Provence secrète : moulins, marchés & sentiers de garrigue – Les villages de nos régions – MG
Discovering France
means wandering its cobbled streets, climbing to the top of its most beautiful towers,
tasting its specialties, climbing its trails or sailing on its rivers. It also means meeting its inhabitants,
those who, every day, maintain and strive
to bring our heritage to life. Discovering our country
means immersing yourself in the villages of our regions. Head to the south-east of France
to explore the Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur region. Also called PACA,
it brings together six departments around its largest city, Marseille. During our trip,
we will cross this region from west to east, discovering its
most emblematic villages, its most typical sites,
and even its most unusual ones. In the company of these warm inhabitants,
we will discover a Provençal heritage with incredible charm. From the beautiful region of Provence with its castle
overlooking the Alpilles, to the cliffs of Roussillon and its astonishing
Ochre Trail, to Moustiers-Saint-Marie,
land of earthenware, in the heart of the Verdon Gorges. From Tourtour, the village in the sky,
as it is called, to Gourdon, an ancient stronghold with
breathtaking views of the Lou valley. Finally, in Saint-Orge, another
hilltop town, imbued with serenity. Let’s start with the quintessential Provençal village
, Les Baux de Provence. A hilltop citadel that enjoys
the sun 300 days a year and smells of the scrubland. We are 80 kilometers from Marseille,
in the Bouches du Rhône. This village rises
to an altitude of 250 meters. A rocky escarpment called Bahou,
in Provençal, which, by deformation, gave its name to the beautiful of Provence. Jean-Benoît is an
olive oil producer in the commune. He knows every nook and cranny of the town. This entrance is the historic entrance,
it is the main entrance. This is the real entrance to the village,
there was only one. It was called the Porte des Guières.
And it was… It’s the Porte de l’Eau, in Provençal,
the guières, it’s water. So. So you go in, and then
you fall right in. You have the signature of the Leases. These proud,
majestic residences, which look at you. This is not just any village. How are you ?
Jean-Benoît knows everyone here. It must be said that in the historic part
of Les Baux, there are only 19 inhabitants. It’s a village where you can live.
There is everything you need. There is no supermarket,
but you can still live there. No supermarket perhaps,
but a very pleasant terrace on the main square,
that of the Café de Madame Chabanier. A local figure whose family
has lived in Les Baux for over 400 years. Because you really have one
of the last specimens, but… Les Baux is a living village. You can find everything you want there. There is a cultural side, a side… But there is also a simple side. Rested, pleasant and beautiful.
We are in beauty. Thank you, Mrs. Chabanier. See you
soon. Thank you, see you soon. And the jewel of Les Baux is its castle. A ruined castle,
built in the 11th century. Where is the Lord?
The Lord is here to welcome you. Welcome Jean-Benoît.
Welcome Mathieu. Alright. Once there, you can wander
through the maze of this fortress and discover the tumultuous past
of the Lords of Baux. Lords who, in the Middle Ages,
already produced Grossan olives, the local variety. They left their
enemies with a rather bitter taste. This big donkey that pushed the copy
of the castle and which really pushes the copy of the castle, was used
to make an oil which, once heated, flowed much better on the attackers
than the others that the other cities. Today, we put it in desserts.
We are gentler today. Did you know that in the 17th century, the King of
France offered the city to the Grimaldis? The family still retains the
honorary title of Marquis des Baux. And in 1982, the residents even welcomed
Grace Kelly and Prince Albert to present them with the keys to the city. It’s the landscape of your childhood, in fact. And yes, I was born there with my brother,
when we were little, we crossed the Alpilles. The trees are still there. The houses are still there. It’s wonderful, it’s extraordinary. We are truly fortunate to have
something that is authentic, that is true, that is respected and that
forces us to surpass ourselves. It is from this place called
the Eagle’s Nest that you will have the most beautiful panorama of the Alpilles. Jean-Benoît gives us another
tip for an unforgettable visit. His favorite place to stroll
is the Val d’Enfer. As a family, have fun discovering
the strange shapes of rocks sculpted by erosion. And if you can,
wait until the sun sets to see the beautiful illuminants.
The night. Yes, the leases are beautiful at night too. 40 kilometers away, there is a site that is best admired during the day. A geological curiosity that is absolutely worth seeing
in the region: the Ochre Trail, located in the village of Roussillon. Just take a few steps around
this hilltop village to find yourself in the heart of a western setting. I have special ochre clothes. Here, beware of your wardrobe, indeed,
because this setting is that of the old ochre quarries, now
transformed into tourist trails. David is a photographer in the region. My friend Sophie, meanwhile,
works on the site. We recognize the color of the village. We recognize the color,
yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. It’s not because we had a
more developed aesthetic taste than elsewhere, it’s just that we used the sands
at the surface hollow which are redder to build the houses.
All right. The origin of this decor is
a much older geological phenomenon. What is interesting, indeed,
is to tell you, it’s funny, it impresses me every time, it’s
to tell myself that there, you had the sea before. Yes, yes, and it wasn’t the same climate. Was it a tropical climate? No, sub-equatorial. Sub-equatorial climate,
that is to say very hot and very rainy. And the most important thing in the oxidation
of this earth is rain. And that goes back 100
million years, roughly. And do we know how long
it took to happen? It took 1.5 million years. And we haven’t known this for long,
since before, we thought it had taken millions of years. The result of this oxidation
is therefore this pigment, which will be used from prehistory
in the first cave paintings. In Roussillon, these ochres were known
and used since Antiquity, then exploited intensively
until the very beginning of the 20th century. I imagine it was used a lot
for facades, but there must be plenty of other uses. In fact, it has been used for other
things, including thickening a number of industrial materials. The first of these materials
is rubber. I don’t know if you see the most famous ochre-
colored rubber. He’s in your kitchen. Around the jars of jam,
preserves. Here is the rubber from the canning jars. Around the jars of jam,
preserves. Here is the rubber from the canning jars.
It’s all about foie gras. When we say that ochre
has really forged the identity of this territory, it is a
geographical identity with its landscapes, but it is also an identity
in terms of jobs and income. And the Ochre Trail is not
the only witness to this era. A few kilometers away,
there was the one nicknamed the Provençal Colorado of Rustrel. Much steeper, you will have to
scramble a bit to get there. But upon arrival,
you will find more than 30 hectares of sculpted reliefs, also
shaped by previous exploitation. Let us now leave these
glowing cliffs for the turquoise waters of the Verdon Gorges. Another fascinating
and problematic setting of Apaca. Here is a village of character that should not be
missed under any circumstances: Moustiers-Sainte-Marie. It is located 50 kilometers from Manosque,
in the Alpes de Haute-Provence. Johan has taken up residence in Moustiers,
and every day, this potter savors his happiness. It’s so charming that every morning
when you wake up, I have a direct view of the bell tower, of the church.
It’s beautiful. And what makes
the city famous is earthenware. A tradition that dates back to the 17th
century and has continued ever since. The village still has around
ten workshops. Don’t hesitate to push their doors. How are you ? Let me introduce you to Christine,
who is the daughter of the house. His father, who was not already a potter,
and his grandfather too, for that matter. My mother, my grandparents, my mother.
Everyone was. This job is
almost a given. But ultimately, I
often say I was born in a pot. I was born here,
I was born in the workshop. My sister too, we grew up there. Transmission
is one of the keys to the success of Moustiers earthenware, but not only that. Why is Moustiers so famous? I think it’s really due
to the quality of the earthenware and in particular the finesse of the decorations. It is said that it was an Italian monk who
gave the technical secret of the alliance between the earth and the white powder
that you see there, which is a glass. A rare technique and know-how. So, if you were planning to bring back
a souvenir from the region, opt for Moustiers earthenware.
Neighborhood. After your window shopping session,
don’t forget to look up to the sky to see the
village’s other emblem, a mysterious star suspended 250 meters above the ground. It is not known exactly why
she is hanging there, or who hanged her there. It’s so important
that when it falls, because it falls about twice
a century, it’s a whole ceremony to reinstall it. And when it disappears,
we look completely naked, you know. It strips us naked, we lose something. A star that inspired some. Have fun looking for
Marie-Ange’s workshop, well hidden in a corner of the village. I work, you know,
with as many local products as possible. So lavender,
almonds from the Valensole plateau, lavender honey,
fresh eggs from Germany in Provence. But adding lavender does
n’t make it smell too good? You have to know how to dose. It’s very popular and
it’s almost going to replace earthenware. Why not ? This tasting will give you the energy
to tackle the 262 steps to the Notre-Dame de Pauvoir chapel. Along the way, take a break
on the promontory. The point of view is incomparable. The rest of the climb will
take you to the foot of the chapel. Gwen, a friend of Johan,
regularly organizes tours and knows well the secrets and legends
of this ancient place of pilgrimage. In fact, from the 16th century onwards, there have
been miracles of raising children. In fact, when you have a
stillborn child, the baby, he has no right to go to heaven or
to be buried in a Christian place because he has not been baptized. It seems to me that people came to the chapel
and the baby relived the time of the baptism. And if the climb to the chapel has
n’t put a damper on your sporting enthusiasm, you should know that the village offers
plenty to do in the air or on the waters of the Verdon. Everything is done to make
people happy. Basically, it’s almost paradise here. A paradise that we are going to leave
for a good cause, because less than an hour’s drive from there,
there is another dream village. Here we are in the
Var department, in Tourtour. The nearest large town
is Draguignan, 15 kilometers away. Tourtour is perched so high that it is
nicknamed the village in the sky. The city actually culminates
at an altitude of 600 meters. An idyllic setting that
Mélanie enjoys every day. Tourtour, I have always lived there and it is
true that it is a village to which I am very, very attached. I have my bearings here, I have my family here. Finally, my life is here. Living in Tourtour means lingering on these
sunny terraces, passing these fountains,
these flowery squares and these narrow streets which,
in the last century, could prove very useful, like that of the Comtadou,
which served shepherds to tell their sheep during the transhumance. Are you telling it, Gilbert? Since the animals only passed one by one, it
was easier to list them. Today,
another use has been found for it. The county, yes. And if the Comtadou Street is important
to the village, these two magnificent works by a
famous painter and sculptor also count. We were lucky enough to have the painter Bernard Buffet and Annabelle
in his studio in Tourtour, at the Domaine de la Baume, in the commune of Tourtour. And so, upon her death in 99, Annabelle
donated these two bronzes to the commune. So, there are eight of them around the world and
we are lucky in Tourtour to have two. And it’s really a source of pride
for the residents and for the village. The other pride of Tourtour is
located on the outskirts of the village. There you will find a curiosity of the region. Oh Melanie, are you okay?
And you ? Yeah, perfect. Are
you spending two minutes? I pass, I don’t put myself. An oil mill that
still works as it did in the old days. Have n’t you tasted it this year? Come on, let’s taste it anyway. To see it in action,
you have to visit in winter, between December and January. When the wheel starts turning,
all the noises, all the cracks in the wooden handle and all
that, it’s something very captivating. And there you have it, finally, we
can’t explain that. For me, in any case, it’s my passion. But whether the wheel turns or not,
all year round, this olive oil producer welcomes visitors to
show them his trade and taste his harvest. Ah, well it’s the best oil in the world. Who doesn’t believe it,
well she’ll come and taste it, but… There might
not be enough for everyone. And in Tourtour, we don’t skimp
on Provençal traditions. After the olive oil tasting,
we meet in the village square for the sacred game of pétanque. A game of pétanque is fun. A seemingly classic game of pétanque
, unless you look more closely. So you see, there you go,
that’s a kilo of eggs, a bigger corner on the side, egg-shaped, in fact. It goes where it wants. So anyone can
beat anyone. When we have fun and laugh,
that’s the main thing. Although in Tourtour we don’t always take ourselves
seriously, there are still certain traditions that we
don’t joke about. This group from Tourtouraine is busy
repairing old Provençal costumes, because here, people value their folklore. Provençal dances in Tourtour
are still a bit… They’re a bit part
of education. Small, medium, large. We all did the dances,
we all danced in the square. Indeed, don’t miss the village festival
every first weekend of August. Go ahead, it turns away
a little when we see you. It’s beautiful. Pretty as can be. Here’s a sneak peek at
what you might see. And if the village motto were true:
Come once and return always. But for now, let’s continue our journey
a little further east and discover another
hilltop town with a Provençal feel. Here we are, in Gourdon, in the
Alpes-Maritimes, 40 kilometers from Nice. A village overlooking the Lou valley. Pierre, a pure product of Gourdon,
never tires of this panorama visible from Place Victoria, at the
very end of the village. Here we are at an altitude of 758 meters and we can see from Nice to the bay of Antibes, even the Pic de l’Ours. It is still a Panorama Panorama,
which is relatively exceptional. In any case, on the Côte d’Azur,
frankly, I don’t know any others. And it is this panorama that has made Gourdon
a strategic stronghold since Antiquity. How are you doing ?
How are you? Gourdon, a city
steeped in history, then. You just need to wander through these
charming alleys to continue discovering it. The alleys are winding. It was a way to defend against
the enemy and it had a double advantage, that at the same time,
it cut the wind. In addition to being winding,
the streets were narrow because Gourdon, having limited space,
had to fit as many people as possible into this fortress. Protected by the imposing fortified castle,
the village has survived the centuries and retained all its character. This is what attracted
many artisans to the town. Being a few kilometers away,
there are mainly shops related to perfumery. But the real Gourdon specialty
is Francis’ gingerbread. Every time we come here, we leave
with gingerbread, whether for ourselves or for our family. He doesn’t reveal his secret.
No, because I know. No, we’ve known him for years
and years, he’s never told us. It’s impossible to know where
its inimitable softness comes from. But a word of advice: don’t miss it. After visiting the city,
go and enjoy the surrounding nature. Extremely well-preserved nature,
such as around the Gorges du Lou. You can swim there at your leisure
and practice river sports. And for the more intrepid like Pierre,
know that Gourdon is also a mecca for caving. In the commune of Gourdon,
I believe there are around 200 cavities. We come from neighboring departments. People even come from very far away
to make cavities here. There is a great deal of diversity
in everything, both underground and on land. And even in the air. Paragliding is another
must-do activity here. Pierre is going to take the
plunge for the first time. A little apprehension because
it’s true that I know the underside of Courdon. The sky, on the other hand
, is not really my area. There is no reason. But fear not,
the site is known for its mild weather conditions and
ideal location layout. The greatest specialists
in the discipline come to train here. So, enjoy the show. From up there, perhaps, you will see
our last regional stop. Close to the Italian border
stands the village of Saurge. We are 40 kilometers from Nice. A city in the Alpes-Maritimes
nicknamed the Tibetan village. Perched above the
Roya Valley, Saurge is a place conducive to calm and meditation. As proof, no cars
circulate in this town. Guided tour with Nathalie
and Bernard, residents of Saorge. So, Saorge is a hilltop village. A village perched on a mountainside,
between two rocky outcrops which protect it from invasions. It seems that initially
the village was on the opposite Piton, which was exactly on the path
from the sea to Piedmont, and which consequently received all the invasions. And after the last
Saracen invasion, the villagers decided to return here,
where there was already a part of the population,
and to amend the village of Lahou. And in the 17th century, as the population became
really large, it went beyond the ramparts to come
to the foot of the monastery. The monastery is why people
come from far away. Located at the very top of the village,
don’t hesitate to push open its doors. The monastery of Saint-Ordre was founded
in the 17th century, in 1633 by Franciscan friars who
probably came from the convent of Simey, in Nice or from Italian Liguria,
who therefore settled on the promontory overlooking
the village of Saint-Ordre. I see all these sundials,
it’s one of the site’s charities, no doubt, right? Yes, we are lucky to have a set
of 11 exceptional sundials which have both
a decorative function with their baroque ornamentation,
but also a useful function since they allowed us to know
the time of day based on the shadow cast by the
metal rod called the gnomen. And every dial here is different. And there’s one
on the bell tower too, I see? Yes, there is one
with an inscription in Italian, which is more recent than the others,
which date from 1880, and which says: a me il sole, a te lo studio,
a me the sun, a you the study. The last monks left
the monastery in 1988, so no one studies here anymore. But a certain know-how persists
on the premises, like this garden imagined by them in the last century. This garden is truly extraordinary
as it has also retained its original surface area and structure. There were five terraces designed
with vaulted walls or pergolas to
optimize cultivation. And it opens onto this
Bendola valley which is very well preserved. So here, we really understand
the attachment of the Franciscans to this place,
to its location and to nature, since Saint Francis himself
venerated nature. He spoke of his brothers the birds, of
his brothers the trees, of brothers elsewhere. Today, this garden serves
to feed resident artists. In fact, the monastery welcomes
several dozen residents each year who come to seek inspiration. As you stroll through the alleys,
you too can let yourself be won over by the serenity of the place. And like Nathalie,
perhaps you will have the chance to hear Bernard,
the last carillonneur in the region, in his works. With your feet and hands connected to the various
bells, listen instead to the sounds taking flight and resonating
to the bottom of the valley. It’s very, very beautiful, Bernard.
It’s very moving. Thank you so much.
I had never seen that. This stroll through the Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur region ends with music. A sunny destination that will delight
lovers of hilltop cities. A region that can be explored
in many ways. On foot, through these steep alleys,
underground, in these cavities, in the air or on the
clear waters of these many rivers. Whichever way you choose,
PACA will definitely leave you with an unforgettable memory.
Cap sur la région Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur, entre Alpilles, Luberon, Verdon et balcons de la Riviera.
Pour découvrir les merveilles des plus belles régions de France, c’est ici – Abonnez-vous 👉 http://bit.ly/3zjR2Vj 🙏
Aux Baux-de-Provence, citadelle médiévale, ruelles blondes et souvenirs d’oléiculture ouvrent le voyage. À Roussillon, le Sentier des Ocres et le Colorado de Rustrel dessinent un amphithéâtre minéral aux rouges flamboyants, héritage d’un savoir-faire ancien. Moustiers-Sainte-Marie dévoile sa faïence fine, l’étoile suspendue entre les falaises et la montée vers Notre-Dame de Beauvoir, porte d’histoires et de légendes. Cap vers Tourtour, « le village dans le ciel » : places fleuries, vie du moulin à huile, pétanque à l’ombre des platanes et fêtes d’août au son des danses provençales. À flanc de reliefs, Gourdon domine les Gorges du Loup : ruelles serrées, parfumeries artisanales, pain d’épices réputé et horizons jusqu’à Antibes. Final aux confins alpins, à Saorge : village tibétain posé sur l’éperon rocheux, monastère franciscain, jardin en terrasses et cadrans solaires qui racontent le temps. Entre garrigue et eaux claires, ateliers et marchés, un itinéraire de lumière où patrimoine et nature se répondent.
Réalisé par Élodie BOUTIT.
© MORGANE PRODUCTION