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 …

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 away. There, hiding out in …

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 centre with a significant port. …

Any who visits Uzés, France is in awe of the Château de Duché. It’s the centrepiece of the town and home to the Duke of Uzés — the oldest ducal peerage in France. If France was still a kingdom, the Duke of Uzés would rank just below “princes of the …

Vincent Van Gogh was a Dutch Post-Impressionist painter who is among the most famous and influential figures in the history of art. In just over a decade he created about 2,100 artworks, including around 860 oil paintings, many of them in the last two years of his life. Saint-Paul-de-Mausole lies …

Beaucaire is a small town in the Gard department, located on the banks of the Rhône River and the start of the Rhône-Sète canal. The name Beaucaire means beautiful stone. There is evidence of a Gallo-Roman settlement in this hilly area as early as 11 BC. During the Roman era, …

Iconic Promenade des Anglais The celebrated 7-kilometre coastal boulevard between the sea and palm trees offers superb views of the Bay of Nice and gives the city its unique identity. The openness and long span of the uninterrupted path gives a sense of freedom and space that is found nowhere else. …

Contributor blog post by Ashley Tinker: I came across this document in a pile of papers in a French flea market. It’s dated 1896. I find details like this really indicative of their time and culture. For example, the imagery of a military hat, canon, soldiers, rifle, and sword are most …