Glanum

Allan and I walked through the alley behind our villa to a small path alongside a stream with blooming irises on the banks up Avenue Vincent Van Gogh to the Roman town of Glanum near the asylum where Van Gogh was treated for his mental illness. It was another gorgeous day so we walked through the olive groves and the edge of the pine forest along the Alpilles Ridge. We had a beautiful view from the ridge.The archeological excavation is fenced from the trail we walked so we retraced our steps and decided, once more, to visit the asylum.  Along the beautifully landscaped entry from the street, copies of Van Gogh’s paintings are placed where he might have stood to paint them.

 

 

This view from Van Gogh’s room changes through the seasons as the lavender blooms, the irises bloom and the fruit trees go from bare to blossoms to fruit.  We have only seen it at this time of the year, but I love the many different shades of green.

The asylum of St. Paul has always been a place of peace and healing.  Walking through and sitting in the grounds certainly left us feeling relaxed and we could imagine how Van Gogh was able to use his paints and the flora and fauna of the area to tame his demons.

Glanum was a fortified town built in the 6th century BC around a sacred spring, became a Roman city in 27 BC and was ultimately abandoned in 260 AD.  The archeological site shows it as a typical Roman city of the times with a forum, several temples, a market, an elaborate gymnasium and houses along the main street.

We were struck by the beautify of spring around the site–red bud trees interspersed with pine, cypress and the local nette tree.

We had a beautiful day and enjoyed our walks to/from this part of St. Remy.  Connie and Clay went shopping in town and enjoyed the cool weather in their own way.  After reading and relaxing the rest of the afternoon, we had an early dinner and went to bed. Thankfully, we did not hear the midwife frog last night.