Highlights of Provence

Here's a few other highlights from our trip to Provence!

The Roman theater in Orange is still in use today. Unbelievably, it was built in 85 BC, but everything, from the slope of the seats to the materials used to construct the stage, allows for acoustics that are comparable to modern concert halls.  The theater performances include Roman plays to operas to rock concerts.  It would have been cool to some of these performances.

In front of the Arc de Triomphe in Orange.

Nearby is the world famous wine region of Chateau Neuf du Pape:

On another day, we had an excursion to L'Abbaye de Sénanque and the nearby cliffside town of Gordes.  Abbeys always get to me.  I find their simplicity magical and eerie, which is of course what the monastic orders intended. The harvested field in front of the abbey is the celebrated lavender of Provence.  They had just cut it the week before we visited.

Here's a photo (courtesy of Wikipedia) with the lavender:

The village of Gordes.

The way into Gordes on the left; the way out on the right.