CAU > Seminars and Study Tours > Gardens of Provence

Gardens of Provence

May 7-16, 2005

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Gardens of Provence and the French Riviera

May 07-16, 2005
France
Donald A. Rakow

Few regions of Europe are as beautiful or as much treasured as Provence, the region of southern France whose associations range from Caesar, the Romans, and the Popes, to splendid wine, unspoiled villages, and the nearby shores of the Mediterranean. Tucked away here and there throughout its rolling countryside is yet another of Provence's great treasures, its gardens, the focus of this newest CAU horticultural expedition.

Led by CAU favorite Donald A. Rakow, professor of horticulture at Cornell and the Elizabeth N. Wilds Director of Cornell Plantations, we hope to do justice to the famous names and lesser known jardins and jardiniers whose ideas, talents, and devotion appear in so many landscapes, from Aix-en-Provence to Nice and the French Riviera.

Don has selected gardens of varied types and histories. As we tour, we will meet many of their owners and designers and take time to enjoy the culinary pleasures of nearby towns. Throughout, as always, Don will provide you with overviews of the places we visit and context for the plants, designs, and horticultural accomplishments you will see.

Arriving in Marseilles, we will drive inland to Aix-en-Provence, the famed capital of Provence, where we'll stay for three nights. We'll visit the Chateau d'Ansouis near Bonnieux, with its magnificent views of the surrounding Luberon countryside; the marvelous gardens at La Louve, a complex series of terraces containing an incredible diversity of plants; the Chance family Winery and Gardens at Chateau Val Joanis; and the Abby Saint Andre in Villeneuve les Avignon, with its priceless tapestries and porcelains, and its lovely garden overlooking Avignon's cathedral.

From Aix, we'll head toward Nice, for a five-night stay. We'll explore Le Parc Saint Bernard in Hyeres, a magnificent terraced landscape; Le Parc Sainte Claire, whose landscapes snake around Edith Wharton's last home; and the garden of La Domaine du Rayol, designed by Gilles Clement to represent each of the Mediterranean's major botanical habitats. We'll visit Villa Ephrussi de Rothschild; La Casella in Opio, a lovely private garden; and Serre de la Madone, the provincial garden of Lawrence Johnston, designer of Hidcote in England. We'll explore Les Cedres, which has been described as "the most outstanding garden in France"; the Hanbury Botanical Garden in La Mortola, Italy, with its marvelous views of the Mediterranean; and the remarkable Jardin Botanique Exotique Val Rameh. We'll also set aside a little free time in Nice for individual explorations.

The program fee of $5,190 (per-person, double-occupancy) includes all lodging, most meals, all ground transportation, site visits, admission fees, escort services, taxes, gratuities, emergency medical-evacuation insurance, and the full educational program. The supplement for single occupancy (limited availability) is $950. A group flight from New York will be offered (the current price is $850), but you are free to make your own air arrangements if you prefer.

This is a moderately strenuous program. We will be walking a mile or more in many places over uneven, hilly terrain, and climbing many flights of steps. Weather this time of year should be just about perfect. Note, however, that showers are always a possibility.

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