Online dictionary of France travel and tourism: southern france

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Aix-en-Provence

French words: Aix-en-Provence , Aix
alternative words: Aix
keywords: southern france , tourist resort , town
related topics: Marseille
related web sites: http://www.mairie-aixenprovence.fr , http://www.aix-en-provence.com , http://www.aixenprovencetourism.com
explanation: Located in north of Marseille, Aix-en-Provence was founded in 123 BC by the Roman consul Sextius Calvinus and named Aquae Sextiae because of its hot spring. During the middle ages, Aix-en-Provence was the capital of a prosperous Provence earldom inside Holy Roman empire but annexed by France in 1487. Though an university was founded in 1409, Aix-en-Provence has remained an agreeable town with a tree lined street, Cours-Mirabeau, named for the memory of a local French politician. Its population is 134,000.

Arles amphitheater

French words: Arènes d'Arles , Amphithéâtre d'Arles
alternative words: Arles arena, Arles
keywords: human heritage , roman remains , southern france , theater , tourist resort
related web sites: http://www.arenes-arles.com , http://www.memo.fr/LieuAVisiter.asp?ID=VIS_FRA_ARL_003
explanation: Built at the same epoch as the city's foundation as a Roman colony in 46 BC, Arles arena was one of the largest in Roman empire (136x107m). Thanks to an ingenious combination of galleries and stairs, 21000 persons could watch spectacles. During Middle Ages, the arena was squatted by several hundreds of people but cleaned up only in 19th century. Now it is served to organize music concerts and bull fighting (tauromachie). Since 1981, all the antic monuments of Arles belongs to a human heritage of UNESCO.

Avignon

French words: Avignon
keywords: human heritage , southern france , tourist resort , town
related topics: Pope palace , Avignon bridge
related web sites: http://www.ot-avignon.fr , http://www.avignon.fr , http://www.festival-avignon.com , http://www.avignon-tourisme.com
explanation: Located in southern France on the bank of Rhone river, Avignon had been a small town in the shadow of other big Roman cities like Orange, Arles and Nimes nearby. In 737, Charles Martel destroyed Avignon because it had supported Saracens while in 1226 by Louis VIII because of Catharism. Avignon seizes a chance when the pontificate moved there in 1309. Enlisted to human heritage since 1995, Avignon is the capital of Vaucluse prefecture and the population 86000. It organizes "Festival of Avignon" each summer.

Avignon bridge

French words: Pont d'Avignon , Pont Saint-Benézet
alternative words: Pont d'Avignon, Saint Benezet bridge
keywords: human heritage , southern france , tourist resort
related topics: Avignon
related web sites: http://www.avignon.fr/fr/culture/musees/pont.php , http://www.romanes.com/Avignon/SaintBenezet/ , http://www.avignon-et-provence.com/avignon/monuments/stBenezet/
explanation: Though there had existed already a Roman bridge over the Rhone at Avignon, after its disappearance, there was no more bridge between Lyon and Mediterranean Sea In order to remedy this situation, Saint Benezet collected donations to build a new one. This bridge, achieved in 1185 had 22 arches and 4m width, not enough to dance in circle contrary to a popular song. It was destroyed in 1226 during a crusade against Cathars by King Louis VIII, but soon replaced by another with Saint Nicolas Chapel over deck.

Beziers

French words: Béziers
keywords: human heritage , southern france , tourist resort , town , wine
related topics: Canal du midi
related web sites: http://www.ville-beziers.fr , http://www.beziers-tourisme.fr
explanation: Located in southern France on the bank of Orb river, Beziers had been inhabited by Greeks in 5th century BC. Romans built a new colony named Baeterrae in 36-35 BC and its wine already exported to Rome. After a chaos of the end of Roman empire, Beziers was invaded by Saracens in 8th century. In 1209, as a stronghold of Cathars, the inhabitants of Beziers were massacred by Albigensian Crusade. The bridge of "Canal du midi" crossing over Orb river nearby belongs to the human heritage. Its population 80,000.

Cannes

French words: Cannes
keywords: french riviera , sea , southern france , tourist resort , town
related topics: Nice
related web sites: http://www.cannes.fr , http://www.cannes-france.com
explanation: Located in south-east of France on the Mediterranean coast near Nice, Cannes was called Canois by Romans, because of abundant reeds there. Though Cannes was disputed between France and Holy Roman Empire during the middle ages, it had remained a small fisher harbor until 1834 when a British politician, Brougham settled his cottage there. Since then, Cannes has developed to become an international tourist resort. Cannes film festival is held each May on the beach street, "Croisette". The population is 68000.

Carcassonne

French words: Carcassonne
keywords: castle , human heritage , southern france , tourist resort , town
related web sites: http://www.carcassonne.org , http://www.carcassonne.culture.fr
explanation: Located in southern France, Romans had already built a fortress there due to its strategic importance. During the middle ages, Carcassonne had been a strong hold of Cathars to resist Albigensian Crusade until 1209. After the incorporation to France in 1247, an outer rampart was added to make the fortress impregnable because Carcassonne was a border town with Aragon kingdom. In 1997, medieval city was enlisted to Unesco's human heritage. Carcassonne is the capital of Aude prefecture and the population 44000.

Frejus

French words: Frejus
alternative words: Frejus harbor
keywords: french riviera , sea , southern france , tourist resort , town
related topics: Marseille , Cannes
related web sites: http://www.frejus.fr , http://www.ville-frejus.fr
explanation: Located in west of Cannes, on the Mediterranean cost, Frejus had been founded by Greeks from Marseille. It was referenced on a letter of Cicero as "Forum Julii". Though Emperor Augustus enlarged its harbor and added many monuments such as Amphitheater and Aqueduct, Frejus declined slowly due to a silting-up and was devastated by Saracens in 940. In 1959, it lost 400 persons due to a collapse of Malpasset dam. Frejus recovered its maritime vocation by opening a new harbor in 1989. Its population is 51000.

Gard bridge

French words: Pont du Gard
alternative words: Gard aqueduct, Pont du Gard
keywords: human heritage , roman remains , southern france , tourist resort
related topics: Nimes
related web sites: http://www.vers-pont-du-gard.fr/afterintro.htm , http://www.vers-pont-du-gard.fr/tpatrimoine11.php , http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pont_du_Gard
explanation: Gard bridge was built by Romans between 40 and 60 A. D. over Gardon river in order to bring waters to Nimes city located 25km south-west in Gard prefecture. The length of aqueduct was about 50km with gradient of only 34cm per km and it delivered 20,000 m3 per day. The bridge height is 47m with arches of 3 levels and the length is 275m. After the collapse of Roman empire, the aqueduct has been no more maintained and during Middle ages, the bridge was used only as a road to pass another side of the river.

Les Baux-de-Provence

French words: Les Baux-de-Provence , Baux-de-Provence
alternative words: Baux-de-Provence
keywords: castle , southern france , tourist resort
related topics: Aix-en-Provence , Avignon
related web sites: http://www.lesbauxdeprovence.com
explanation: Raised on a tableland between Avignon and Arles, Les Baux-de-Provence had been, during the middle ages, the castle of a small but independent principality: they asserted descendents of a biblical Magi, Balthasar. In 15th century, After having become a part of Provence earldom, Baux was annexed by France together with it. A destruction of the castle by Louis XIII in 1632 and the abandon of the town have allowed a whole medieval city conserved until now. The mineral of bauxite was discovered in 1822 nearby.

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