Les Baux de Provence France DSC01872

Les Baux-de-Provence (Lei Bauç de Provença in Occitan) is a commune in the Bouches-du-Rhône department in southern France, in the province of... more

by Greg Kluempers

Title

Les Baux de Provence France DSC01872

Artist

Greg Kluempers

Medium

Photograph - Photography

Description

Les Baux-de-Provence (Lei Bauç de Provença in Occitan) is a commune in the Bouches-du-Rhône department in southern France, in the province of Provence. It has a spectacular position in the Alpilles 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 bauç is a rocky spur. The village gives its name to the aluminium ore Bauxite which was first discovered there in 1821 by geologist Pierre Berthier.
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 fort or oppidum around the 2nd century BC. During the Middle Ages it became the seat of a powerful feudal lordship that controlled 79 towns and villages in the vicinity. The lords of Baux sought control of Provence for many years. They claimed ancestry from the Magus king Balthazar and placed the Star of Bethlehem on their coat of arms.

Uploaded

November 15th, 2013