Is it an Open and Shut Case?

#frenchshutters#arles

French shutters have fascinated me from my very first visit to France. 

Defintion ...

Shutters - noun - each pair of hinged panels, often louvered, fixed inside or outside a window that can be closed for security or privacy or to keep out light.

Shutters - keep you warm when it’s cold

                - keep you cool when it’s hot

                - provide protection from intruders/ criminals

                - can protect you from theft

Our French Connection friends told us that for their property insurance to be in force that whenever their property was vacant the shutters had to be closed / the house had to be shuttered up! 

Not sure if this is still the case today.

As we strolled the streets, another type of shutter was at work. 

My camera « shutter«  was clicking capturing the many shutters of Arles.

They were in a kaleidoscope of colours, every state of repair some weathered and showing their age more than others but all had their own personality.

The old part of the town of Arles is strictly protected and the traditional shutters are in a variety of styles. 

They are not allowed to be changed ... I’d say this is similar to the Heritage Property rules in Canada. 

Hope you enjoyed strolling through Arles with a glimpse of some of the shutters that adorn the many windows! 

From Provence to Catalonia - Lunch with VanGogh in Arles

We said “au revoir” or actually I like to think we said “a bientôt” to Saint-Remy de Provence. 

We’re moving on to the Deep South of France near the Spanish border today ... Monday, September 16th. 

Enroute we are going to take in one more place in Provence. 

Our planned stop was in Arles (pronounced arl) which was built along the Rhône River.

We parked in a lot near the train station and first walked along the river to view one of the many Van Gogh easels. 

La Nuit Étoilée ... Starry Night over the Rhône ... not to be confused with his other « Starry Night » painting he did while staying at the hospital in Saint-Remy de Provence.

There was a local artist set up with his easel painting as we were looking for this panel; he pointed us in the right direction and told us to look at the bridge to visualize what Van Gogh saw.

Nos amis. 

Reflection of the bridge in the Rhône ... 

From here we wandered into old Arles through the Cavalerie Gate down Rue Volitaire.

Van Gogh walked into town down this street in 1888. 

The fountain pictured below was only a year old then. 

The mosaic is said to « celebrate the high culture of Provence ».

In the 19th century this neighbourhood was Arles’ red light district ... not so today. 

We continued our wander towards the Roman Arena (Amphitheater) ... you can see it in the background as you walk down these streets.

Can you see the arena just up ahead, you can take the left or right street ...

Here was another one of Van Gogh’s easels ... Les Arènes d’Arles ... the Arena.

The 2000 plus year old arena is still in use today ... 

The birds found the perfect spot to cool off ...





Soon we found another easel of one of Van Gogh’s famous paintings in Place du Forum ...

Le Café Le Soir / Café Terrace at Night.

Monsieur Honey and I are not your typical tourists when we travel ... today was an exception. 

Our group was lured into La Café de la Nuit by the very attentive, friendly hostess. 

Vincent Van Gogh’s painting depicts the café in a bright yellow from the glow of the surrounding gas lamps. 

This yellow was not unlike the sunflower yellow I once painted our guest room in the schoolhouse many years ago. 

But in actual fact the facade was white limestone similar to the other cafés in the square. 
Whoever painted the facade to match Van Gogh’s version ... had a brilliant idea to draw in the tourists!

We enjoyed a delicious lunch and some wine of course ...

The setting was perfect ...

And for a moment I thought “Vincent” himself was sitting beside us at the next table ...

 

After lunch we wandered a bit more ...

A bucket of painter’s brushes; how apropos in the town of Arles.

Such unique store signs ...

A pretty lane ...

I’m going to leave you with this ... I clicked the “shutter” on my camera many times today taking lots of photos of beautiful “shutters”. 

The traditional shutters in the “Old Town” are strictly protected; there are many styles but they cannot be changed.  

Note: I think I will do a separate post about Arles’ shutters. 

We had a busy day playing tourists in Arles then we drove  approximately 2 1/2 hours  to Maureillas-las-Illas. 

We arrived late afternoon (5pm) ... a quick shop and we were ready to enjoy our first night in Maureillas-las-Illas. 

    

More to come ...

An Open and Shut Case

"French shutters" have many purposes from aesthetics to "French" style air conditioning and for security.

There are many designs and styles...both the tried and true old ones and now the new reproductions.

The traditional ones are virtually all made of wood, with some more modern ones being the rollup metal style.

Colour, colour and more colour...there are varying shades of French blue (similar to Bugatti race car blue and the colour of Gitan cigarette packaging) and then many shades of green, red, yellow and the natural wood stained ones.

Everywhere I go, I notice these wonderful additions to the doors and windows of the homes and buildings in France.

Once in awhile, I will come across some shutters on an abandoned house or barn that seem to be calling my name and crying for attention ... ripe for restoration and just waiting to be loved again.

This time of the year, many of the shutters are being opened as the seasonal owners and visitors are returning to enjoy the French life in the Lot Valley.

So is it an open and shut case?

Open shutters to me say "Welcome"..... Bienvenue!