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Recently, my friend Verlon and I went to see Van Gogh’s Immersive Experience in Atlanta, and just like that, we were back in Provence where we had journeyed a couple summers ago to imbibe in Southern France’s joie de vivre and all things Van Gogh.
The South of France sings to my spirit in a way that no other place does. I often ask myself why I am so drawn to the region; is it the food, the markets, the culture, the waft of flowers in the air, the rosé, the magnificent terrain and splendor of lavender and sunflower fields? For me, the area has an indescribable allure.
One of the most special places we visited was the quaint, artistic haven called Saint-Rémy-de-Provence, a commune in the Bouches-du-Rhône in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur region in Southern France. Saint-Rémy, as the town is known, is where Van Gogh committed himself to the psychiatric center and former monastery, St. Paul de Mausole, and while institutionalized for a year, he produced over 150 works of art with some of his best-known pieces today including Wheatfield with Cypresses, Irises, and the famed Starry Night. Today, the institution is a museum that is open daily to the public for only 6.50 euro and provides visitors a window into Van Gogh’s life in the asylum.
Surrounded by fields of lavender, verdant gardens filled with flowers, olive trees that he adored, and the ubiquitous cypress trees Van Gogh loved and often painted, this museum is worth your time if you are ever in the lovely little town of Saint-Rémy. This hamlet also makes a perfect home base from which to explore neighboring villages and towns and has an assortment of restaurants, bakeries, wine bars, and a lively Wednesday morning market. One of the highlights of our trip, a visit to St. Paul de Mausole was captivating, and after spending a couple hours there, it was nice to drive to our B&B just in time for another bottle of rosé.
