Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur

The river Rhône forms two arms. I had crossed the eastern arm, the "Grand Rhône", in Arles and was on my way to the the western arm, the "Petit Rhône". Inbetween these arms, forming a great delta, lies the "Camargue", a formerly marshy and hostile area. Now most of the land is cultivated, even rice is grown here. The Camargue is as well known for black bulls, white horses and pink flamingos. I walked a long and pretty boaring road. No shadow, no bulls, no horses no flamingos. Not even cars for hours.

Crossing the Rhône´s western arm, Le Petit Rhône, via a modern bridge and so leaving the Camargue and entering Gard. On the horizont the water tower of St. Gilles.

Arles - seen from the top of the Abbaye de Montmajour.

Since 2007 smoking is prohibited in all French schools, airports, stations, museums etc. Since 2008 smoking is prohibited in all French bars, pubs, restaurants, nightclubs etc. as well. This lady just found a little niche to smoke a cigarette. The red/white sticker on the gutter pipe is the marker of the GR (sentier de grande randonnée), that crosses the centre of Arles.

Alyscamps (from Latin "allissi campi" = Champs-Élysées or Elysian Fields) was a Roman necropole next to the "Via Aurelia" just outside the walls. Christian martyrs have been buried here, so it not only became a centre of pilgrimage but as well was used as a burial ground until medieval times. There are still hundreds of sarcophags all around, though the most valuable ones are in the local museum meanwhile. The church of Saint Honoratus, built on pre-romanesque foundations 12th and 13th century, but has lots of addons and "renovations". This was a major meeting point for pilgrims walking the Via Tolosana. the "Codex Calixtus" from 1139 mentions the tomb of Saint Honoratus. The Alyscamp, we see today, is much smaller than it was before, as the construction of the railroad in the 19th. century cut off a big part (nowadays a ruined industry areal). Most of the sarcophags and the walls of the church are covered with carved graffitis. In 1888 Vincent van Gogh and Paul Gauguin have painted here side by side. Three paintings of Alyscamps still exist.

Alyscamps (from Latin "allissi campi" = Champs-Élysées or Elysian Fields) was a Roman necropole next to the "Via Aurelia" just outside the walls of the Christian martyrs have been buried here, so it not only became a center of pilgrimage, but as well was used as a burial ground untile medieval times. There are still hundreds of sarcophags all around, though the most valuable ones are in the local museum meanwhile. The church of Saint Honoratus, built on pre-roman foundations 12th and 13th century, but has lots of addons and "renovations". This was a gathering point for pilgrims walking the Via Tolosana. The "Codex Calixtus" from 1139 mentions the tomb of Saint Honoratus. The Alyscamp, we see today, is much smaller than it was before, as the building of the railroad in the 19th. century cut off the southern part (nowadays a ruined industry areal). Most of the sarcophags and the walls of the church are covered with carved graffitis. Near to one of the entrances of St. Honoratus , there is a horizontal anchor and a horseshoe. The horseshoe may connected to medieval pilgrimage.

Alyscamps (from Latin "allissi campi" = Champs-Élysées or Elysian Fields) was a Roman necropole next to the "Via Aurelia" just outside Arles. Early Christian martyrs have been buried here, so it not only became a center of pilgrimage, but as well was used as a burial ground untile medieval times. There are still hundreds of sarcophags all around, though the most valuable ones are in the local museum meanwhile. The church of Saint Honoratus, was built on pre-roman foundations 12th and 13th century, but has lots of addons and "renovations". This was a gathering point for pilgrims walking the Via Tolosana. The "Codex Calixtus" from 1139 mentions the tomb of Saint Honoratus. The Alyscamp, we see today, is much smaller than it was before, as the building of the railroad in the 19th. century cut off a big part (now a ruined industry areal). Most of the sarcophags and the walls of the church are covered with carved graffitis. On an outer wall of St. Honoratus. There are layers of many graffitis, some rather weathered. Middle row of stones two small horseshoes / two "signs", maybe letters, 84 / ETIEVANT ???? Bottom row of stones: Piton / 1 JANer 1887, E. LEVY.E / TANET AUGUSTE LE ?? JUIN 1873. Where I put the ? in, I cannot read. There are more smaller ones to the right, but I can´t read them either.

Alyscamps (from Latin "allissi campi" = Champs-Élysées or Elysian Fields) was a Roman necropole next to the "Via Aurelia" just outside the walls of the Christian martyrs have been buried here, so it not only became a center of pilgrimage, but as well was used as a burial ground untile medieval times. There are still hundreds of sarcophags all around, though the most valuable ones are in the local museum meanwhile. The church of Saint Honoratus, built on pre-roman foundations 12th and 13th century, but has lots of addons and "renovations". This was a gathering point for pilgrims walking the Via Tolosana. The "Codex Calixtus" from 1139 mentions the tomb of Saint Honoratus. The Alyscamp, we see today, is much smaller than it was before, as the building of the railroad in the 19th. century cut off the southern part (nowadays a ruined industry areal). Most of the sarcophags and the walls of the church are covered with carved graffitis. A graffiti on one of the outer walls of the church St. Honroratus. Unfortunately the name (top row) is lost. Somebody erased it. The graffiti was carved in by a "soldier" in "1869". Then there is "99- de Ligne", what is the "99e régiment d'infanterie de ligne", a famous regiment, created in (german) Zweibruecken (Deux-Ponts) in 1757 and at that time named "Régiment royal Deux-Ponts". In 1780 this regiment was sent to North America, to support the Americans in their fight for independence, and so took part in the Battle of Yorktown in 1781. Here you´ll find much more: english: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Royal_Deux-Ponts_Regiment french: fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/99e_r%C3%A9giment_d%27infanterie_de... german: de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Royal_Deux-Ponts

Alyscamps (from Latin "allissi campi" = Champs-Élysées or Elysian Fields) was a Roman necropole next to the "Via Aurelia" just outside the walls of the Christian martyrs have been buried here, so it not only became a center of pilgrimage, but as well was used as a burial ground untile medieval times. There are still hundreds of sarcophags all around, though the most valuable ones are in the local museum meanwhile. The church of Saint Honoratus, built on pre-roman foundations 12th and 13th century, but has lots of addons and "renovations". This was a gathering point for pilgrims walking the Via Tolosana. The "Codex Calixtus" from 1139 mentions the tomb of Saint Honoratus. The Alyscamp, we see today, is much smaller than it was before, as the building of the railroad in the 19th. century cut off the southern part (nowadays a ruined industry areal). Most of the sarcophags and the walls of the church are covered with carved graffitis. A graffiti on one of the many old sarcophags outside the church St. Honroratus. I cannot read the two initials (or maybe symbols) in the middle. Below them the year 1937 - and on top a ship, with two masts, two chimneys, a long row of bull´s eyes and a large flag.

A little closer look onto the portal of Saint-Trophime. Here are some of the finest examples of romanesque carvings existing in southern France. I´ll upload details later. End of July 1178 Frederick I Barbarossa, walked through this portal, when he was crowned here "King of Burgundy". His wife Beatrix was crowned a month later in the Cathedral St. Maurice - in Vienne. This was the point, where I started the Via Tolosana.

The facade of Saint-Trophime with it´s portal - in shadow. Here are some of the finest examples of romanesque carvings existing in southern France. I´ll upload details later. The structure of the church behind, seen here like an architectural model, is that of a basilica (a high nave, two low aisles). This church was the center of a diocese upto the french revolution. End of July 1178 Frederick I Barbarossa, was crowned here "King of Burgundy". His wife Beatrix was crowned a month later in the Cathedral St. Maurice - in Vienne. This was the point, where I started the Via Tolosana.

The cloister of Saint-Trophime forms a rectangle 28m x 25m. The eastern and northern sides were built in romanesque style 1160 - 1180. Shortly after that all constructions came to halt, due to an economic decline of Arles. New orders like the Trinitarians and the Knights Templar had settled in Arles - and caused competition. It took more than a century to restart the building process, so the southern and western sides were built erected during the 14th and 15th century in gothic style. All around the walls of the cloister are carvings, that are not connected to the bible, like this little mermaid. She is holding her tail in the left - and a fish in the right hand. Like most mermaids she has precisely parted long hair. It is noticeably, that the carvings of the cloister are much more damaged, than the carvings of the western facade. There must be a reason, that Luxurias and mermaids never get spared from vandalism.

The cloister of Saint-Trophime forms a rectangle 28m x 25m. The eastern and northern sides were built in romanesque style 1160 - 1180. Shortly after that all constructions came to halt, due to an economic decline of Arles. New orders like the Trinitarians and the Knights Templar had settled in Arles - and caused competition. It took more than a century to restart the building process, so the southern and western sides were built erected during the 14th and 15th century in gothic style. Compared to the many mermaids I have seen so far, this person is a merlady. Other than the (probably older) mermaid here (seen on a previous shot), the lady is not damaged, but only a little weathered, as she was carved from sandstone. She has nothing to do with "fish", what we will see on the next photo.

The cloister of Saint-Trophime forms a rectangle 28m x 25m. The eastern and northern sides were built in romanesque style 1160 - 1180. Shortly after that all constructions came to halt, due to an economic decline of Arles. New orders like the Trinitarians and the Knights Templar had settled in Arles - and caused competition. It took more than a century to restart the building process, so the southern and western sides were built erected during the 14th and 15th century in gothic style. Here a capital, depicting the "Massacre of the Innocents". Three large soldiers, wearing chain mails, obeying Herod´s order. Matthew 2:16 "When Herod realized that he had been outwitted by the Magi, he was furious, and he gave orders to kill all the boys in Bethlehem and its vicinity who were two years old and under, in accordance with the time he had learned from the Magi."

The cloister of Saint-Trophime forms a rectangle 28m x 25m. The eastern and northern sides were built in romanesque style 1160 - 1180. Shortly after that all constructions came to halt, due to an economic decline of Arles. New orders like the Trinitarians and the Knights Templar had settled in Arles - and caused competition. It took more than a century to restart the building process, so the southern and western sides were built erected during the 14th and 15th century in gothic style. The mermaid seen from the back makes clear, that the lady is equipped with a fluke like a whale, what makes her special, as most mermaids have fins like fish.

The cloister of Saint-Trophime - and the bell tower over the crossing of the church. The cloister forms a rectangle 28m x 25m. The two sides of the cloister seen from here differ. The right side is one of the two sides built in romanesque style (1160 / 1180). these are the nothern and eastern sides. Due to economic decline of Arles all constructions came to halt for a long period, so western and southern sides were erected during the 14th and 15th century in gothic style. I am standing on the flat roof of the cloister, that is accessible via a staircase. One reason for this construction was the lack of drinking water in medieval times. Via these roofs all rainwater was funneled into a into a cistern.

The cloister of Saint-Trophime forms a rectangle 28m x 25m. The eastern and northern sides were built in romanesque style 1160 - 1180. Shortly after that all constructions came to halt, due to an economic decline of Arles. New orders like the Trinitarians and the Knights Templar had settled in Arles - and caused competition. It took more than a century to restart the building process, so the southern and western sides were built erected during the 14th and 15th century in gothic style. Palm Sunday Christ on the "colt, which no one has ever ridden". The left hand holds the reins, the right hand is in a blessing gesture. The two spectators have obviously climbed a small tree to find a better point of view - and to reach more palm leaves. Note the foal to the left. Mark 11:8-10 "Many people spread their cloaks on the road, while others spread branches they had cut in the fields. 9 Those who went ahead and those who followed shouted, “Hosanna!” “Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!” “Blessed is the coming kingdom of our father David!” “Hosanna in the highest heaven!”

The cloister of Saint-Trophime forms a rectangle 28m x 25m. The eastern and northern sides were built in romanesque style 1160 - 1180. Shortly after that all constructions came to halt, due to an economic decline of Arles. New orders like the Trinitarians and the Knights Templar had settled in Arles - and caused competition. It took more than a century to restart the building process, so the southern and western sides were built erected during the 14th and 15th century in gothic style. The "Adoration of the Magi" The first of the Magi (wearing a crown) is on his knees, presenting his gift to Jesus. Behind him stand his two collegues waiting in line for their turn. Mary on the right seems to focus on the onlooker.