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Welcome
in Provence Cote d’Azur French Riviera. This tiny region
located in South-East of France is encircled by the Alps on the
North and the East and is washed on the South by the blue waters
of Mediterranean sea. It is bordered on the East by Italy and
on the West by the tumultuous Rhone river. This is one of the
most famous French Area, celebrated by numerous writers and artists,
Mistral, Pagnol, Giono.
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| About Geography | |
The
provence is made of the union of the pre-Alps and the sea. The
Alps are the highest mountain ranges in Western Europe (highest
Mont Blanc 4807 m, higher than US Rocky Montains), only surpassed
in height in Europe by Caucasus (Elbrouz 5633 m) in South-East
Russian border. Some western geographers claim that since Caucasus
is not really in Europe, therefore Mont Blanc should be indeed
considered as the highest European mountain and since it is in
South France (with some part in Italy and Switzerland) it is
another source of vanity for the inhabitants. The Alps have been
created by the subduction of Italy below France and Germany few
million years ago. This explain the protuberant shape of the
South coast. In fact the sea is very deep in this area (4000
m) that provides a 8000 m total denivelation for the mountain
ranges.
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Therefore
the provence Cote d’Azur is a sunny mixture of mountains,
beautiful indented sea coasts, islands and forest and beautiful
resorts, villages.
The Alps are bordered on the West by the Rhone river, a very strong river which is the largest in France for the volume of water carried per second. After heavy rains the Rhone carries more waters than all other rivers in France together. Now the river can be partially navigated thanks to human made canals. The Rhone is also very well known for its vinyards (Chateauneuf du Pape, Cote du Rhone). It ends in a big Delta in the Camargue, the largest island in continental France after Corsica. On the South, in the sea is the island of Corsica. Very mountainous the largest French island in Europe is also the fourth largest island in Mediterranean sea. Geographers are probably still fighting about the geological origin of Corsica: Alps or Italian. Anyhow this island is also famous because it is the birthplace of Napoleon. From the Alps in Nice when the weather is clear one can see the mountains of Corsica. There are ski resorts where you can ski with the view of the sea below and the view of the far big islands. The protuberant end of Provence is infringed by marvellous islands such as les iles du levant: Porquerolles, iles de Cros, iles du Lerin and a very indented coast: Giens peninsula, golf of Saint Tropez, Cap d’Antibes, Cap Saint Jean. |
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| About History |
The
area has been populated very early by human settelement. Homo
Sapiens settled in the area during glaciation period when the
sea level were more than 100 m lower than present day. Scientist
have discovered near Marseilles a cave (cave
Cosquer) with undersea entrance with beautiful wall paintings
dated -20,000 bc.
During Antiquity, the Greek have settled the area in the East and the in West by founding the nowadays two largest cities in the region: Marseilles (Massilia) and Nice (Nicea). The Greks have also settled on coasts and islands. For example Antibes name comes from Greek Antipolis (literally opposite to the city, actually Nice). The Roman pacified the area and during the Republic annexed the Narbonnese Gaul, on the West bank of Rhone. Surprisingly the Provence (Roman word for province) has been annexed later by the Empire and the mountainous areas were never subdued by Rome (unless only formally). Massilia has been besieged by Cesar. For long time the area was the refuge of Gauls who threatened the power of Rome during the early stages of the Republic (Gaul Brennus famous quote: vae victis!). This early greek and latin settlement is at the origin of the big cultural split in France between the roman Gaul in the South where people are meditarrenean in Spirit, villages have agora and are organized like latin cities in opposition with the “hairy” Gaul in the North where people are more Germanic in spirit with villages organized like Germanic settlements. Speaking are also slightly different, South of France is frequently referred as langue d’oc (Languedoc) in contrast with North of France, langue d’oil. Nowadays the differences have vanished, excepted the singing accent that everybody enjoye. During Middle age the region were split between Arles Kingdom (Arles, is a beautiful city in Camargue), Provence Kingdom and some Italian principalties. During one hundred years the Saint Tropez area was under the rule of Arab pirates (la Garde-Freinet). After Charlemagne, has been included in the Burgondy-Lorraine Kingdom legacy and then attached during a short period of time to the Ottonian German Empire, before slipping in French hands excepted for the Comtat Venaissin. The East part, the Cote d’Azur, was under various domination most of them Italian or Savoy. After the liberation war of Italy in the 1860s the area was attached to France after a referendum. In some part of Nice, one can still hear an old Italian dialect. |
| Two historical-political curiosities: Monaco and Avignon. |
Monaco:
in the middle of the French riviera is an independent state,
the smallest state with a border and a coast, its capital and
only city is Montecarlo. Its ground border is entirely with France.
It has not been attached after the 1860 referendum because it
was not included in the treaty being outside the dominion of
Savoy Kingdom. This is a principalty ruled by a Prince (Albert
II) and a French government appointed prime minister. Beyond
the administrative aspect the principalty is attached to France
for many other aspect (language, soccer, etc). It is a paradise
for paparazzis, since this small Royal family and its romance
is very popular in France (which have disclaimed any royal family
since 1873). The guard parade (ten soldiers, the whole Monaco
army) is very popular.
Avignon:
on the low Rhone river, for long time the city was independent
of France since it was part of papal states. During the troubled
period of Romeo and Juliet in Italy, the fight was between
the german emperor supporters and the pope supporters. After
having exhausted the resource of excommunication weapon, in
1309, the pope exiled in Avignon far from Italian turmoil.
This French period lasted during 50 years with four popes.
Then, the Roman cardinals, worried by the French influence
on Church, elected a new pope in Rome and during a short period
of times there were two popes, each of them insulting the other
as antichrist. In a general agreement with France and in order
to avoid schism, the pope residence definitely returned in
Rome. The Avignon area anyhow remained as part of papal state
during five centuries before being definitely annexed by France
at the Revolution. The city has kept intact the fortifications
and the huge papal palace as testimony of its ancient magnificence
as Church capital. |
Welcome
in Provence Cote d’Azur French Riviera. This tiny region
located in South-East of France is encircled by the Alps on the
North and the East and is washed on the South by the blue waters
of Mediterranean sea. It is bordered on the East by Italy and
on the West by the tumultuous Rhone river. This is one of the
most famous French Area, celebrated by numerous writers and artists,
Mistral, Pagnol, Giono.
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