1 Page 3 Culturespaces, representative for the Château des Baux-de-

Page 4 A great medieval site in Provence

Page 7 A turbulent past

Page 10 Events in 2015

Page 11 The action of Culturespaces at the Château des Baux-de-Provence

Page 15 The Culturespaces Foundation

CONTENTS Page 16 Practical information

2 Culturespaces, representative for Château des Baux-de-Provence

“Our aim is to help public institutions present their heritage and develop their reputation in cultural circles and among tourists. We also aim to make access to culture more democratic and help our children discover our history and our civilisation in remarkable cultural sites”

Bruno Monnier, CEO and Founder of Culturespaces.

With 20 years of experience and more than 2 million visitors every year, Culturespaces is the leading private organisation managing French monuments and museums, and one of the leading European players in cultural tourism.

Culturespaces produces and manages, with an ethical and professional approach, monuments, museums and prestigious historic sites entrusted to it by public bodies and local authorities.

Are managed by Culturespaces:

• Musée Jacquemart-André, (since 1996) • Villa Ephrussi de Rothschild, Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat (since 1992) • Greek Villa Kerylos, Beaulieu-sur-Mer (since 2001) • Carrières de Lumières , Baux-de-Provence (since 2012) • Château des Baux de Provence (since 1993) • Roman Theatre and Art and History Museum of Orange (since 2002) • Nîmes Amphitheatre, the Square House, the Magne Tower (since 2006) • Cité de l’Automobile, Mulhouse (since 1999) • Cité du Train, Mulhouse (since 2005)

• And in May 2015, Culturespaces launches in Aix-en-Provence a new Art Centre in a gem of the XVIIIth century: Caumont Art Centre, in a mansion belonging to Culturespaces.

Aware that our heritage must be preserved for future generations, Culturespaces contributes every year to financing restoration programmes for the monuments and collections it has been entrusted to look after. More generally, Culturespaces is responsible for upgrading spaces and collections, welcoming the general public, managing staff and all services, organising cultural activities and temporary exhibitions and promoting sites at national and international level, with efficient and responsible management methods certified ISO 9001.

To ensure that visits are always a pleasure, the Culturespaces teams place quality of reception and cultural enrichment at the heart of all their services to visitors.

In the meantime, the Culturespaces Foundation, created under the aegis of the Fondation du Patrimoine, has set itself the task of supporting initiatives that give children access to culture. 3 A great medieval site

A medieval fortified settlement, the citadel of Les Baux included the Château and its village. The tour takes us to unexpected places.

As far as the eye can see

“Bau”, in Provencal, means "rocky escarpment". Perched on this rocky outcrop, the Château appears an eternal landmark. These stone ruins look out over a breathtaking view. At the very heart of the , the and Provence stretch into the distance: to the east lies the Entreconque valley, to the west the Fontaine valley. At any time of year, the light dances playfully on this giant mass of rock and skips across the countryside creating a wonderful display of colour.

The Tour de Brau

Formerly the Hotel de Glandevès, this listed building dates from the end of the 14th century. In the 15th century, as a gift from King René, it became the property of the powerful Tour de Brau family (lou brau meaning "the wild bulls"). Inside, visitors can see the superbly furnished low room. The vault ribs are decorated, at the keystones, with coats of arms bearing the famous sixteen-pointed star of the Les Baux family. Two models show how the Château would have looked in the 13th century and in the Renaissance. The Tour de Brau house contains a medieval shop.

The Chapel of Saint-Blaise and the cemetery

The Chapel of Saint Blaise, close to the Tour de Brau House, was built in the 12th century by the guild of wool carders and cloth weavers. Today, the Chapel is the setting for a new film : “An aerial view of Provence”. Opposite the Chapel, the cemetery overlooks the Val d’Enfer [Hell Valley] with ruins of old quarries where only the vast porticos remain and cast macabre and fantastical shadows. Steeped in charm and legends, this is the final resting place of the Provencal painter, Yves Bayer and the poet, André Suarès (1868-1948), a friend of André Gide, Paul Claudel and Charles Péguy.

4 Quiqueran Hospital, the old windmill and the statue of Charloun Rieu

The Quiqueran Hospital was built between 1542 and 1583 under the patronage of Jeanne de Quiquéran, wife of Honoré des Martins, Governor of Les Baux. Later renamed "Hôtel Dieu et charité des Baux", it did not close until 1787.

The Windmill is one of those which inspired Alphonse Daudet in his work Les lettres de mon Moulin. Only the tower remains today.

At the top, on a promontory, there stands a statue of Charles Rieu (1846 – 1924), “Charloun dou Paradou”, a Provencal poet and bard of Les Baux, author of regional songs published in 1897. His stony eyes gaze out forever over the stunning landscape extending before him, from the Alpilles to the Berre lagoon.

The Saracen Tower

Located at the top of a rocky foothill, it blocks off the Château at the south and, together with the Bannes Tower, prevents access through the “de l’Auro” Gate, the North Wind Gate. It was intended to provide a warning of the return of the Saracens. These buildings are part of an ingenious system of defence designed to mislead intruders thinking they could penetrate the Château only to be repelled at the fortress walls. False gateways and the lie of the land were therefore used to deceive assailants.

The Château Chapel

The Château chapel is at the entrance to the Château. The chapel was originally dedicated to the Virgin Mary but has been dedicated to Saint Catherine since the 16th century. Reworked, the chapel today has rib-vaulted bays with wall ribs, liernes and tiercerons but has still preserved its Roman structures which are the oldest remains visible in the Château today.

5 The Château

At the heart of the citadel lies the Château des Baux. Its keep constitutes the best example of this military architecture. Anchored in the rock since the 12th century, it seems to be the last bastion of this impregnable fortress. Decorative vestiges adorn the high walls: ornate sculpted friezes show Saint Michael slaying the dragon, a griffon, etc. At the base of the keep is a Gallo-Roman votive stele; the mysterious relief of the Trémaié (or Three Marys), where the faithful believed they could see the effigies of the Virgin, Mary Jacobé and Mary Salomé.

Forgotten colour

An inventory drawn up in 1426, after the death of Alix, the last Lord of Les Baux, gives a unique, precise description of the interior decoration of Château des Baux. The Château was magnificently decorated at the time. Each room had a name: the Rose Room, The of Tortose Room, etc. and tapestries hung on the stone walls with the coats of arms of Les Baux, Orange and Toulouse recounting the legends of Alexander and Olivier.

6 A turbulent past

A legendary name

In the 10th century, when the Christian order was imposed throughout the western world, Manassès, Archbishop of , an intransigent and authoritarian prelate, surrounded himself with some clever and devoted men to establish his power. Amongst them was Isnard, to whom he gave the Baux valley as thanks for his loyalty. A castle was then built on the rocky escarpment. Little by little, these ambitious lords accumulated land and honours. They were formidable and obeyed only the law of excess.

In fact, the princes of Les Baux claimed to be the descendants of one of the three magi, Balthazar. In recognition of the star, which had guided them, the magi sanctified the star: Saint Estelle. This is why it features on the coat of arms of the lords of Les Baux, who took as their motto “Al Azar, Balthazar” (By chance, Balthazar).

“The first by their ancient name and splendour – Of the Provencal families – Race of eaglets, never vassals – Which with the tips of their wings – Brush against all the high peaks.” This is how the legendary family of Les Baux are referred to at the start of the Calendal by the writer, Frédéric Mistral.

Some illustrious characters

In the turbulent history of the seigneury, some symbolic figures stand out: Raymond des Baux waged the Baussenque wars for almost twenty years (from 1145 to 1162), fighting the Count of for the earldom of Provence. Raymond de Turennes was an obedient lord for a long time: He fought in for the King of France and in Italy for the . But suddenly he revolted against the powers that be and became “the scourge of Provence”, a cynical and cruel lord, defying the court of France and papal power. He was condemned to death and excommunicated. Making light of these sentences, this invincible brigand surrounded himself with pillagers attacking towns and villages spreading fire and death. Finally, Alix des Baux, the last and only heir to the lands of Les Baux. On his death, in 1426, this turbulent line of the lords of Les Baux came to an end. The Château survived a few more years until its destruction in 1483.

7 Rebels but courtiers

In the 12th and 13th centuries in Provence, a new institution called chivalry was established. Knights, who were strong, took an oath to use their swords only to defend the weak. They swore to preach God’s peace and to respect women, clerics and peasants. Great importance was now placed on culture provided by the troubadours who weaved their way across Provence. The glory of Les Baux-de-Provence is associated with its poets, musicians and singers who introduced a little humanity in these times of war. The lords took part in this game and the poetic sparring. These rugged men of arms were happy to compose or listen to pastoral poetry, tensons (satirical couplets), ballads, sirventès, or songs. They would woo the beautiful ladies in the Courts of Love, a form of gallant entertainment where these ladies would pass judgement on matters of gallantry and disputes about love and would award prizes for Provencal poetry. Time was divided in the 12th century between riding out to war and courtly festivals. The troubadours and their ladies created a new code of values which introduced a taste for song and dance into the courts of the Midi. The lady being courted was always a married woman. The secret between the two of them, shared by the messenger and the look-out, was the very basis of courtly love. However, there was also room for anxiety due to the slanderers - jealous, malicious people, ready to tell the husband about the poet and his lady. In their poetic songs (la canso), troubadours, who were writers and performers, glorified fine love, love for the lady, which was seen as a way of perfecting the soul and heart of the knight. They would sing for a long time about the young girls of the lords of Les Baux called Azalaïs, Douce, Fanette and Passerose, first names which are still found today in Provence.

Destruction

Alix de Baux, the sole heir to the fiefdoms of Les Baux, left his lands to a distant relative, the Duke of Andria. However, following sieges and wars, the seigneury fell to René d’Anjou. In 1481, on the death of “Good King René”, the last count of Provence, les Baux became part of the Kingdom of France. Louis XI destroyed the citadel.

The seigneury was then transformed into a barony and given, by way of reward, to the loyal servants of the Kings of France. The most famous of those being Constable Anne de Montmorency, a childhood friend of François I. He restored the ruined Château and introduced Italian Renaissance architecture to Provence. He resisted a dangerous invasion attempt by Charles-Quint and had the Treasury archives transferred to the citadel from Aix, where they were under threat from the Emperor’s troops. However, the wars of religion soon posed a threat to this ephemeral peace and Les Baux, which had become a bastion of under the Manville family, was then viewed with suspicion by the King’s representatives.

8 The lassitude of Richelieu

Involved in a revolt led by Gaston d’Orléans against his brother, Louis XIII, the city of Les Baux again came under siege. Richelieu decided to annihilate this hotbed of revolt. He called the Baron of Les Baux, Antoine de Villeneuve, a favourite of Gaston d’Orléans, to court and, during his absence, gave the order to lay siege to the town. In spite of being heroically defended for 27 days, the gates finally opened and the ramparts were brought down. The high walls were destroyed by powder and pickaxe. The proud citadel of Les Baux finally submitted to the throne. Established as a marquisate, the fiefdom of Les Baux was given to the Grimaldi princes by way of thanks for driving the Spanish from . France did not buy back the province until 1791.

The calm before another storm

Suffering from the loss of its political and military status, the village of Les Baux saw its population diminish, and the deserted citadel became no more than a “dead city”. Only the great Provencal poets, such as Frédéric Mistral and Alphonse Daudet, still defended these fascinating ruins.

It was not until 1821 that the citadel of Les Baux would emerge from oblivion. A scientific discovery attracted attention to this town, which had become a village: a chemist called Berthier found a red rock in the area, which could be used to produce aluminium. He called it “bauxite”.

In 1945, the opening of the famous restaurant “L’Oustau de Baumanière” by Raymond Thuillier, Mayor of Les Baux from 1971 to 1993, attracted heads of state, artists and celebrities. Their arrival marked the rediscovery of Les Baux by the general public, aware of the unique character of the place. Since 1992, Château des Baux has been a hive of activity with excavation and restoration programmes making it even more attractive.

In 1993, the District of Les Baux-de-Provence decided to call on Culturespaces to develop and manage Château des Baux.

With 300,000 visitors per year, this exceptional site is now the second most visited monument in the PACA region after the Palace in .

9 Events on 2015

From 4th April to 27th September, AT THE DAWN OF THE RENAISSANCE on weekends, bank holidays and Travel back in time and catapult yourself into history! school holidays. The program features several activities and workshops that allow you to relive the hustle and bustle of life in the Château. Visit the siege camp and view the weaponry, a catapult being fired, crossbow shooting from a stand or from the shoulder, and arms duels, as well as everyday life at the Castle and the work of its artisans.

On Easter (4th, 5th and 6th April), on THE SECRETS OF LEONARDO DA VINCI’s WORKSHOP May, 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 8th, 9th and 10th but On the eve of the Renaissance the Château enjoyed a also on Ascension (14th , 15th and period of prosperity; residential buildings were partly 16th May) and Pentecost (23th, 24th, rebuilt and numerous crafts thrived. It was an era of and 25th) weekends . great inventions and scientific discoveries. Pay a visit to Leonardo's workshop to discover the daily activities there: the preparation of pigments, plans of models, creating sketches... the master's workshop will have no more secrets for you!

From 24th to 28th October YOUNG KNIGHTS DAYS: THE SECRETS OF TIME This year, the Château invites children and their families to explore the secrets of time itself! In the period between the late Middle Ages and the early Renaissance how was time measured? Master Gabriel teaches you the secrets of water clocks, timepieces, as well as various legends about time. In the former chapel, listen to medieval sacred music which in the past marked the hours, whilst the children discover the castle during a guided tour on pony back.

From 27th to 29th December PROVENÇAL TALES AND LEGENDS Celebrate Christmas by listening to the most beautiful and colourful Christmas legends in the mysterious atmosphere of the Chateau des Baux. Songs, tales and readings... bring all the family to celebrate a Provencal Christmas!

10 The action of Culturespaces at the Château des Baux-de-Provence

Since 1993, the work of Culturespaces has resulted in the :

• Opening our doors all year round, 7 days a week

• Creation of a the tour layout and a new informative signage In 24 illustrations, visitors can see Château des Baux-de- Provence as it was in the Middle Ages. Just like a big history book, the illustrations breathe life into the various parts of the building, such as Quiqueran Hospital, the windmill, the lower courtyard, the keep by reconstructing scenes from battles or everyday life. The illustrated tour takes visitors back to the 13th and 15th centuries and enables young and old alike to imagine life at the heart of this impressive medieval stronghold.

• Creation of a free audio guide service Audioguides, which explain the history of the Château, are available in 10 languages (French, English, German, Dutch, Italian, Spanish, Portuguese, Russian, Chinese and Japanese). The audioguide tells us about the history of Provence and takes us back to the times of knights, rebel lords, wars, tournaments and damsels in distress.

• Installation of a gift shop The gift shop at the Château des Baux-de-Provence extends your journey into the heart of the Middle Ages, to the time of knights and fortresses. Here you will find a wide choice of books, postcards, DVDs, ornaments, jewellery and T-shirts inspired by the Middle Ages and Provence. A range of personalised objects will also give you an original souvenir of your visit to the Château. Miniatures, weapons made of wood and scale models mean that children can replay original battle scenes and relive the joys of firing a catapult.

11 • Development of synergies with the « Café des Baux » Located 30 metres from Château des Baux on the main street of the village, The “Café des Baux” offers quality catering in a sheltered setting. Its shady terrace and very modern decor make it a friendly and warm place.

• Creation of a reception service With its untamed beauty and magnificent views, Château des Baux-de-Provence offers an outstanding and unforgettable setting for weddings or private receptions up to 1000 guests. Contact : [email protected]

• Creation and production of a film: « An aerial view of Provence » The film, on the Chapelle St Blaise, presents the most beautiful monuments and landscape of Provence. Accompanied by violins playing Mozart’s Concerto number 21, the visitors can fly over the tops of the Alpilles at the edge of the and discover the Rhône Valley with its rocky outcrops, grand historic monuments and the most beautiful villages perched.

• Creation of siege machines in operation Culturespaces proposes a dynamic visit with spectacular animations. Every day, from april to september, the trebuchet, couillard and bricole catapults are in working order and fire real projectiles to the fascination of spectators.

The biggest trebuchet in France. As powerful as it was accurate, with a range of 200 metres, it could fire a 50 to 100 kg load of boulders using its lever system. Weighing 7 tonnes, 60 soldiers were required to install and man it. The trebuchet at Château des Baux-de-Provence is a unique model, equipped with a wheel system in contrast to more basic trebuchets with a winch system.

The couillard (14th – 16th century). This counterweight machine consisted of two articulated hutches, which made it easier to operate by dividing the loads to be handled into two. This machine’s performance enabled it to compete against powder artillery for a long time due to its rate of fire and the small number of men needed to operate it (4 to 8 men).

The bricole (12th century) is a medieval piece of artillery. Consisting of a lever with a pocket containing projectiles at the end of it, the bricole was operated by pulling the other end of the lever, with traction facilitated by adding a counterweight. This formidable siege machine could fire a 10 to 30 kg rock every minute. During displays, visitors can fire the bricole themselves.

12 • Creation of educational workshops for school parties Educational workshops for primary and secondary school children (7 to 14 years) Pony trekking, finding out about medieval dress, the equipment used by knights, medieval games or introductions to calligraphy, etc: 3 modules to choose from allowing children to start finding out about the mediaeval world.

Educational workshops for nursery school children (3 to 6 years) Children discover the Château and its history through a series of 3 educational workshops: explore the Château on a pony, discover tales, legends and medieval costumes and a heraldry workshop where they can make their own coat of arms. The Château also offers teaching packs for primary and secondary school children. This pack contains sheets for both teachers and pupils and is sent free of charge on request.

• Creation of special offers for groups Numerous programmes designed for groups are available: guided tours, tickets combined with other Culturespaces or regional sites to discover all the unmissable locations or even gourmet packages where the Château visit is followed by a lunch at the Café des Baux. Groups with a reservation also benefit from numerous advantages: free tickets for the driver and guide, tour + lunch package, etc.

• Implementation of an active communications policy Culturespaces organises all the media planning for each new cultural event. A range of media are used to reach the different target audiences: city posters (underground, bus, flagpoles), radio and TV broadcasting, advertising in the press and online, articles in the regional and national press, etc.

• Creation of the website www.chateau-baux-provence.com As with all the museums and monuments in the network, Culturespaces has designed an ergonomic, dynamic website incorporating all the latest multimedia devices (videos, visit guide for downloading, etc). The Château’s website receives 65 000 visitors per year.

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• Création of an iPhone/iPad and Android application et Android : Culturespaces develops new generation tools for visit. The visitors discover the history of the castle through a state-of-the-art tool thanks to a guide of visit.

• Creation of a games book for children with two new mascots. Given free of charge to every child on arrival at the site, this amusing new tool has been devised to enable children from 7 to 11 to discover the castle. Hugo and Lea, two mischievous children, accompany young visitors as they discover the site via amusing activities, games and enigmas.

• Launch of the Culturespaces online store: www .boutique-culturespaces.com. Since 2013, Internet users can find all the derivative products developed by Culturespaces which is pursuing its policy for innovation by enriching its offering and adapting to the new practices of its audience. The e- store offers more than 710 articles selected from the offerings in all the Culturespaces museum, historical monument and cultural site stores, including the Château des Baux-de-Provence.

Result of Culturespaces initiatives :

In 2014, the Château des Baux welcomed 284 000 visitors.

14 The Culturespaces Foundation

Established in 2009, the purpose of the Culturespaces Foundation is to encourage children from disadvantaged areas and those who are ill, in hospital or handicapped to become aware of the arts and their cultural heritage. Its programme of activities is aimed at opening up the perception of young audiences to historic treasures and their cultural heritage by discovering historic monuments and museums.

The Culturespace Foundation works with around fifty organisations involved with children throughout France including the Hôpital Necker, the Institut Curie, the Fondation Apprentis d’Auteuil (Necker Children’s Hospital, the Curie Institute and the Auteuil Apprentices Foundation) and the Nîmes CHU. It has taken action in the Provence Alpes Côte-d'Azur Region since 2011 involving children with a handicap (autistic or trisomic children, etc.) and children from difficult backgrounds.

With the Orange Foundation’s support, the Culturespaces Foundation has set up the “Family Heritage" project, a new national initiative that facilitates access to culture and heritage for autistic children and their families. Throughout the year, the families and siblings of autistic children are invited to discover this unique venue thanks to specially adapted educational material and guided tours.

Since 2009, the Foundation has enabled over 500 children to visit the Baux-de-Provence Château.

Every year, the action of the Culturespaces Foundation reaches out to close to 1,300 children. It works closely with the sites managed by Culturespaces, such as the Baux-de-Provence Château, the Nîmes Arena or the Ancient Theatre in Orange to enable underprivileged children access to our cultural heritage.

15 Practical information

Château des Baux-de-Provence Follow us: 13 520 Les Baux-de-Provence Tél : +33 4 90 54 55 56 Fax : +33 4 90 54 55 00 /Château-des-Baux-de-Provence [email protected] @Culturespaces www.chateau-baux-provence.com

RATES OPENING TIMES With special activities (April to September) Open all year long. Full rate: 10 € / reduced rate: 8 € January, February, November, December: Without special activities (October to March) 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Full rate : 8 € / reduced rate : 6 € March, October : 9.30 a.m. to 6.30 p.m. Reduced rate for children from 7 to 17, April, May, June, September: students, teachers and job-seekers. 9 a.m. to 7.15 p.m. Free for children under 7 years old, journalists July, August : 9 a.m. to 8.15 p.m. and employed in the tourist trade. Café des Baux open from the 1st of April until the 31st of October Pass Provence (Château des Baux-de- Provence + Carrières de Lumières) : ACCESS With activities : 17,5 € (FR) / 14 € (RR) Without activities : 15,5 € (FT) / 12 € (RR) By car: Motorways A7 (Avignon exit), A9 Family offer (Nîmes) or A54 (Les Baux-de-Provence). Free entrance for the 2nd child aged between The village of Les Baux has free coach parking 7 to 17 when two adults and one child entries on presentation of the reservation ticket for have been bought. the Château tour.

By train: Avignon, Aix-en-Provence and Arles Groups train stations Adults (min 20 people) By plane: Nîmes, , Avignon airports 8 € with special activities (April to September)

6 € without special activities (October to

March)

Schools (min 20 students)

5 € with special activities (April to September)

4 € without special activities (October to

March)

Educational workshops: 14 € per children

Copyrights Cover: S. Lloyd / Banner: C. Recoura / Page 4: C. Recoura / Page 5: C. Recoura / Page 6: C. Recoura / Page 11: Casterman, Culturespaces / Page 12: www.topphoto-fr.com Armédiéval / Page 13: Culturespaces, E. Brouard-Batteur/ Page 14: La Petite Boîte-Ariane Delrieu, Hugues Laurent/Culturespaces , Culturespaces / Page 15: Fondation Culturespaces

RD. 09/01/2015

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