A Window on the Past

Les Baux-en-Provence is a spectacular and pittoresque medieval village. With his castle it used to be an eagle's nest in the Middle Ages. Then during the Renaissance, it became a Huguenot stronghold. Somewhere, in the middle of the village, this typical Renaissance stone window holds this Latin phrase 'Post tenebras lux'. This was the Huguenot motto: 'Light after darkness'. Richelieu sent his troops to get rid of the Protestants and destroyed their stronghold.
Today, this stunning village has been classified among the most beautiful French villages.
Now, there are souvenir shops, galleries, restaurants and many artists, who have been attracted by its natural beauty. One of the most famous painter was Yves Brayer. Interestingly, the Grimaldis from Monaco hold the title of Count of Les Baux. In fact, Prince Rainier of Monaco offered the beautiful stained-glass windows of the local church, where on Christmas Day, they celebrate a typical Provençal live creche.
Down below, The Vale of Inferno is said to have inspired Dante's 'Inferno'. And the many former stone quarries became a stage for Alistair MacLeane's thriller 'Caravan to Vaccares'.
The countryside near Les Baux is where the mineral for aluminum was first discovered. Hence its name: bauxite.