Les Baux-de-Provence is a
communeThe commune is the lowest level of administrative division in the French Republic. The French word commune appeared in the 12th century, from Medieval Latin communia, meaning a small gathering of people sharing a common life; from Latin communis, things held in common.French communes are roughly...
in the
Bouches-du-RhôneBouches-du-Rhône is a department in the south of France named after the mouth of the Rhône River.-History of the department:...
department in southern
FranceFrance , officially the French Republic , is a country located in Western Europe, with several overseas islands and territories located on other continents. Metropolitan France extends from the Mediterranean Sea to the English Channel and the North Sea, and from the Rhine to the Atlantic Ocean...
, in the
provinceThe Kingdom of France was organised into provinces until March 4, 1790, when the establishment of the département system superseded provinces...
of
ProvenceProvence is a region of southeastern France on the Mediterranean adjacent to Italy. It is part of the administrative région of Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur...
. It has a spectacular position in the
AlpillesThe Chaîne des Alpilles is a small range of mountains in Provence, southern France, located about 20 km south of Avignon at approximately .-Geography:The range is an extension of the much larger Luberon range...
mountains, set atop a rocky outcrop crowned with a ruined castle overlooking the plains to the south. Its names refers to its site — in Provençal, a
baou is a rocky spur. The village gives its name to the aluminium ore
BauxiteBauxite is the most important aluminium ore. It consists largely of the minerals gibbsite Al
3, boehmite γ-AlO, and diaspore α-AlO, together with the iron oxides goethite and hematite, the clay mineral kaolinite and small amounts of anatase TiO
2...
which was first discovered there in 1821 by geologist
Pierre BerthierPierre Berthier was a French geologist and mining engineer.Pierre Berthier was born in Nemours. After studying at the École Polytechnique, he went to the École des Mines, where he became chief of the laboratory in 1816...
.
The defensive possibilities of Les Baux led to the site being settled early on in human history.
Les Baux-de-Provence is a
communeThe commune is the lowest level of administrative division in the French Republic. The French word commune appeared in the 12th century, from Medieval Latin communia, meaning a small gathering of people sharing a common life; from Latin communis, things held in common.French communes are roughly...
in the
Bouches-du-RhôneBouches-du-Rhône is a department in the south of France named after the mouth of the Rhône River.-History of the department:...
department in southern
FranceFrance , officially the French Republic , is a country located in Western Europe, with several overseas islands and territories located on other continents. Metropolitan France extends from the Mediterranean Sea to the English Channel and the North Sea, and from the Rhine to the Atlantic Ocean...
, in the
provinceThe Kingdom of France was organised into provinces until March 4, 1790, when the establishment of the département system superseded provinces...
of
ProvenceProvence is a region of southeastern France on the Mediterranean adjacent to Italy. It is part of the administrative région of Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur...
. It has a spectacular position in the
AlpillesThe Chaîne des Alpilles is a small range of mountains in Provence, southern France, located about 20 km south of Avignon at approximately .-Geography:The range is an extension of the much larger Luberon range...
mountains, set atop a rocky outcrop crowned with a ruined castle overlooking the plains to the south. Its names refers to its site — in Provençal, a
baou is a rocky spur. The village gives its name to the aluminium ore
BauxiteBauxite is the most important aluminium ore. It consists largely of the minerals gibbsite Al
3, boehmite γ-AlO, and diaspore α-AlO, together with the iron oxides goethite and hematite, the clay mineral kaolinite and small amounts of anatase TiO
2...
which was first discovered there in 1821 by geologist
Pierre BerthierPierre Berthier was a French geologist and mining engineer.Pierre Berthier was born in Nemours. After studying at the École Polytechnique, he went to the École des Mines, where he became chief of the laboratory in 1816...
.
History
The defensive possibilities of Les Baux led to the site being settled early on in human history. Traces of habitation have been found dating back as far as 6000 BC, and the site was used by the Celts as a
hill fortA hill fort is a type of fortified refuge or defended settlement, located to exploit a rise in elevation for defensive advantage. They are typically European and of the Bronze and Iron Ages...
or
oppidumOppidum is a Latin word meaning the main settlement in any administrative area of ancient Rome. The word is derived from the earlier Latin ob-pedum, "enclosed space," possibly from the Proto-Indo-European *pedóm-, "occupied space" or "footprint."Julius Caesar described the larger Celtic Iron Age...
around the 2nd century BC. During the
Middle AgesThe Middle Ages of European history is a period of European history covering roughly a millennium in the 5th century through 16th centuries. More specific starting and ending points are sometimes adopted by scholars to suit their respective specializations or current focus...
it became the seat of a powerful feudal lordship that controlled 79 towns and villages in the vicinity. The
lords of BauxThis is a list of the Lords, Barons and Marquisses of Baux.-Lords of Baux of the House of Baux:*Pons *Hugh 1 , son of*William I Hugh , son of*Raymond I , son of*Hugh II son of...
sought control of Provence for many years. They claimed ancestry from the Magus king Balthazar and placed the
Star of BethlehemThe Star of Bethlehem, also called the Christmas Star, is a star in Christian tradition that revealed the birth of Jesus to the magi, or "wise men", and later led them to Bethlehem. According to the Gospel of Matthew, the magi were men "from the east" who were inspired by the appearance of the star...
on their coat of arms. The knights of Les Baux use a scent derived from Cypress trees before battle to give them courage, as the symbol of Les Baux is the Cypress tree. L'Occitane En Provence make a [men's range]
http://www.loccitane.com.au/23/1/1296/23668/Men/Eau-des-Baux-Eau-de-Toilette.htm in this scent (Cypress, Frankincense and Vanilla) as a way of preserving the culture.
Despite their strengths, the lords of Baux were deposed in the 12th century. However, the great castle at Les Baux became renowned for its court, famed for a high level of ornateness, culture and
chivalryChivalry is a term related to the medieval institution of knighthood. It is usually associated with ideals of knightly virtues, honor and courtly love. The word is derived from the French word chevalier, indicating one who rides a horse Chivalry is a term related to the medieval institution of...
. The domain was finally extinguished in the 15th century with the death of the last princess of Baux, Alice of Baux.
Les Baux was later joined, along with Provence, to the French crown under the governance of the
ManvilleManville is the name of some places in the United States of America:*Manville, Indiana*Manville, New Jersey - named after the Johns-Manville Corporation*Manville, Rhode Island*Manville, Wyoming...
family. It became a centre for Protestantism and its unsuccessful revolt against the crown, led Cardinal Richelieu in 1632 to order that the castle and its walls should be demolished.
The town was granted in 1642 to the
Grimaldi familyThe House of Grimaldi is associated with the history of the Republic of Genoa and of the Principality of Monaco.-History:The Grimaldi family descends from Grimaldo, a Genovese statesman at the time of the early Crusades. He was the son of Otto Canella, a Consul of Genoa in 1133, and in turn...
, rulers of
MonacoMonaco , officially the Principality of Monaco , is a small sovereign city-state located in South Western Europe on the northern central coast of the Mediterranean Sea, having a land border on three sides only with France, and being about away from Italy. Its size is just under 2 km² with an...
, as a French marquisiate. To this day the title of
Marquis des Baux remains with the Grimaldis, although administratively the town is entirely French. The title is traditionally given to the heir to the throne of Monaco.
Princess Caroline of MonacoCaroline, Princess of Hanover, Hereditary Princess of Monaco , formally styled Her Royal Highness The Princess of Hanover , is the eldest child of the late Prince Rainier III of Monaco and his wife, the former American film actress Grace Kelly...
uses the style Marquise des Baux, but, being a French title it can only pass through a male line under
Salic lawSalic law was an important body of traditional law codified for governing the Salian Franks in the early Middle Ages during the reign of King Clovis I in the 6th century...
. It lapsed on the death of her grandfather Prince Louis II, the last male in a direct line.
In 1822 the mineral
bauxiteBauxite is the most important aluminium ore. It consists largely of the minerals gibbsite Al
3, boehmite γ-AlO, and diaspore α-AlO, together with the iron oxides goethite and hematite, the clay mineral kaolinite and small amounts of anatase TiO
2...
was discovered near Les Baux by the geologist
Pierre BerthierPierre Berthier was a French geologist and mining engineer.Pierre Berthier was born in Nemours. After studying at the École Polytechnique, he went to the École des Mines, where he became chief of the laboratory in 1816...
. It was mined extensively in the area, but by the end of the 20th century had been completely worked out; France now imports most of its bauxite from
west AfricaWest Africa or Western Africa is the westernmost region of the African continent. Geopolitically, the UN definition of Western Africa includes the following 16 countries distributed over an area of approximately 5 million square km:*Benin...
.
Les Baux today
Les Baux is now given over entirely to the tourist trade, relying on a reputation as one of the most picturesque villages in France. Its population of 22 in the old village is a fraction of its peak population of over 4,000, and many of its buildings (in particular the castle) are picturesque
ruinsRuins is a term used to describe the remains of human-made architecture: structures that were once complete but which have fallen into a state of partial or complete disrepair, due to lack of maintenance or deliberate acts of destruction...
.
The surrounding dramatic rocks and cliffs are said to have inspired
Dante AlighieriDurante degli Alighieri , commonly known as Dante, was an Italian poet of the Middle Ages. His central work, the Divina Commedia , is often considered the greatest literary work composed in the Italian language and a masterpiece of world literature.In...
in his vivid descriptions of
PurgatoryPurgatory is the condition or process of purification in which the souls of those who die in a state of grace are made ready for Heaven. This is an idea that has ancient roots and is well-attested in early Christian literature, while the conception of purgatory as a geographically situated place is...
in
PurgatorioPurgatorio is the second part of Dante's Divine Comedy. It is an allegory telling of the climb of Dante up the Mount of Purgatory, guided by the Roman poet Virgil...
, the second book of the Divine Comedy.
In the
Château des BauxThe Château des Baux is a fortified castle built during the 10th century, located in Les Baux-de-Provence, Bouches-du-Rhône, southern France.- History :...
demonstrations of huge catapults (the biggest
TrebuchetA trebuchet or trebucket is a siege engine that was employed in the Middle Ages either to smash masonry walls or to throw projectiles over them...
in Europe, a
CouillardCouillard means Trebuchet, similar to a Catapult. It is also a French surname. The name comes from the old French "couille", which refers to the male genitalia.- People :* Philippe Couillard Couillard means Trebuchet, similar to a Catapult. It is also a French surname. The name comes from the old...
also called biffa and a Bricole) are given every day from April to September.
Les Baux was the third pitstop on the US television show Amazing Race 1
See also
External links