Some people think the name, Les-Baux-de-Provence, means the beautiful of Provence, and it's very easy to understand why they would think that, Les Baux is indeed beautiful (FYI: Baux means rocky spur in the old Provençal dialect). Set atop the Alpille mountains, medieval Les-Baux-de-Provence is beautifully nestled deep into the hills.
Like Gordes, Les Baux has also been named one of the plus beaux villages de France, and deservedly so. Les Baux has been perfectly preserved, and walking around there, one would think they had stepped back in time, if not for the numerous brightly colored tourist shops selling t-shirts and wooden swords for your inner Knight, which kind of makes you feel like you're in a staged village like it's, Provence; brought to you by The Walt Disney Company. But, it's a real village with real people living there (aye yai yai... and I thought we had it bad during tourist season in The LPV).
And I'm just going to throw this out there, from now on, I may start referring to myself as Marquise de Le Petit Village, because, why not.
Les Baux was the next stop on the Staycation 2012 tour after a quick stop in Saint-Rémy-de-Provence where I ate the most delicious meal of Taureau with chorizo mashed potatoes as part of the nationwide event, Tous au Restaurant, toured the ancient city of Glanum...
And then we popped into the Saint-Paul de Mausolée Asylum to visit some crazy guy named Vincent.
And by Vincent, I mean Van Gogh.
bisou
Oui, Les Baux is very touristy, but I still like going there and climbing the high walls that have signs warning you to hold on to your kids. The view of Provence is wonderful up there.
ReplyDeleteps Your chorizo mashed potatoes sound so good!
Hey girly!
ReplyDeleteThanks for stopping by my page and leaving such a sweet comment - you are so right. I love these pictures! They're really pretty!! Happy Tuesday.
xoxo, Heather
These images are so very similar (almost identical!!!) to a vacation I took with you in 2011!!! You are one amazing hostess to take all your visiting friends and family into your beautiful backyard, Marquise! My favorite meal was the fresh crepe with nutella from the vendor in Les Baux! Delish!
ReplyDeleteAww, I love Les Baux!! (but on a off-season day when there are fewer tourists lol).
ReplyDeleteVery pretty! Looks like they're trying to camouflage the place in the top photo. Taureau as in bull? I suppose it's no weirder than eating cow, but I don't think I've ever heard it specified. (Unless it's some fancy dish I'm not sophisticated enough to have heard of.)
ReplyDeleteWhat a whirlwind day of visiting. Some lovely piccies there of a beautiful area. Your lunch sounds yummy. We had a gardianne de taureau at our blogger's lunch (where you were missed) and it was rich and delicious too.
ReplyDeleteI totally support you referring to yourself as Marquise de Le Petit Village. People in Texas will be super impressed.
ReplyDeleteSaint-Paul-de-Vence dans les Alpes-Maritimes est aussi très beau et très touristique, hélas !
ReplyDeleteSo close and yet so far! Girly, you were about 15 minutes away from me!
ReplyDeleteIt cracked me up that you showed the tourist booths at Les Baux--I swear all of that stuff is made in China...they are such a blight to an otherwise beautiful place.
Name of the resto in St. Remy please?
And totally random but it will make you happy. I am listening to FIP as I type and they are playing Peggy Lee singing "The Siamese Cat Song". :)
i really need to see france beyond the large cities... i might hire you as my tour guide. i pay in beer and wine ;)
ReplyDeleteLes Baux is gorgeous, the list of places I want to see in France gets longer everyday..... Have a great week. Diane
ReplyDeleteI find that visits to your blog cure my wanderlust and heighten it at the same time!
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My word what a beautiful place!!
ReplyDeleteit really just comes down to this: I need to visit you. honeymoon in LPV? Jon and I will discuss. thank you for your offer of hospitality.
ReplyDeletehaha!
Some of my favorite places, but I'm not going up or down Les Baux on those outside steps! Have you ever gone to used-to-be Cathedrale des Images, now known as Carrières de Lumières (http://www.carrieres-lumieres.com/en/preparer-sa-visite/horaires-et-acces)? It's walking distance from Les Baux. (Take sweater, it's chilly inside.)
ReplyDeleteI need to go here. I'd be in nerdy heaven.
ReplyDeleteI did not know that Prince Albert carries that title! Interesting!
ReplyDeleteLove all your pictures! They really want to make me travel to France! So badly!
Such beauty all around you! So jealous! Traci
ReplyDeleteUmm I'll have a staycation with you any time!!
ReplyDeleteYou name dropper, you! You know, that guy "Vincent"!
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing the meaning of "Baux". I love little fun facts like that. I'll just store that in my "useful for future trivia" files. Merci beaucoup. : )
I love this so much. It must be wonderful to live in such a beautiful place. If I were to visit I don't think I'd ever leave. xo
ReplyDeleteOh I've always wanted to be a Marquise, I think you should go for it and then give me a title too - I'll take anything!
ReplyDeleteThese buildings are amazing.
ReplyDeleteOoh so pretty! I am so glad you stopped my blog so I could discover yours! Stop by again soon!
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Ooh so pretty! I am so glad you stopped my blog so I could discover yours! Stop by again soon!
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I'm just going to come right out and say it...Lex Baux is my favorite place in France {next to Mt. St. Michel). And I think the title of Marquise suits you well.
ReplyDeleteLes Baux does some cool art installations, as well as having rather yummy restaurants, I'm always intrigued about what I'll find round the next corner (last year it was a traffic cone ball and a bunch of bright yellow metal swimmers doing the front crawl...)
ReplyDeleteI visited this place a couple of years ago, it really is magnificent. I even bought a necklace in this medieval shop. I really do have beautiful memories about it.
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