Advertisement
Published: November 15th 2006
Ansouis
Ansouis, Provence - FranceDec 21, 1993
*
City official name :Ansouis
*
Founded date : *
Location :Provence Province
*
Elavation :? ft (? m)
*
Area :Approximately ? square miles (? km²).
*
Facts :Ansouis is a very pretty old village, perched on a low hill with a nicely restored chateau. The village is located 25 km north of Aix-en-Provence, 8 km southeast of Lourmarin (north of the Durance river and south of the Luberon mountains). The village is well restored, with neat stone walls, and has a fair number of ancient little streets for a wandering visit.
Built in amongst the houses is a beautiful half-round bell tower, dating from the 16th century and topped with a rather angular campanile.
The town's chateau is impressive, but fairly stark from the outside. Ansouis is best visited in the afternoons: the chateau is open in the afternoons only, and some of the more interesting village sights are in the chateau grounds.
There are a lot of flowers in the village. Some are in gardens along the stone-walled terraces and in the neat gardens of the village houses. There are also little gardens around the village with hand-lettered signs giving the
Ansouis
Ansouis, Provence - France names of the regional wild flowers; an in-town botanical walk with a personal touch.
Commerce is minimal, but there are all the basic shops, including a terrace café. A maker has his atelier here, which opens every summer at the beginning of July.
The town's Musée Extraordinaire has a varied collection, from treasures picked up on distant sea voyages to local geological artifacts. The museum is (like the chateau) open in the afternoons.
Ansoui belonged to the counts of Forcalquier until the 13th century, when it was aquired by the Sabran, a powerful Provençal family, who still own the chateau.
Located in the Regional Natural Park of Luberon, Ansouis, at the foot of the castle, transformed in the course of centuries, displays its houses in semicircle on the hillside of the mount protected from the mistral. Away from the road, you will find throughout the welcoming places and picturesque streets, the charm of a Provençal village.
Monuments
Ansouis's castle :
historical site and monument, house of the family of Sabran; originally classic fortress, alterations (XII-th and XIII-th centuries) and of numerous additions (XVII-th) of which the elegant south facade, will come to ease the
Ansouis
Ansouis, Provence - France rigour of the building; copses, gardens and terraces which surround the castle contribute to the charm of the site.
The church St Martin :
historical monument, XII-th century fortified building, the former court of justice of the castle.
The Clock :
semicircular tower integrated into buildings of XVI-th century and crowned with a forged iron bell tower.
Advertisement
Tot: 0.432s; Tpl: 0.009s; cc: 18; qc: 90; dbt: 0.2793s; 1; m:domysql w:travelblog (10.17.0.13); sld: 1;
; mem: 1.3mb
