TARASCON

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Tarascon, a provencal city along the Rhône river

Tarascon is a Provençal town, it lies on the left bank of the Rhone, between Avignon and Arles. A bridge connects the city to Beaucaire, its sister city on the other side of the river, in the Languedoc.

Before the arrival of the Romans, Tarascon is a trading post for the Greeks of Marseille. In the early days of Christianity, according to legend, St. Martha, sister of Mary Magdalene comes from Palestine and evangelizes Provence. The Tarasque, an amphibious monster terrorized the inhabitants of the region. St. Martha tames the beast, puts a leash around its neck and renders it harmless, but it is then killed and torn to pieces by the inhabitants. St. Martha lived in Tarascon until her death, she is the patron saint of the city, an annual festival commemorates the unforgettable event, during which an animated Tarasque is transported into the city.

The St. Martha church stands at the place where the saint lived. It housed the relics, found opportunely in 1187 after being hidden from a Saracen invasion two hundred years earlier. It was also one of the most famous places of pilgrimage of Provence and one of the oldest, according to a tradition that Clovis was healed there by Saint Martha in the year 500. The church is a royal collegiate church; it houses paintings by Mignard, offered by Anne of Austria, mother of Louis XIV, in gratitude: her prayers for a child were heard after passing by St. Martha Church.

Tarascon inspired tales: the famous Tartarin is the hero of a novel by Alphonse Daudet, boastful and friendly, fearless cap hunter , whose imaginary and comic adventures hunting lions in the Atlas Mountains have entertained generations of schoolchildren. The Tarascon inhabitants have offered to this imaginary hero a real home that is visited.

The town is dominated by the castle built under Louis II and his son Louis III, then occupied by King René, count of Provence. The city has retained a medieval gate, the gate of the Condamine surrounded by two large round towers facing the road to Avignon. The town hall dates from the 17th century.

Château de Tarascon - Castle of Tarascon

The Castle of Tarascon is one of the most beautiful medieval fortresses of France. This is the feudal castle par excellence, with high and massive round towers with battlements that command respect and convey power. The Count of Provence Louis II ordered its construction in 1400, his son Louis III continued the work in the early 1430s, and René I later added decorative and comfort improvements. The castle overlooks the Rhone and is rooted on a rock with the river bathing the base, while the deep moat isolates it from the city.

The profile and location of the Château de Tarascon have a military utility and political significance: the Rhone is an important trade route and a boundary - the Castle monitors access to Beaucaire, city of the King of France on the other side of the river.

The castle is divided into two parts: the outer courtyard to the north, which today is a garden, and the lord’s residence sheltered behind thick walls 45 metres high, pierced with windows protected by thick iron grilles. The contrast is striking when one enters the courtyard of the castle, a carefully designed setting for court life and festivities, around which the castle’s main rooms are arranged. The rooms are empty of original furniture and objects but you can imagine inside the castle the rich court of René I, King of Sicily, Duke of Anjou and Count of Provence, himself a writer, patron and art lover foreshadowing the princes of the Italian Renaissance. Large reception rooms are located in the part of the castle overlooking the river. Most of the other rooms were living quarters.

Some rooms are covered with beautiful graffiti: from the 15th century until 1926 the castle was used as a prison. Captive Catalan or English sailors left on the walls remarkable drawings.

The upper terrace of the castle offers beautiful views over the valley of the Rhone, Beaucaire and the Alpilles.

Photos of Tarascon and its castle : slideshow

Information and Accommodation

Choice of bed and breakfast near Tarascon on the portal of B&B in Provence

Town hall website : tarascon.fr

Coming to Tarascon

GPS coordinates N 43°48’22’’ - E 4°39’29’’

The town of Tarascon is located in the department of Bouches du Rhone, between Avignon and Arles, near the Alpilles, near the Pont du Gard.

Location: altitude 8 metres above sea level, 13 000 inhabitants, 0.5 miles from Beaucaire, 5 miles from Boulbon, 6 miles from Graveson 10 miles from Aramon, 11 miles from Saint-Rémy de Provence, 12 miles from Arles, 17 miles from Avignon, 14 miles from Pont du Gard.