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The Roman theatre in Arausio followed a standard plan that was
replicated throughout the Roman world. But thanks to the caprices
of history, it is now the best preserved of all Roman theatres and
gives Orange its place in the guidebooks. Today it’s the site of the
Chorégies, a grand summer festival of music, dance and
opera.
The theatre has the only complete surviving example of a stage wall,
lacking only the original roof and mosaics. The stage had trap doors
under its floor, and elaborate machinery for moving scenery
underground and backstage. The acoustic design included hollow doors
built into the wall. An actor making a speech stood next to the door,
which amplified his voice like the body of a guitar or violin.
Presiding over all this technology, in a special niche, was (and
is) a statue of Augustus Caesar. The theater was built during his
reign, in the 1st century CE.
Next to the theater is the excavation of a temple complex on the site
of a sacred spring. It was probably built after the theatre, during
the reign of Hadrian in the second century CE.
Orange is a good base for exploring the scenic Dentelles de
Montmirail. The Dentelles (which means “lace”) are a series of
partially-eroded limestone rocks. The rocks are popular with climbers.
If you’re not into rock climbing, the entire region is full of little
roads that ramble through lush green vineyards, farmland, and meadows.
Spending an afternoon exploring the little out-of-the-way roads in
Provence won’t get you quickly between famous tourist sights. But you
will see countryside views offering unexpected beauty. The
wildflowers that seem to bloom everywhere are one very compelling
reason to visit in the spring.
The little roads will also take you to little villages, which are rich
in interesting little details. I can’t identify the village in the
background of the vineyard scene which is in the
middle of proverbial “nowhere.” The garlic cloves in the window were
in Séguret.
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