Old Provence

Journeying through Southern France in the first years of the 20th century, Theodore Andrea Cook discovers a landscape where the presence of Phoenicians, Greeks and Romans is still evident in the Mediterranean's surviving architecture. In Arles, Nimes, Orange and Frejus, he witnesses the wonders of Roman arenas, temples and monuments. At the imposing aqueduct of the Pont du Gard he sees the genius of Roman engineering. Cook's survey of Provencal history also encompasses the Middle Ages, when religious conflict and bloody warfare scarred the region. At Les Baux he explores the ruins of a once-great stronghold; in Avignon he traces the footsteps of 14th-century popes in their palace; in Beaucaire and Tarascon he visits the sites of thriving medieval market towns and royal castles. First published in 1905, this is an insight not only into the area's history and architecture, but also its literary and cultural significance. Looking at the work and influence of writers such as Petrarch and Mistral, Cook reveals the importance of language, romance and regional identity in Provence.