John Lander Photography

Show Navigation
  • Portfolio
  • About
  • Contact
  • Archive
    • All Galleries
    • Search
    • Cart
    • Lightbox
    • Client Area
All Galleries
Add to Cart Download

Provence Images

27 images Created 25 Sep 2016

For most people Provence means the Cote d’Azur or Riviera centered around Nice or St. Tropez. Others love the Vaucluse and Cote du Rhone region. With this variety of scenery, Province defines the art of living. Villages in Provence are often built on hilltops or the hillsides around the local chateau, with graceful fountains and shady squares bathed in sunshine. Here you can sense Roman history that has shaped the architecture and the people. Several villages in Vaucluse are ranked as “The Most beautiful Villages in France” such as Gordes, Roussillon and Venasque that are great for exploring. This rich history provides visitors with countless sights, tastes and discoveries.
View: 100 | All
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
x

Loading ()...

  • The Pont du Gard was built to allow the aqueduct of Nimes, which is almost 50 km long, to cross the Gard river. The Roman architects and engineers who designed this bridge and aqueduct created a technical as well as an artistic masterpiece. A true masterpiece of ancient architecture, the Pont du Gard aqueduct is one of the most beautiful Roman constructions in Europe and was added to the UNESCO World Heritage Sites list 1985.  The full aqueduct had a gradient of 34 cm/km descending 17 meters in its entire length and delivering 20,000 cubic meters of water daily. Incredibly, it was constructed entirely without the use of mortar.  From the 4th century its maintenance was neglected, and deposits filled up the conduit space. Most of the Pont du Gard remains intact. The aqueduct was restored in the 18th century, by which time it had become a major tourist sight, and was restored again in the 19th century.
    pont-du-gard-07.jpg
  • Lavender or lavandula is a flowering plants ithat is surprisingly iin the mint family.  Many types of lavender are cultivated and used as ornamental plants for garden and landscaping.  They are also used as cooking herbs especially in France and Italy. The color “lavender blue” is named  after the shade of the flowers of this plant.
    lavender-2.jpg
  • Hotel des Monnaies was built in 1619 and is considered to be one of the best examples of Baroque style in Avignon.  Today it is the site of the Olivier Messiaen Conservatory of Music, or Conservatoire de Musique Olivier-Messian EMOM.
    hotel-des-monnaies-3.jpg
  • Thanks to its hilltop position, exceptional charm and its preserved architecture, Gordes has been listed as one of the Most Beautiful Villages of France or Plus Beaux Villages de France. <br />
Its labyrthinth of narrow cobblestone streets is an adventure in itself.  Gordes has long been popular with artists who have made it their home  such as Marc Chagall, Victor Vasarely and Pol Mara. At the Abbey of Senanque Cistercian monks still produce liqueurs, honey and lavender essence.
    gordes-01.jpg
  • Roussillon is one of the most famous sites in the Luberon thanks to its geological wonders. Ochre quarries streaked with red and gold ochre sand have colored the village itself.  The Ochre Trail or Sentier des Ocres is an enjoyable hiking trail through a former ochre quarry. Sometimes referred to as the Giants' Causeway or Chaussée des Géants is an easy and dramatic mini hike near town.  It is not clearly known why the pigments in the soil have produced geological changes here and not elsewhere.
    ochre-trail-5.jpg
  • Roussillon, red colored and sitting atop a hill, has been named one of the Plus Beaux Villages de France or the Most Beautiful Villages of France. It’s unknown why geological changes should have caused russet pigments here and not elsewhere in Provence.  Roussillon City Office suggests a legend involving a a doomed love affair between a troubadour and a chatelaine in addition to more scientific explanations.  Mining of ochre ceased in Roussillon itself but ochre remains the cornerstone of the town’s tourist industry.  The nearby Ochre Trail or Sentier des Ocres is an enjoyable hiking trail through a former ochre quarry.  Place de la Mairie is the main hub of activity as well as Place du Pasquier on Thursday mornings when there's a large market.  Roussillon was famously home to Samuel Beckett who went in hiding in Roussillon after having fled from Paris. Beckett worked on a farm and vineyard while continuing his French Resistance activities.  Beckett referred to Roussillon in his most famous play Waiting for Godot.
    roussillon-3.jpg
  • Village de Bories - thirty restored dry stone huts, made of simple shapes represent an architectural masterpiece. Without the use of mortar, the borie have been skillfully stacked into huts with vaulted ceilings, reflecting the harmony of natural materials.  The word Borie comes from the Latin boaria - oxen stable. The borie gave shelter to farmers’ livestock. Village des Bories is an open-air museum near Gordes in the Vaucluse.  The origin of bories goes as far back as the Bronze Age. The village museum displays traditional objects and tools, as well as presenting the history of the Bories and dry stone architecture.
    village-borie-10.jpg
  • The Triumphal Arch of Orange is a monument characteristic of Roman architecture in Provence. This arch is built with of three openings and decorative figures sculpted into the limestone. This arch is one of the oldest and biggest of its kind from the Roman period. The Triumphal Arch of Orange is considered as one of the most important Roman Gaul relics.  The Triumphal Arch does not represent any particular victory.  Rather, it  symbolizes Roman supremacy over land and sea and is dedicated to the glory of its armies and Emperor Tiberius Caesar.  The Triumphal Arch of Orange is a UNESCO World Heritage site.
    orange-triumphal-arch-1.jpg
  • The Pont d’Avignon - According to the legend, the bridge Pont Saint Benezet was built by Benezet a shepherd who heard voices telling him to build a bridge in Avignon. The bridge was completed in 1185 - at the time the only place to cross the Rhone between Lyon and the Mediterranean. The bridge originally spanned 900 meters and had 22 arches. Today, all that remains are four arches. The bridge is famous thanks to the song "Sur le pont d’Avignon” the modern version of which was written by Adolphe Adam who is best known for the music for Giselle.
    pont-avignon-04.jpg
  • Avignon is bordered by the Rhone River in the Vaucluse, Provence and called the “City of Popes” as it was home to the papacy for nearly 70 years.  Avignon is well known for its well preserved UNESCO listed ancient town enclosed by medieval ramparts.  The popes controlled the city until the French Revolution when it became part of France again.  The historic center includes the Pont Saint Benezet otherwise known as the Avignon Bridge, the Palais des Papes and Notre Dame des Doms and remparts all of which became UNESCO World Heritage Sites in 1995.
    avignon-31.jpg
  • The Ramparts of Avignon encircle the entire old city of Avignon and are more than 4 kilometers long. They were built by Pope Innocent VI, to protect the city from bands of mercenaries. The entrance of the Avignon Bridge provides access onto the ramparts. Prior to the walls constructed by the popes, the city has always had some sort of wall to protect it, going back to Roman times. The Remparts of Avignon are a UNESCO World Heritage site
    avignon-remparts-3.jpg
  • Chapel of Penitents Noirs or Chapelle des Penitents Noirs - The Confraternity of the Pénitents Noirs de la Miséricorde was founded in 1586 to assist prisoners. The confraternity established itself in the hospital Notre Dame de Fenouillet which was transformed into a chapel in the early 16th century.  The chapel is known for its striking bas relief of angels.
    chapelle-penitents-noirs-2.jpg
  • Venasque - Three hilltop villages in Provence cling to the rocks - though they were crumbling at the beginning of the century and many of these semi abandoned villages have revived in the past few decades.  Protected since ancient times thanks to its virtually impregnable location Venasque is considered one of the most unusual villages in the Vaucluse - it follows strict guidelines for renovations that require that exterior modifications to homes are rebuilt as they were in the past at least as far as the exterior.
    venasque-05.jpg
  • The ramparts of Aigues-Mortes and Constance Tower were built in 1242 by Saint Louis.  Under the tower are dungeons.  The ramparts are spectacular in their height and their state of preservation. Along with the Tower of Constance, they are a testimony to Western European military architecture in the during the 13th and 14th centuries.
    tower-of-constance-4.jpg
  • The artist Patricia Cunha produced a work Umbrella Sky along Rue des Fourbisseurs in Avignon. Pedestrians can view some 160 umbrellas suspended above their heads as a part of the Umbrella Sky Project which began in Agueda, Portugal.  Each summer during July, August and September artists construct these shady spots for pedestrians.  The array of umbrellas creates a geometric and colorful pattern overhead and helps keep the heat down. in an environmentally friendly way.
    rue-foubisseurs-avignon-2.jpgr
  • In addition to its famous fountains, Pernes-les-Fontaines is also famous for its colorful buildings and plants.  Home owners take pride in presenting their houses with vines, creepers, flowers and trees to enhance the colorful buildings and the nearby fountains
    pernes-les-fontaines-6.jpg
  • Pernes les Fontaines is a Vaucluse village of fountains, as its name suggests.  Many different styles of fountain can be found, some of which have been declared French National Monuments.  Most of the fountains were built during the 18th century.  Styles vary from moss-covered to tiny wash basins.  Some of the more interesting fountains are the Fountaine du Cours de la République, covered in calcium buildup and moss, the Fontaine du Cormoron at Place Cormoran, Fontaine Villeneuve, Fontaine d’Anges, and Fontaine Tour de Ferrande.
    pernes-les-fontaines-22.jpg
  • The Triumphal Arch of Orange is a monument characteristic of Roman architecture in Provence. This arch is built with of three openings and an abundance of decorative figures sculpted into the limestone. This arch is one of the oldest and biggest of its kind from the Roman period. The Triumphal Arch of Orange is considered as one of the most important Roman Gaul relics.  The Triumphal Arch does not represent any particular victory.  Rather, it  symbolises Roman supremacy over land and seas and dedicated to the glory of its armies and Emperor Tiberius.  The Triumphal Arch of Orange is a UNESCO World Heritage site.
    orange-triumphal-arch-9.jpg
  • Palais des Papes - The Palace of the Popes stands as a symbol of the church’s influence throughout the catholic world in the 14th century.  Construction was organized by two popes, Benedict XII and his successor Clement VI. Palais des Papes is one of the largest medieval Gothic buildings in Europe. The Palais became obsolete when the papacy returned to Rome. The visitor can view scenes of historic events, the pope’s private chambers and the frescoes painted by the Italian artist Matteo Giovannetti.  The Popes’ Palace is in the top ten most visited attractions of France and a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
    palais-des-papes-2.jpg
  • Village de Bories - thirty restored dry stone huts, made of simple shapes represent an architectural masterpiece. Without the use of mortar, the borie have been skillfully stacked into huts with vaulted ceilings, reflecting the harmony of natural materials.  The word Borie comes from the Latin boaria - oxen stable. The borie gave shelter to farmers’ livestock. Village des Bories is an open-air museum near Gordes in the Vaucluse.  The origin of bories goes as far back as the Bronze Age. The village museum displays traditional objects and tools, as well as presenting the history of the Bories and dry stone architecture.
    village-borie-14.jpg
  • Glanum Arch - Glanum is an ancient city outside Saint-Rémy-de-Provence. Archaeological excavation on the site at Glanum has revealed an outstanding collection of architectural relics.  Set in the heart of the Alpilles mountains, the ancient city is steeped in Greek and Roman influence.<br />
The Triumphal Arch was built during the early Roman empire, indicating the entry road to Glanum along the great way of the Alps. The Mausoleum is the best-preserved mausoleum of the Roman world. Building during this first period had a Helenistic influence, using the technique of bonding using large carved stone blocks set together perfectly without mortar.  Early in the 1st century AD Glanum was forced to accept the status of a Roman colony. Following Ceasar's conquest of Marseille in 49 BC. Augustus rebuilt Glanum with Roman public buildings: forum, basilica, temples and baths.  From the early part of the first millineum until the 20th century the site was forgotten. The Triumphal Arch and Mausoleum, were noticeable beside the road south of Saint Remy-de-Provence but it wasn't until 1921, when Jules Formigé and Pierre de Brun began digging, that the lost town of Glanum came back to light.
    glanum-4.jpg
  • Abbey of Saint Andre Garden - Among the most beautiful iof gardens in France, the Abbey of Saint Andre gardens are made up of roses,  olive and pine trees more than a century old among the remains of romanesque style churches and monasteries dating back as the 6th century. At the foot of the abbey palace lies a parterre garden in Tuscan style adorned with ponds, vases and sculptures bordered by a pergola covered with wisteria and roses. Located in the heights of Mount Andaon within the domain of Fort Andre, these terraced gardens are probably the highlight of the entire fort, as the other buildings lie in ruins.
    abbey-saint-andre-garden-6.jpg
  • Fort Saint Andre is remarkable for its state of preservation, sits The imposingly at the top Mount Andaon,  above the Rhône River. The site was already occupied by the Benedictine abbey of Saint-André when construction of the fort began in the 12th century.  In 1292 King Philippe le Bel set up defences of Avignon to protect trade routes but it was during the 13th century, with the establishment Avignon as the center for the Pope that the site became a military fortress.  Within its grounds once stood 750 metres of wall, much of which still stands, plus crenellations, towers and two portcullises, a garrison, gatehouse and chapel.<br />
The fort is clearly visible from the other side of the Rhone in Avignon itself, bBut it is only once you are inside the fort that the strategic position of this fort dominating the Rhone Valley can be appreciated.
    fort-saint-andres-villeneuve-4.jpg
  • Inspired by the temples of Apollo and Mars in Rome the Maison Carrée is the only preserved Roman temple left from the ancient world.  The Maison Carree was one of the expressions of power put on display by Augustus and owes its exceptional state of preservation to uninterrupted use since the eleventh century.  The building has been used as consulate, stable, apartment building and even a church over the centuries.  After the French Revolution it became the seat of the Prefecture of Gard, then was temporarily converted into departmental archives. Finally it was preserved to its original state - though in a more secular way.
    maison-carre-nimes-8.jpg
  • Arena at Nimes - In the cities of the Roman Empire, the arena was the venue of choice for epic shows such as gladiator events.  These amphitheaters were also symbols of a city's prestige. The arena at Nimes is one of the best preserved from the Roman past. The arena's shape is elliptical with sixty arches that cover the two levels.  Inside there are 34 rows of seats that can accommodate 20,000 spectators. Beneath the seating, concentric galleries lead to different levels by way of more than 100 staircases.  It had been believed that Augustus bestowed the amphitheatre on the city but it is now agreed that its construction dates from the 1st century - around the same time as the Colosseum of Rome.  Following the fall of the Roman Empire, the arena was became a fortified village with wells, houses and even churches up until 1786 when the buildings were removed and restoration of the arena began. In 1813 Nimes started to hold the first bullfights at the arena. Although somewhat controversial,  the bullfights and other events are what has enabled the full restoration and preservation of the Arena of Nimes.
    nimes-arena-3.jpg
  • Avignon TGV Station was designed under the direction of Jean-Marie Duthilleul of AREP, the station development arm of SNCF. Duthilleul is a  French architect and engineer who was in charge of the  renovation project of the French railway stations SNCF, particulrly the newer TGV stations.  Jean-Marie Duthilleul has revolutionized design and function of stations by treating them as places for people to meet up and living spaces.  That is to say, the transport networks are becoming real public spaces similar to the role that churches once played in public life.  Indeed, Duthilleul has renovated quite a few churches in France and has taken this experience of public space into the realm of railway stations.
    avignon-TGV-station-1.jpg
  • Les Halles Avignon is the city's covered market made up  of 40 stalls with high quality local produce:  fruit, vegetabes, herbs and spices, soap, olive oil and other specialities of Provence. It has become a local foodie emporium with high end quality and prices to match
    les-halles-avignon-01.jpg
View: 100 | All