The Bruner Family Journey: Another Family Rendezvous in Provence

Market day in St Rémy-de-Provence

When you think of summertime in Provence, maybe you think of hot sunny days with lavender and sunflowers in full bloom and a chilled glass of rosé on the veranda with the scent of fresh herbs wafting through the evening air. Or, if you were in Provence in June 2011 like we were, maybe you think of violent wind and rain storms, large ominous storm clouds darkening the morning sky, repeated electrical outages, and unseasonably cold temperatures. It's a good thing we kept the winter gear instead of shipping it all back to the U.S. for he summer - we hadn't used it since eastern Turkey in January, but we sure needed it for June in Provence!

Avignon in the rain

Thanks to my parents' generosity, we settled into a warm, comfy house on the outskirts of Saint Rémy-de-Provence, a bustling little market town with a compact, leafy maze of old streets, plenty of fashionable shopping, and a rich history spanning more than 2,500 years. The town has had some notable residents over the centuries, including Princess Caroline of Monaco; Nostradamus (the 16th century apothecary and seer who made some heavy duty predictions about plagues, floods, earthquakes, droughts, volcanos, and the demise of the American Basketball Association); Dr. Albert Schweizer (who has involuntarily "hospitalized" here during World War I - according to one website, "he wasn't so much ill as German"); and Vincent van Gogh (who painted a host of enormously famous works here - including Starry Night, Irises, and The Bedroom - that now reside in museums from Los Angeles to St. Petersburg). St. Rémy is a prefect place to slow down and experience a thick slice of Provence. It's small enough to retain its charm, but big enough to offer the full range of amenities and feel like there's plenty of things to do.

Mom in the small village of Oppède le Vieux

Most importantly, St. Rémy was the site of another long-awaited family reunion and as the date approached the kids eagerly counted down the hours to meet up with Grandma Janet and Poppa Bob. It was great to catch up with my parents for the second time on our trip (click here to read about our earlier rendezvous in Israel) and we were not deterred by the foul weather - even as we were forced by rivers of rain to flee the outdoor patio during our lunch in Avignon or as we had to shimmy open the front door to the house during a blackout when our only other way in was the electric garage opener. We did some quality touring and we also managed to find some pockets of good weather to enjoy our spacious back yard, like a wine and cheese tasting on the terrace under the sparkling sunshine right after a powerful thunderstorm, or some soggy soccer fun on the lawn. We also enjoyed some delicious Provençal cuisine, which highlights the strong connections to Italy with the emphasis on olive oil, garlic, fresh herbs, and a lighter touch than most other French regional cuisines.

At the top of the hill at Glanum

I'd been to Saint Rémy twice before (in 1989 and 2004), but this was the first time I visited the extensive ruins of the ancient fortified settlement of Glanum, which sits in a scenic rocky landscape only a few kilometers from town. Glanum was founded in the 6th century BCE by a Celto-Ligurian people known as the Salyens, in honor of the Celtic god Glanus. Glanum ultimately came under Roman control and there are two fine edifices from the 1st century BCE, which are collectively known as Les Antiques - one of the best preserved mausoleums of the Roman world and one of the oldest Roman triumphal arches. There are also numerous other Roman and pre-Roman ruins to explore, including temples, baths, fountains, public meeting places, and private residences.

Glanum did not survive as the Roman Empire weakened, and it was destroyed by Germanic tribes during the 3rd century. The Roman drainage system was neglected and the site was flooded frequently and became covered with mud. That didn't stop the locals from using the site as a source of stone and other construction materials to build the town of Saint Rémy. But the site eventually attracted the attention of scholars and historians, including our good friend Nostradamus. In the 16th century, King Charles IX paid a visit and ordered that the surroundings be restored and maintained. Excavations in the 16th and 17th centuries yielded sculptures and coins, although systematic archeological work to uncover and preserve the site did not commence until 1921.

Vincent van Gogh stayed here for a year

Another popular attraction in St Rémy is the Maison de Saint Paul de Mausole, the former monastery turned psychiatric asylum where Van Gogh committed himself after cutting off his ear in nearby Arles. He spent a year here (from May 1889 to May 1890) towards the end of his life. One can visit the simple room where Van Gogh stayed and, in his antechamber, an exhibit on mental illness was on display. The rooms were a bit dark and dingy - and didn't seem all that conducive to improving one's mental health. On the other hand, the tranquil cloister downstairs is perfect for reflection and contemplation (or reading a Kindle) and leads out to a pretty field of lavender and flowers.

Mom at the Palais des Papes, Avignon

Saint Rémy is also a great base for exploring other nearby cities and towns. It's only a half-hour from Avignon, a majestic medieval city that served as the religious capital of Europe from 1305 to 1377 after Pope Clement V (a Frenchman) moved the papal court here from Rome. Clement's successors built a magnificent palace, the Palais des Papes, which is one of the largest and most important Gothic buildings in all of Europe. Even after the papacy returned to Rome, Avignon remained a prestigious and prosperous place.

In addition to the massive papal palace, Avignon features what is perhaps the most famous non-functioning bridge in the world, the 12th century Pont Saint-Bénézet, which is commemorated in the timelessly catchy children's song "Sur le Pont d'Avignon." The bridge became increasingly precarious over the centuries, until it finally was put out of commission - permanently - by a catastrophic flood in 1668.

While the city's medieval grandeur often overshadows the other periods of its past, as with many places in Provence, there are multiple layers to Avignon's history and identity. It was a thriving trading town during ancient times and more recently has become a center of European culture. Today, it's a vibrant, youthful and sophisticated place - and isn't just stuck in its gloried past.

Mom in Ménerbes

Finally, we visited Oppède le Vieux and Ménerbes, two villages in the forested hills of the Petit Luberon, a region known for its natural beauty, agricultural prosperity, and rich cultural heritage. Old Oppède was built centuries ago into a steep rocky hillside in the hopes of avoiding the constant ravages of war in the valley below. But apparently the homes, which get shaded by the mountains in the early afternoon, were dark, dank and difficult to keep up. With the arrival of peace in the 19th century, the residents decided to improve their quality of life by moving down to the open valley. They dismantled the roofs of their former residences so they wouldn't have to pay property taxes. Today, the mostly-abandoned, partly-restored upper town is incredibly atmospheric, a kind of idealized, artsy medieval ghost town. Ménerbes is another beautiful old hill town, made famous by the British author Peter Mayle, who wrote A Year in Provence while renovating a home he bought here.

I could never tire of traveling in Provence. As Fodor's explains, "you'll find no end of pleasures" here. Sure, traveling in eastern Turkey, Inida, and Sri Lanka was exciting and rewarding. But relaxing in Provence was the vacation from the vacation.