Les Baux-de-Provence (; oc, label=
Provençal, Lei Bauç de Provença), commonly called Baux, is a
commune
A commune is an alternative term for an intentional community. Commune or comună or comune or other derivations may also refer to:
Administrative-territorial entities
* Commune (administrative division), a municipality or township
** Communes of ...
in the
Bouches-du-Rhône
Bouches-du-Rhône ( , , ; oc, Bocas de Ròse ; "Mouths of the Rhône") is a department in Southern France. It borders Vaucluse to the north, Gard to the west and Var to the east. The Mediterranean Sea lies to the south. Its prefecture and larges ...
department
Department may refer to:
* Departmentalization, division of a larger organization into parts with specific responsibility
Government and military
*Department (administrative division), a geographical and administrative division within a country, ...
in the
Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur
Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur (; or , ; commonly shortened to PACA; en, Provence-Alps-French Riviera, italic=yes; also branded as Région Sud) is one of the eighteen administrative regions of France, the far southeastern on the mainland. Its pref ...
region of
Southern France. It is located in the
Alpilles mountains, atop a rocky outcrop that is crowned with a ruined castle overlooking the plains to the south. Its name refers to its site: in Provençal, ''bauç'' is a rocky spur. From the village name the word ''
bauxite
Bauxite is a sedimentary rock with a relatively high aluminium content. It is the world's main source of aluminium and gallium. Bauxite consists mostly of the aluminium minerals gibbsite (Al(OH)3), boehmite (γ-AlO(OH)) and diaspore (α-AlO(OH ...
'' was coined for
aluminium
Aluminium (aluminum in American and Canadian English) is a chemical element with the symbol Al and atomic number 13. Aluminium has a density lower than those of other common metals, at approximately one third that of steel. It has ...
ore when first discovered there by
geologist
A geologist is a scientist who studies the solid, liquid, and gaseous matter that constitutes Earth and other terrestrial planets, as well as the processes that shape them. Geologists usually study geology, earth science, or geophysics, alth ...
Pierre Berthier in 1821.
Named after the
province of
Provence, it is considered one of the
most beautiful villages in France and has over 1.5 million visitors per year although it has only 22 residents in the upper part of the commune and 436 for the whole commune. Inhabitants of the commune are known as ''Baussencs'' or ''Baussenques''.
History
Prehistory
The defensive capabilities of Baux have always made it an attractive location for human habitation. Traces of habitation have been found and dated to 6000 BC. in the Costapéra cave which was discovered in 1928 and which houses a collective burial ground from the early
Bronze Age
The Bronze Age is a historic period, lasting approximately from 3300 BC to 1200 BC, characterized by the use of bronze, the presence of writing in some areas, and other early features of urban civilization. The Bronze Age is the second prin ...
. The site was used by the
Celts
The Celts (, see pronunciation for different usages) or Celtic peoples () are. "CELTS location: Greater Europe time period: Second millennium B.C.E. to present ancestry: Celtic a collection of Indo-European peoples. "The Celts, an ancient ...
as a fort or
oppidum around the 2nd century BC. Peripheral areas or ''castrum'' developed very early as evidenced by the ''Trémaïé''.
["The People of the Alpilles during the Iron Age", in ''The Alpilles, Encyclopedia of a Provençal Mountain'', P. Arcelin, p. 143 ] The way from the Baux oppidum to the plains north of the Alpilles was by a protohistoric way through the valley of Laval and the town of Glanon which later took the name
Glanum.
[Y. Marcadal, "The oppida of the Alpilles", in ''The Alpilles, Encyclopedia of a Provençal Mountain'', p. 146 ]
Antiquity
While Protohistory was strongly marked by
pastoralism and
agriculture
Agriculture or farming is the practice of cultivating plants and livestock. Agriculture was the key development in the rise of sedentary human civilization, whereby farming of domesticated species created food surpluses that enabled people to ...
in the Alpilles, limestone was also extracted from quarries around Baux where a workshop from the end of the 2nd and early 1st centuries BC has been found.
In the second part of the
Iron Age (7th to 6th centuries. BC), the population was sedentary and began to build durable houses. The castrum was structured like a village with its streets and houses. The process of permanent construction was in parallel with the intensification of economic exchanges with Mediterranean traders. In exchange for luxury goods, the inhabitants of the Alpilles produced grain and achieved a state of
autarky
Autarky is the characteristic of self-sufficiency, usually applied to societies, communities, states, and their economic systems.
Autarky as an ideal or method has been embraced by a wide range of political ideologies and movements, especially ...
with a real trading economy. Over the following centuries the population of the Alpilles consistently decreased: the Greek colony at
Arles
Arles (, , ; oc, label= Provençal, Arle ; Classical la, Arelate) is a coastal city and commune in the South of France, a subprefecture in the Bouches-du-Rhône department of the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region, in the former province of ...
attracted many people from across the region.
Middle Ages
In the Middle Ages the area became the stronghold of a feudal domain covering 79 towns and villages. The fortress was built from the 11th to the 13th century over seven hectares. The princes of Baux controlled Provence for many years and they gained a formidable reputation. They were said to be descended from the
Biblical Magi
The biblical Magi from Middle Persian ''moɣ''(''mard'') from Old Persian ''magu-'' 'Zoroastrian clergyman' ( or ; singular: ), also referred to as the (Three) Wise Men or (Three) Kings, also the Three Magi were distinguished foreigners in the G ...
Balthazar and their coat of arms was a silver star with sixteen branches as a reminder that, according to the Gospel, it guided the three wise men to Bethlehem. Their motto was: "Au hasard, Balthazar" ("To chance, Balthazar").
As a medieval stronghold on the borders of
Languedoc,
Comtat Venaissin
The Comtat Venaissin (; Provençal: , Mistralian norm: , classical norm: ; 'County of Venaissin'), often called the for short, was a part of the Papal States (1274‒1791) in what is now the region of France.
The entire region was an enclav ...
and
Provence, the fortress had a turbulent military history and has been the subject of many assaults. The solid dungeon that still dominates the village today reiterates the importance of this castle which was a desirable possession in the Middle Ages.
At the end of the
Baussenque Wars in the 12th century the princes of Baux were defeated. The large castle began to be renowned for its highly cultivated court and chivalrous conduct. The estate finally came to an end in the 15th century after the death of the last princess of Baux.
The death of Queen
Joanna I of Naples led to a crisis of succession to the County of Provence. The cities of the Aix Union (1382–1387) supported
Charles, Duke of Durazzo, against
Louis I, Duke of Anjou
Louis I, Duke of Anjou (23 July 1339 – 20 September 1384) was a French prince, the second son of John II of France and Bonne of Bohemia. His career was markedly unsuccessful. Born at the Château de Vincennes, Louis was the first of the Angev ...
. The King of France,
Charles VI, intervened and sent the Seneschal of
Beaucaire, Enguerrand d'Eudin, who rallied Guillaume III Roger de Beaufort. Les Baux, the possession of the Roger, was thus neutral at the beginning of war and on the Angevin side at the end of the decade.
Late Middle Ages
Les Baux, together with Provence, was then attached to the crown of France. Under the rule of the Manville family, the village became a center of
Protestantism and even tried a rebellion against the crown. In 1631, tired of conflict, the people negotiated with the king for the redemption of the castle territory and the right to dismantle the fortifications, "which were a refuge for rebels".
Louis XIII consented on 5 August.
In 1642 the town was offered to the
Grimaldi family as a
marquisate in favour of
Hercule de Grimaldi, Prince of Monaco (1642-1780). The title ''Marquis of Baux'' is still carried by the Prince of Monaco. Administratively, the town is entirely French and the title of Marquis of Baux is traditionally given to the heir to the throne of
Monaco. Jacques, the son of the current Prince of Monaco
Albert II, carries among his many titles that of Marquis of Baux.
Modern Period
In 1822
bauxite
Bauxite is a sedimentary rock with a relatively high aluminium content. It is the world's main source of aluminium and gallium. Bauxite consists mostly of the aluminium minerals gibbsite (Al(OH)3), boehmite (γ-AlO(OH)) and diaspore (α-AlO(OH ...
was discovered in the area by geologist
Pierre Berthier. The ore was intensively mined until its exhaustion at the end of the 20th century.
Geography
Les Baux-de-Provence is located in the foothills of the
Alpilles in the ''Parc Naturel Regional des Alpilles'' some 22 kilometers south of
Avignon
Avignon (, ; ; oc, Avinhon, label= Provençal or , ; la, Avenio) is the prefecture of the Vaucluse department in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region of Southeastern France. Located on the left bank of the river Rhône, the commune ha ...
and 15 kilometers north-east of
Arles
Arles (, , ; oc, label= Provençal, Arle ; Classical la, Arelate) is a coastal city and commune in the South of France, a subprefecture in the Bouches-du-Rhône department of the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region, in the former province of ...
. Access to the commune is by the D27 road from
Maussane-les-Alpilles in the south which passes through the village and continues north to join the D99 east of
Mas-Blanc-des-Alpilles. The D5 also comes from Maussane-les-Alpilles in the south and passes through the east of the commune as it goes north to
Saint-Rémy-de-Provence. The D27A links the two roads in the commune. The D78F branches from the D27 in the commune and goes south-west to join the D17 west of
Paradou. Apart from the village there are the hamlets of Mes de Mai, Carita, and Manville. The commune is farmland in the south-east and forested hills in the rest.
The commune is traversed by numerous streams which are called "gaudres". A Gaudre (from the
Provençal ''Gaudre'' meaning "small stream") refers to a river often dry in summer and with low flow the rest of the year. The main gaudres in the commune are the Gaude de Valmouirane with numerous tributaries flowing north to join the Canal du Vigueirat north of Mas-Blanc-des-Alpilles. The Gaudre du Mas de Chevrier also with numerous tributaries flows west to join the Gaudre d'Auge west of the commune. The Gaudre d'Entreconque flows from the north-east to south to join the Gaudre de la Foux which continues south to join the Canal des Pompes south of Maussane-les-Alpilles.
Climate
The climate in Les Baux-de-Provence, as in the rest of the Alpilles, is considered Mediterranean. The winters are mild and dry and summers hot and dry. The average maximum temperature is in July and August (29 °C) with the lowest average minimum temperature in December and January (+ 3 °C). The wettest month is January with an average of 7 days of rain against two days in July. The Alpilles region receives more rainfall than the shores of the Mediterranean: 500 mm / year in Camargue against 600 to 700 mm / year in Les Baux. Major frosts are rare and were more frequent in the 19th century as evidenced by repeated freezing of the Rhône which has been virtually unknown since then.
The
mistral violently blows from the north or north-west especially in winter and spring. The Alpilles deflect the wind but it blows in Baux almost as strong as in the north of the chain. The mistral blows strongly 100 days a year on average and less strong on 83 days leaving only 182 days a year without wind. There are two types of mistral: the "white mistral" on clear days and the "black mistral", rarer, which is accompanied by rain.
Flora and fauna
The flora in the commune is mainly
xerophytic
A xerophyte (from Greek ξηρός ''xeros'' 'dry' + φυτόν ''phuton'' 'plant') is a species of plant that has adaptations to survive in an environment with little liquid water, such as a desert such as the Sahara or places in the Alps or the ...
and Mediterranean
Phytochorion. The botanist Bernard Girerd counted 800 plant species in 1992. Apart from the
olive tree, characteristic of a maussanais landscape, there are also
hackberries, small sized
Kermes oak
''Quercus coccifera'', the kermes oak, is an oak bush in the ''Ilex'' section of the genus. It is native to the Mediterranean region and Northern African Maghreb, south to north from Morocco to France and west to east from Portugal to Cyprus a ...
, and
Shadbush
''Amelanchier'' ( ), also known as shadbush, shadwood or shadblow, serviceberry or sarvisberry (or just sarvis), juneberry, saskatoon, sugarplum, wild-plum or chuckley pear,A Digital Flora of Newfoundland and Labrador Vascular Plants/ref> is a g ...
. Protected plant species, such as the summer snowflake (
Leucojum aestivum
''Leucojum aestivum'', commonly called summer snowflake or Loddon lily (see ), is a plant species widely cultivated as an ornamental. It is native to most of Europe from Spain and Ireland to Ukraine, with the exception of Scandinavia, Russia, ...
) and Hélianthème (Helianthemum lavandulaefolium), are found at the bottom of the valleys.
Many animal species nest in the Alpilles and can be seen in the commune. The most famous is the
Bonelli's eagle, a protected species, as well as the
Egyptian vulture, the
lesser kestrel
The lesser kestrel (''Falco naumanni'') is a small falcon. This species breeds from the Mediterranean across Afghanistan and Central Asia, to China and Mongolia. It is a summer migrant, wintering in Africa and Pakistan and sometimes even to Indi ...
, and the
Eurasian eagle-owl
The Eurasian eagle-owl (''Bubo bubo'') is a species of eagle-owl that resides in much of Eurasia. It is also called the Uhu and it is occasionally abbreviated to just the eagle-owl in Europe. It is one of the largest species of owl, and female ...
.
[The Natural heritage of Alpilles](_blank)
The arid rocks are home to a species of
lizard
Lizards are a widespread group of squamate reptiles, with over 7,000 species, ranging across all continents except Antarctica, as well as most oceanic island chains. The group is paraphyletic since it excludes the snakes and Amphisbaenia althou ...
emblematic of the Alpilles: the
ocellated lizard which is also considered threatened and protected.
There are many mammals in the commune, especially in the valleys.
Wild boar abounds and its population is growing. Conversely, the number of
hare
Hares and jackrabbits are mammals belonging to the genus ''Lepus''. They are herbivores, and live solitarily or in pairs. They nest in slight depressions called forms, and their young are able to fend for themselves shortly after birth. The gen ...
s and
rabbits have tended to decrease. The reason seems to be the outbreak of
myxomatosis in 1953 that caused havoc in the population, and, since the end of the 20th century,
Rabbit haemorrhagic disease causing the decline of the species. The scarcity of these animals could pose longer-term problems for the survival of species of birds of prey that feed on them.
Demographics
In 2017 the commune had 355 inhabitants.
Economy
Olive growing sector
The commune produces ''Olive oil of the valley of Les Baux-de-Provence'' which is protected by the ''
appellation d'origine contrôlée'' (AOC) by a decree issued by INAO on 27 August 1997. The olive varieties that go into its preparation are: Salonenque, Béruguette, Grossane, and Verdale of Bouches-du-Rhône.
[Olive oil of the Valley of Baux-de-Provence AOC](_blank)
Crushed olives and black olives are also produced that fall under the INAO decree. The varieties of crushed olives broken are Salonenque and Béruguette. For black olives only the variety Grossane is acceptable.
Wine production
The commune is classified AOC for its Coteaux-des-baux-en-provence wines. This AOC was created by decree on 20 April 1995 for red and rosé wines. They were first classified
VDQS by an order of 23 January 1956 for ''Coteaux-d'aix-en-provence''. A second decree dated 24 December 1985 allowed the use of the generic name ''Les Baux'' recognizing the specific identity of the vineyards of the Baux region covering seven communes in the Alpilles. Production is 15,500
hectolitre
The litre (international spelling) or liter (American English spelling) (SI symbols L and l, other symbol used: ℓ) is a metric unit of volume. It is equal to 1 cubic decimetre (dm3), 1000 cubic centimetres (cm3) or 0.001 cubic metre (m3). ...
s per year: 75% red and 25% rosé.
Coteaux-des-baux-de-provence (AOC)
on th
Institut National des Appellations d'Origine INAO website
Culture
Christmas at Baux in the Church of Saint Vincent is held on Christmas Eve during midnight mass. This is primarily a live nativity scene, which takes place before the pastorage ritual developed in the pastoral world and dating back to the 16th century. This traditional ceremony was abandoned during the 19th century but was revived in 1902: a cart pulled by a ram, decorated with leaves and candles, brings a newborn lamb. Each shepherd, in turn, kisses the feet of the child Jesus then passes the lamb hand to hand before giving an offering.
Carrières de Lumières, established in 1976 as the Cathédrale d'Images, is a permanent show in which large bright images are projected on the stone walls of huge galleries dug into the rock of the Val d'Enfer on the road to Maillane. The wall surface used extends over 4,000 m2. Cathédrale d'Images is a fairy and giant slide show in the dark projected on the limestone walls of the quarry where the viewer is immersed in a visual and musical universe. Despite its success the Cathédrale d'images had to stop its activities in Baux-de-Provence at the end of 2010 after refusing a Public Service Delegation. The municipal council then entrusted the management of the site to the ''Culturespaces'' company who operate under the name of Carrières de Lumières.
Exhibitions
In 2019, Stefan Szczesny
Stefan Szczesny (born 9 April 1951) is a German painter, draughtsman, and sculptor.
He is best known for co-founding the Neue Wilde movement in the early 1980s.
Biography
1951–1994
Stefan Szczesny was born in Munich as the son of the p ...
exhibited in the whole village of Les Baux-de-Provence. The German artist, living in Saint-Tropez showed about 30 of his monumental "shadow sculptures" as well as glass sculptures from Murano, ceramics and paintings.
Filming location
* ''The End of the Day
''The End of the Day'' (french: La fin du jour) is a 1939 French drama film directed by Julien Duvivier and starring Victor Francen, Michel Simon and Louis Jouvet. It was shot at the Epinay Studios in Paris and on location around the city as wel ...
'' (1938)
* ''Testament of Orpheus
''Testament of Orpheus'' (french: Le testament d'Orphée) is a 1960 black-and-white film with a few seconds of color film spliced in. Directed by and starring Jean Cocteau, who plays himself as an 18th-century poet, the film includes cameo appearan ...
'' (1959)
* ''Maniac
Maniac (from Greek μανιακός, ''maniakos'') is a pejorative for an individual who experiences the mood known as mania. In common usage, it is also an insult for someone involved in reckless behavior.
Maniac may also refer to:
Film
* '' ...
'' (1963)
* '' Dead Tired'' (1994)
* '' Ronin'' (1998)
* '' The Amazing Race'' (2001; 2017)
* '' Days of Glory'' (2006)
* '' Chanel Cruise 2021/22 Fashion Show'' (2021)
See also
* ''Bouches-du-Rhône
Bouches-du-Rhône ( , , ; oc, Bocas de Ròse ; "Mouths of the Rhône") is a department in Southern France. It borders Vaucluse to the north, Gard to the west and Var to the east. The Mediterranean Sea lies to the south. Its prefecture and larges ...
'', department
* ''Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur
Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur (; or , ; commonly shortened to PACA; en, Provence-Alps-French Riviera, italic=yes; also branded as Région Sud) is one of the eighteen administrative regions of France, the far southeastern on the mainland. Its pref ...
'', region
References
Citations
Bibliography
* L. Bartholomew, ''Inventory of the castle of Baux'', Review of learned societies, 8th series, Vol. VI, 1877
* L. Bartholomew, ''Chronological and analytical inventory of the charters of the house of Baux'', Marseille, 1882
* L. Paulet, ''Les Baux and Castillon: History of the communes of Baux, Paradou, Maussane and Mouriès'', Saint-Remy de Provence, 1902
* P. Destandau, ''Unpublished documents on the town of Baux'', Vol. III, Memoirs of the Academy of Vaucluse, 1903
* Gustave Noblemaire, ''History of the House of Baux'', Paris, 1913
* Fernand Benoit, ''Les Baux'', Paris, 1928
* O. Maufras, ''The castrum of Baux de Provence: History of a medieval fortified site'', Provence History, 40, Issue. 159, 1990
* A. del Balzo di Presenzano, ''In hasar Bauthezar! I del Balzo ed il loro tempo'', Napoli, 2003.
* P. Conso, ''Provence, result of medieval wars'', editions of Consuls, 2012.
* P. Conso, ''The Lords of Baux'', editions of Consuls, 2010
External links
Les Baux-de-Provence official website
*
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Bauxdeprovence
Communes of Bouches-du-Rhône
Plus Beaux Villages de France