HISTORY IN MOTION
Walking Tours
Vaison-la-Romaine, Provence
Papal Provence is a land of popes, pagans, princes, paupers, peasants and poets.
The story unfolds against the breathtakingly beautiful backdrop of Vaison-la-Romaine, a jewel in the crown of "Papal Provence".
The Roman residences and Roman bridge, the Ramonesque cathedral, Feudal fortress, Gothic gateways, Renaissance mansions and picturesque squares with Italianate fountains acquire another dimension as we imagine together the events and peoples that have left an indelible mark on Vaison,
As the tour ends we find that we have a fuller understanding, not only of Vaison's rich history (and why it unfolded the way it did), but also of how our modern western world has emerged as an amalgam of the myriad civilisations and cultures that have collided and clashed, but also co-habited, co-operated and cross-fertilised over the last three thousand years.
Together we chart the historical evolution of this fascinating and unspoilt town as we admire the extensive Roman ruins, explore the early medieval church district and succumb to the charms of the medieval and Renaissance "old town", perched high on the rocks before returning to modern post-revolutionary Vaison.
As we walk, letting the stones talk, we discover that Vaison has through the ages been a veritable melting pot of different civilisations, cultures and customs.
including the Celts, the Greeks, the Romans, the "Barbarian" Franks, the Italians - and ultimately the French.
