Isle sur la Sorgue

The Sorgue has a constant temperature of
12-13 Celcius (53-55F)  all year round.  

La Sorgue is the river that flows through and around the town of Isle sur la Sorgue.  It is a fast flowing, cold river.  Through the clear waters you can see the lush green moss and plants swaying in the current.  Ocassionally you can see fish swimming against the current.  This river is the very essence of the town Isle sur la Sorgue.

The river has been used to defend the town as a natural moat surrounding the original walled city.  Colonies of fishermen were given privileges in the ancient community to fish the river from it's source in Fontaine de Vaucluse all the way to where it joins the Rhone river.  Later canals were created and the river was harnessed for its power.  Mills were constructed to produce oil, wheat, silk, paper and fabric.  This industrial activity brought people from all around and the weekly markets were conducted.  The Thursday market began as early as 1596.  

Map of Isle sur la Sorgue
http://www.islesurlasorgue.fr/

Today there are two major markets, the one on Thursday and the other on Sunday morning.  Isle sur la Sorgue has become a center for antiques and arts. You can find shops with all sorts of antiques or "broquant".  There are art galleries featuring pottery, glass, sculptures and paintings.  Two times a year, Isle-sur-la-Sorgue becomes the European capital of Antique and used furniture.  The events bring thousands of antique hunters from all over the world.

Winter market
eggs so fresh you can slap them

Lots of dried, cured sausages

beautiful radishes

Isle-sur-la-Sorgue marché - August

The first Sunday in August is celebrated with the "Marché Flottant".  People in traditional dress float on the Sorgue in the tradional boats, "Négo-chin".  There are crowds, music and lots of food!  You have to look at the video on this link. CLICK HERE  It is absolutely beautiful.  I have never attended this particular market because we are not usually in France the first week of August.  This year we will be here!!!  

http://peinture-ro.skyrock.com/3178091229-LE-MARCHE-SUR-SUR-L-EAU-A-ISLE-SUR-LA-SORGUE-19EME-ANNEE-27-PHOTOS-LES.html

http://www.gosouthfrance.com/best-places-in-france-to-visit/provence-towns-l-isle-sur-sorgue.html

The "négo-chin" boat, which translate to drowned dog, is a cultural pastime in Isle-sur-la-Sorgue.  You can take lessons and eventually participate in races held on the Sorgue.  The boat and its navigators must successfully complete a 1.5k course and navigate around small dams,  over waterfalls and under bridges.  All this with one large pole and a flat-bottomed boat!  Don't forget how cold the water is!  Sophia has a friend who live in Fontaine de Vaucluse who took lessons for awhile.  She said that it takes a lot of balance!

https://www.abritel.fr/location-vacances/p1010850

Isle-sur-la-Sorgue has many names.  Whether it is Insula, the first name of the city or "The island city" or "the Venice of Provence" whatever you want to call it, Isle sur la Sorgue is a captivating town full of cool green canals, antiques, art and great ice cream!

Lacoste - Marquis de Sade, Pierre Cardin and the Savannah College of Art and Design

The village of Lacoste sits perched on a hill looking north and east into the Luberon valley.  On a clear day you can see Mount Ventoux and all the way to Apt.  You can walk through its narrow cobblestone streets from the bottom and climb up to the chateau.  In the summer you can stop at one of the two cafés and visit the museum in the Chateau.

The evolution of this Provencal village, full of history, is very interesting. There are walls and vestiges dating back to prehistoric and Latin times within the confines of the village.  Roman artifacts have been found in the local quarry. The "castrum de Costae", the first village, is first noted in 1038.   The population varied over the times but it decreased because of the plague and other problems of the times. An act was signed in 1533 that brought Vaudois families to repopulate Lacoste.  The Vaudois, a protestant sect from the northern valleys, remained in the area until once again they were persecuted for their religion.  The village was mostly destroyed but little by little parts were reconstructed and the streets were repopulated during the beginning of the 17th century. The chateau that dates back to the 11th century was reoccupied in the 16th century by several families including the family of Donatien Alphonse François de Sade - the Marquis de Sade. 

Marquis de Sade and the Chateau

The Marquis de Sade had many titles: aristocrat,  writer, philosopher and politician among others.  He had ties to Lacoste and its chateau because it was owned by members of his family. During his life, the Marquis de Sade spent several years on separate occasions at the chateau.   He used the chateau as a refuge and would often stay there when he needed to avoid going to prison. A lover of theater, he had a auditorium constructed in the chateau for 120 spectators. 

The Marquis de Sade had an "attachment extraordinaire" for the chateau in Lacoste.  At the end of the revolution, the chateau having been pillaged, there was not much left of the chateau.  The ruins were sold and passed through the hands of several owners before it was bought by Pierre Cardin in 2001.

Artwork in the chateau

  

Pierre Cardin and the village

The village of Lacoste had suffered greatly over the years.  The stacked stone houses were lacking roofs and were falling apart. Pierre Cardin, having a very large budget, purchased and renovated many houses and structures that were in varying states of disrepair. The village changed into a showcase and warehouse for Pierre Cardin's belongings. There are still people who live in the village, but the buildings belonging to Pierre Cardin remain empty.  Today, the chateau houses a wonderful museum of contemporary art and Pierre Cardin's furniture collection.  You can visit the rooms of the Marquis de Sade and wander through the gardens and ruins. Pierre Cardin founded the summer "festival de musique et de théâtre" in the former quarries of Lacoste.

SCAD - Savannah College of Art and Design

 The village has always had its roots in art, the Marquis de Sade, artists Réné Char, Ernst or Man Ray.  The Lacoste School of the Arts was founded in 1970.  Later,  Sarah Lawrence College, the Cleveland Institute of Art and Bard College partnered with the Lacoste School of the Arts before it was eventually purchased by SCAD.  

It was cold walking through the streets

As a tourist in the village you can walk through the beautifully renovated cobblestone streets of the SCAD campus. The campus is part of the upper village and where the building were once houses they are now studios, dormitories and classrooms. You can imagine yourself a student working in the art studios tucked into the rock of  the village.  If you are lucky, you can attend the open house that they have at the end of the session.  We were able to do this several times and it was fascinating to see the students with their work and be able to chat with them as well.  Sophia and I were at the market in l'Isle sur la Sorgue and students handed us a flyer for the open house.  Unfortunately we read it incorrectly and showed up on the wrong date and missed the whole event.  Instead we walked through the streets and up to the chateau in the cold. 

We won't miss it next time!

Le Mount Ventoux and the rooftops of Lacoste

From Roman ruins, chateau of a famous Marquis (even if he is known for nefarious reasons), French designer to American art school, Lacoste is a village that is alive with art and culture.  In the winter you might have to look a little harder but it is there just the same.  The village is wonderful in the summer when it blossoms like a flower and the cicadas sing in the hot sun.  

Arles Easter Feria

Arles

http://www.provence-pays-arles.com/en/circuit/arles-world-heritage-site-day-trip

Sophia and I celebrated Easter in Arles.  When we woke up Sunday morning we not only noticed that the Easter bunny left us chocolate eggs around our house but also that the time had changed an hour ahead.  So our early morning start became a not so early start. Arles is about 1.5 hours from our home and we arrived at the hotel around 12 noon.  We checked into the hotel and made our way into town.  

http://www.takingrootinprovence.com/Map.html

Arles is located on the Rhone river not far from the Camargue to the south and Avignon to the north (check out my previous blogs on these two places) and just about an hour from Marseille to the southeast.  Besides being in such an ideal location, Arles is known for its Roman monuments, being the home of VanGogh for a short time, and for the Feria.  

The Easter Feria is a time when the streets are filled with the running of the bulls, bullfights in the arena, music and dancing in the streets and people out and about for a good time.  All this fun stuff happens in a city that is filled with Roman history, art and culture. On a normal day, there is too much to see and do in one day in Arles, during the Feria it is even more difficult to decide what to do.  We decided to focus on the Roman theater, street music bullfight and bull running.

Théâtre Antique d'Arles

We started at the Roman theater or Théâtre Antique d'Arles.  Built in the time of Augustus, the theater could originally seat 8000 spectators on 33 tiers.  Today it is still used as a theater and you can enjoy different cultural events in this historic location.   The theater was used as a quarry in the middle ages and many of the stones were used in the construction of the city.  There are only two original Corinthian columns that stand in the theater, everything was restored.  

Singing in the rain

Original columns and modern stage

 As we approached the arena, we could hear the music of several bands playing loudly. This band, The Malepere Warthogs, were playing at the top of the steps in front of the arena.  They had great sound and so much energy!

 There was another band playing in this narrow alley. They played all kinds of music: traditional spanish bullfight stuff, Adele songs, pop songs from the radio and even the Beatles.  It was so much fun to stop and listen

Spanish Bullfighting in France

When Sophia asked me if we could go to the bullfight, I said yes because I thought we would be seeing the French version.  I should have known better, Feria is a Spanish word!  After we were in the arena and I was reading the program I understood that we were about to witness a true Spanish Corrida.  There are many differences between the two styles but without going into details, the Spanish one is more violent.  We focused on the cultural responses of the crowd, the movements and costumes of the men in the ring and the ritual of the event.  El Juli, a famous Spanish bullfighter and a younger Peruvian bullfighter, Roca Rey, were the Matadors that afternoon.  In the end,we both decided that we never need to go to another bullfight again.  

Opening Ceremonies

Magenta capes

El Juli

When the bullfight was over we decided to go see the bulls run down the street.  The Camargue horses herd the bulls up and down the street while crazy people run in front of the bulls.  We never actually saw the bull because it was running so fast and the crowd was so big.  The activity came to a halt when someone was injured - not sure if someone got injured by the bull or not.  Before we returned to the hotel we sampled some wonderful food and I had sangria!  We only spent a few hours at the Arles Easter Feria but we learned so much in the short time we were there.  

Before the bull runs

Paella - beautiful street food!

Camargue horse waiting for the action to begin

Take a look at these youtube videos about the Arles Feria. 

music feria - link to see bands

music and dancing - gypsy music and dancing

running bulls and people - crazy people running with bulls