Provence

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Flag of Provence

Provence (Provençal Occitan: Provença in classical norm or Prouvènço in Mistralian norm) is a region of southeastern France on the Mediterranean Sea adjacent to Italy. It is part of the administrative région of Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur. The traditional region of Provence comprises the départements of Var, Vaucluse, and Bouches-du-Rhône and parts of Alpes-de-Haute-Provence and Alpes-Maritimes. Provence is so named because it was one of the first provinces outside of Roman Italy.

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[edit] History

See also: Lower Burgundy

Provence has been inhabited since prehistoric times. Remains of a settlement dating to between 27000 and 19000 B.C. were found by divers in 1991 at the Cosquer Cave, an underwater cave in a calanque on the coast near Marseille. A neolithic site dating to about 6000 B.C. was discovered in Marseille near the Saint Charles railway station.

Marseille was founded in about 546 B.C. by Greek colonists coming from the city of Phocaea (now Foça, in modern Turkey) on the Aegean coast of Asia Minor, who were fleeing an invasion by the Persians. They called their settlement Massalia, and it became one of the major trading ports of the ancient world. The Phocaeans also established colonies at Nice, Arles, Cannes, and south of Nimes.

The region was later inhabited by Ligurians and by the Celts. It was conquered by the Ancient Romans from the 2nd century BC, eventually becoming a province of the Roman Empire. This gave it its name, from the Latin PROVINCIA (province), as Provence was one of the first areas conquered by Rome outside of Italy. Christianity arrived in Provence very early and the region was already extensively Christianised by the 3rd century AD, with numerous monasteries and churches being constructed.

Provence fared badly in the aftermath of the fall of the Roman Empire, suffering repeated invasions: Visigoths in the 5th century, Franks in the 6th century and Arabs in the 8th century, as well as repeated raids by Berber pirates and slavers. It subsequently passed into hands of the Counts of Toulouse as a fief of the Counts of Barcelona (later Kings of Aragon).

In 973, Count William I defeated the Arab pirates based at Fraxinetum at the Battle of Tourtour and took the title Pater Patriae. From 1032 to 1246 the county was part of the Holy Roman Empire. It became a fief of the French Crown from 1246, under the rule of the Angevin dynasty. Upon the death of Charles du Maine in 1481, Provence was inherited by Louis XI. It was definitively incorporated into the French royal domain in 1486. Significant enclaves existed within Provence for many years afterwards: Orange remained under the control of the House of Orange-Nassau until 1672; the Comtat Venaissin, centered on Avignon, was under Papal rule until 1791; and Nice and Menton were not added to Provence until as late as 1860.

The now-extinct title of Count of Provence belonged to local families of Frankish origin, to the House of Barcelona, to the House of Anjou and to a cadet branch of the House of Valois.

[edit] Geography

Provence is bound by the Alps and Italy to the east and the Rhône River to the west, with the Mediterranean Sea providing its southern border. It has very varied topographical features, ranging from fertile plains in the Rhône valley to mountains in the east (notably Mont Ventoux, the Luberon range and the Alpilles), to marshlands in the south (the Camargue).

The Principality of Monaco is nestled between Nice and Italy. Marseilles, Aix-en-Provence, Avignon and Arles are other cities of importance in Provence. Marseilles is by far the largest city in Provence and the second largest city in France; the principal city of both the 'Bouches-du-Rhône' department and the region PACA (Provence Alpes Côte d'azur), Marseille is also called the chef-lieu (capital city) of Provence.

Provence-Alpes-Côte-d'Azur :
Area: 31,400 km2
Population: 4781000 inhabitants (2001 to 2006)
Regional Prefecture: Marseille

[edit] Sights

Many remains from the Roman times can be seen in Provence, including:

[edit] Culture

Much rosé wine is produced under the Côtes de Provence appellation, using some of the typical grapes of southern France, Grenache, Syrah, Carignan, and Cinsault. It is often at its best young. The other Appellations of Provence are Bandol AOC, Les Baux de Provence AOC, Bellet AOC, Cassis AOC, Coteaux d'Aix-en-Provence AOC, Coteaux Varois AOC and Palette AOC.

Provençal is the adjective used to describe things originating from this region, as well as being the name of the local Occitan language under its regional variety, Provençal. Occitan is a Romance language that is part of the Romance dialect continuum that stretches from Italy to Portugal.

Authors who have written about Provence in Occitan include:

Authors who have written about Provence in French include:

Authors who have written about Provence in English include:

Authors who have resided in Provence include:

Painters of Provencal scenes and landscapes include:

Music written about Provence includes:

On the culture of Provence see further: Prosper Mérimée, Notes de voyages, ed. Pierre-Marie Auzas (1971) Martin Garrett, 'Provence: a Cultural History' (2006) James Pope-Hennessy, Aspects of Provence (1988) Laura Raison (ed.), The South of France: an Anthology (1985)

[edit] See also

[edit] External links

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