the beast: A huge serpent? A dragon? A fierce …

You may know the traditional Biblical Christmas story, but in Provence, there is a bit more to it. The Provence Christmas story is told in a Nativity play called a pastorale. It incorporates the main details of the traditional Nativity but sets it in a nineteenth-century Provençal village. …Continue reading here …

Contributor blog post by Mirabeau Wine: Sir Francis of Assisi established the tradition of nativity scenes in 1223 with live enactments by people and animals during the midnight mass on Christmas eve in his church of Greccio, Italy. The tradition halted after the French Revolution, when many churches were closed. …

Contributor blog post by Vaucluse Dreamer: Yesterday morning I cycled up to Roussillon for the weekly market and to sit on the wall enjoying the view and the vivid colours of the Ochre cliffs that define the village. When I arrived it was lovely & quiet and I popped into the …

The Penitents refers to a Christian movement dating back to the 4th century. During this time, those who confessed a grave sin were assigned a penance, a means by which your sin could be forgiven. This penance, assigned by a Bishop, could assume the form of repairing a church, helping the poor …

Contributor blog post by Michel: Our favorite Roman ruin in the South of France is the Pont du Gard, the aqueduct bridge that crosses the Gardon River in the Gard Department of Languedoc-Roussillon about 60 km (37 miles) from our home in Sablet, between Remoulins and Uzès. The Pont du Gard …

It is a time of anniversaries. World War I’s centennial commemorations have dotted the globe. Canada celebrated its 150th. Even Lolo’s summer camp in the woods of Ontario proudly handed out t-shirts with “100” on them. World War II anniversaries cannot yet claim three digits. Partly because of the war’s …

Contributor blog post by Barefoot Blogger: Visiting monuments isn’t on the top of my sightseeing list; however I heard that Pont du Gard was a “must.” It is reportedly one of the most visited sites in France but, not until I saw it myself would I know why. It literally took my breath …

The Roman History of Arles What’s 2,000 years old, 100 feet long and used to float? If you guessed a Roman barge, you win!  And you can see one now in the Arles Museum of Antiquity. Arles was once an important Roman town, a trading center with a major port. …