ARLES
Day 9: Wine and Roman Arles
On the way to Arles we stopped at the family owned and run vineyard, Domaine Guinand. We had an introduction and then went into the production building. Lots and lots of big tanks here, with grape juice on its way to wine. After a stop in the retail area we tasted a handful of wines. I am truthfully not at all experienced in wines so can't give you details other than some were white and some red.
I can tell you that the picnic lunch on tables in the vineyard was great! We had another local speciality, bull soup. Big chunks of meltingly tender beef braised in wine sauce. And the wine was flowing. By now we were a group of friends traveling together and there was lots of laughing going on!
I will admit the last bus ride of the day was a bit quiet, with lots of closed eyes!
It was at the Ancient History Museum that I first began to understand the variety of Arles. This city was a major Roman city and there are many artifacts to prove it. Onc of the big finds is a long boat dredged from the river but there are also various vessels, sculptures, and mosaics that were found in the nearby area.
We had a very quick bus ride from the museum into the heart of Arles. Our local guide (who is a RS guide herself) showed us around, highlighting the Roman theatre, the Van Gogh stops, and the maze of streets, ending at our hotel near the Roman arena.
Day 10: Pont du Gard
We were off the next morning with a destination of the Pont du Gard. I was totally blown away by the size of this structure and amazed that it was built 2000 years ago to carry water to Nimes.
As we approached with the guide, the Pont was shrouded in fog with a few seconds later the big reveal! Such drama... When we arrived at the structure the guide unlocked a metal gate and allowed us to enter the passageway for the water. Dry now, we walked through it to the other side, ducking and dodging centuries old sediment. Exiting we had some time on our own to explore and enjoy the amazing views before walking across, back to the visitor center where there was an interesting museum.
We arrived back at Arles around lunchtime for a free afternoon. I had a leisurely lunch at a sidewalk cafe and walked around the twisted, narrow streets and passageways. I got lost a couple times, finally finding myself at the Roman Arena and the hotel. After a rest. we all met up and had a lovely dinner together.
I loved Arles! As many artists before me, I found it charming and colorful in the Provencial light. It was a vibrant and everyday city more than any other place we visited.
