About in Arles

While we've been languishing on the hard at Port Napoleon, we meet a pair of fellow languishers (or rigging a-waiters) in the marina. Dave and Carol had travelled down the canals and the Rhone, and were waiting for some new rigging before heading off on a grand adventure in the Med. Craftily, they rented a car, and even better, took us off for a few adventures. The first was a trip to Arles. We've seen a lot of coastal towns and cities in the south of France, but haven't been able to venture inland much. Arles is about 20 nm inland, and was quite unique compared to what we've seen. Also, it boasted one of the largest markets we've seen since Turkey.

Crossing over the Rhone at Arles

Carol and Megan promenading alone the river

Look at that!

Market crowds

Fancy some paella?

Or how about an olive?

Fresh cocquillages (shell fish)

We enjoyed the teeming market place, particularly the food stalls. It also boasted some lovely

architecture, so just strolling around its streets and squares was a pleasant past-time.

A Baroque church

A small park and square in the centre of Arles

Arles civic square

An interesting doorway

Megan going native!

We then headed out of Arles and to the place that gave bauxite its name. Baux au Provence is a town close to Arles in the Bouche du Rhone department. Baux means 'rocky spur' in French, and bauxite was discovered and so named here in 1821. Just outside the town is a quarry where white limestone was extracted for many years. The empty white caverns have been converted into a most unusual 'art gallery' where works of art are projected onto the walls. The show is called 'Carrieres de Lumieres' and we saw the show devoted to Marc Chagall. It was a powerful and immersive experience that placed us 'inside' the works of Chagall.

Dave and Carol in Baux-au-provence

The limestone cliffs containing the quarries

Entrance to 'Carrieres de Lumieres' 

Inside the caverns

Marc Chagall exhibition

Totally immersive experience

Each epoch of the artist was covered

Caverns sans 'art'

There was also a show devoted to Alice in Wonderland and C.S. Carroll, as well as a wacky art film by Jacques Costeau.

Alice in Wonderland show

Wonderfully evocative of the novel

Not a literal re-telling, but using symbols from the book

A disappearing Cheshire grin

Some more of the caverns

Jacques Costeau movie

The commentary warned us not to try and understand what the film was about!

We had a wonderful trip, thanks Dave and Carol! Back to Port Saint Louis and the tasks of preparing Pavlov for sale.