Copyright PS

Touët-sur-Var from the railcar.

Enlarge:
1. Simply click the diagonal arrows.
2. Further enlarge: Then press F11 on a PC, or Fullscreen. Allow re-focus.

A hide-and-seek of hilltop towns occurs up this once-boundary between France and Savoy, also plagued by the Saracens especially in the 9thC. Roquette-sur-Var, Gillette, and Bonson; then the twisted and tortured terrain of the Chaudan Defile. Suddenly I saw the dramatic siting of Touët hanging on its cliff-face. I'd explored it on previous visits.

wikimapia

See also my Set Travels3.

.
.

Tags:   Peter Sheppard Peteshep PS Copyright photo Travel Alpes-Maritimes France Var river Touet-sur-Var Geotagged Vernacular Architecture Architecture|Nature Buildings/Architecture French Villages Historical Villages perched village hilltop Arriere Pays 06 Provence-Alpes-Cote d'Azur cliff falaise Arrière pays Touët-sur-Var Village pendu Touët Villages et petites villes d'Europe EU Géomarquée empilé Clips07

© All Rights Reserved

Copyright PS

Touët-sur-Var, also from the railcar.
See my Travels3-Scraps Album/set for a closer view. PS
www.flickr.com/photos/peteshep/633869217/in/set-721576005...


Enlarge:
1. Simply click the diagonal arrows.
2. Further enlarge: Then press F11 on a PC, or Fullscreen. Allow re-focus.


.
.

Tags:   Peter Sheppard Peteshep PS Copyright photo Travel Alpes-Maritimes France Var river Touet-sur-Var Vernacular Architecture Buildings/Architecture French Villages Historical Villages Architecture perched village cliff falaise Arrière pays Touët-sur-Var Arriere pays Village pendu Geotagged Touët Villages et petites villes d'Europe EU Géomarquée Clips07

© All Rights Reserved

Copyright PS

Entrevaux approach bridge over the Var. PS
Porte Royale.

Enlarge:
1. Simply click the diagonal arrows.
2. Further enlarge: Then press F11 on a PC, or Fullscreen. Allow re-focus.

Entrevaux has centuries of history; a Roman town, a former bishopric, and a medieval city with a fortress built under Louis XIV by Vauban. It was border of France until 1860.

The canon stopped thundering a long time ago, but the "city" has kept its atmosphere of past centuries: clerics, craftsmen and country-folk have bequethed narrow high houses, squares and fountains, Genoese friezes with rows of "canal" tiles, balconies, winding alleys, step stairs, watchtowers, loopholes, workshops, and a cathedral with carved doors, together giving testimony to the busy life of another era. There are six drawbridges, ramparts with covered watchpath, a machicolated redoubt, the fortified church with castellated belltower, a dungeon with underground passages, but also life-signs such as oil and flour mills.

Whereas most of the town is nestled low, just past the river drawbridge a zig-zag climb rises high up the cliff-face behind to the citadel sharp-angled against the sky. And wandering through the alleys, we find again derelict patches leading to surprise corners of intimate and human space and happenchance composition.
(More photos follow.)

wikimapia


.
.

Tags:   Peter Sheppard Peteshep PS Copyright photo Travel France Var river Vauban Geotagged Architecture Architecture and Buildings Architecture Travellers Architecture Buildings in the World Buildings/Architecture Architecture Directory Bridges in Europe French Villages Historical Villages Entrevaux Arriere Pays Provence-Alpes-Cote d'Azur 04 Alpes-de-Haute-Provence medieval Middle Ages Arrière pays Villages et petites villes d'Europe EU historic towns HCCITY Géomarquée City Wall, Walled Towns Enceinte Clips07 Porte Royale

© All Rights Reserved

Copyright PS

Entrevaux approach, citadel above. PS

.
.

Tags:   Peter Sheppard Peteshep PS Copyright photo Travel France Var river Vauban Buildings/Architecture French Villages Historical Villages Architecture Entrevaux 04 medieval Middle Ages Citadel Arrière pays Arriere pays Geotagged Villages et petites villes d'Europe EU Géomarquée pont City Wall, Walled Towns Enceinte Clips07

© All Rights Reserved

Copyright PS

Entrevaux.

.
.

Tags:   Peter Sheppard Peteshep PS Copyright photo Travel France Var river Vauban PLACES&PEOPLE Populated Architecture Buildings/Architecture French Villages Historical Villages Entrevaux 04 Medieval Middle Ages Arrière pays Arriere pays Geotagged Villages et petites villes d'Europe EU Géomarquée City Wall, Walled Towns Enceinte Clips07

© All Rights Reserved