Orange
Orange is the gate to the South- it has always been a crossroads of people, products and cultures. In 35 BC, the city welcomed the veterans of the Roman legions. Based on a draughtboard pattern, the city expanded and was enhanced by many buildings.
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During the twelth century, the city became a small prince domain owned by Raimbaut d’Orange. When the Orange family started ruling over the Netherlands with the family of Nassau, Avignon became Dutch and Maurice d’Orange fortified the town, using the stones of the Roman ruins (except for the theater and the Triumphal arch).
While at war with the Dutch, Louis XIV took the opportunity to invade the land and erased the fortress. Orange eventually became French in 1713.
The theater makes Orange famous. Protected by the UNESCO as a world heritage, this theater, which was built under August in the first century, is the only theater that still has most of its scene wall. And what a wall ! It's 37 meters tall and 106 meters wide, including a 4-meter tall statue of August half-carved from the wall. The postscenium is sustained by 19 doric arches and 21 false ones above. At the origins, the theater could welcome up to 7,000 visitors. Now it hosts a lyric festival in summer.
To the north of the city stands the Triumphal Arch which has remained in perfect conditions for the last 1975 years. Made out of three archeways celebrating Roman victory over the Gauls, it is the third largest Roman arch that reached us (21 meters high and 8 meters deep). Make sure not to miss it !
A quick walk to St-Eutrope hill will bring you back to the place of the former fortress -only a few buidings remain: a tower, for instance. There is a beautiful view on the landscape from the top.
The city museum in the inner city will provide you with all the details you want about Orange history including an exhibition of usual objects as well as masterpieces of crafts of different times. And as usual in Provence, the housefronts are like a decoration on the street.
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