Hitting My Stride

By Maryanna Gabriel

Les Alpilles

After leaving such a beautiful and peaceful setting we departed the cloister and walked past more Roman ruins in the forest. I fancied I could sense the ghosts of romantic trysts in the trees for something seemed to sparkle in the air. I was mindful of how artists have waxed prosaic of the light in Provence. There was something compelling about this place. We climbed and climbed until we came to the top of Les Alpilles, a mountain ridge covered in pine trees. Here we stretched out. My heart soared in the sunlight and blue sky. White horses with riders passed us. We became so hard hit by the Mistral that I felt if I leaned into it I would be supported it as it seemingly

Les Baux De Provence From Les Alpilles

exceeded 100 km per hour in places. As if this sparkling day was not enough we descended down  the backside of a ridge to an historic village called Les Baux De Provence. This town of stone is set dramatically on a rocky outcrop and dates back as far as 6,000 BC. The place has a long and fascinating history but by 1632 it was ordered demolished because of its Protestant affiliations and granted to the country of Monaco. This entitlement lapsed with the death of Princess Caroline’s grandfather. The population now is about 400 people. Modern art was displayed on some of the standing walls with the interesting effect of the past setting off the present. The place is very charming and has a surreal quality as if it is a movie set but no, this is what it has looked like for centuries. 

Church With Bell

Lone Standing Wall With Modern Art