Provence captivated Thomas Jefferson. John Kelleher, the film censor, understands why
'I AM NOW IN the land of corn, wine, oil and sunshine. What more can a man ask of heaven?"
In 1787 Thomas Jefferson, later to become the third president of the United States, was ambassador to Paris. Visiting the thermal waters at Aix-en-Provence, he was captivated by the potent charms of the region, including those of a small medieval town halfway between Arles and Avignon. Encircled by elegant boulevards of plane trees, St-Rémy-de-Provence is colourful, cosmopolitan and pretty.
A few kilometres south, the rich surrounding plain looks up to the limestone crags of the Alpilles mountain range, the distinctive blue-grey backdrop to many of Van Gogh's paintings.
Popular for its atmosphere, shops and proximity to many of France's premier-league tourist attractions, St-Rémy remains proudly steeped in agricultural traditions unique to southwestern Provence.
Last month I watched the transhumance, the Pentecostal procession, when shepherds in traditional costumes herd thousands of sheep, goats and cattle through the streets en route to cooler mountain pastures for the summer. The procession is repeated on All Saints' Day, when the animals are brought down for the winter.
I rather nervously recall a memorable summer day a few years ago when I ran through those streets with local men - younger and fitter than I am - together with frisky black bulls.
For years St-Rémy's convivial atmosphere and dramatic landscapes have been magnets for artists, offering a seductive mix of blue sky, hot sun, dry air and diamond-bright light; fields of wheat, lavender, sunflowers, olive groves and poppies; plane trees arcing gracefully to give shade over long Roman approach roads; scents of rosemary, garlic, sage, thyme; the scratchy chorus of cicadas, the clinking of sheep bells, boules and - à votre santé - a welcome glass of pastis or wine.
Van Gogh came to St-Rémy by train from Arles for what was virtually the final year of his life. He created more than 150 canvasses, including Irises, Self-Portrait, Starry Night and Wheat Field with Cypresses.
In 1889 the tortured artist checked himself into the private hospital of St-Paul-de-Mausole, a former monastery on the town outskirts. Now a tranquil museum, its cloister, secluded gardens and Van Gogh's room are beautifully preserved.
The Nobel peace laureate Albert Schweitzer was interned at St-Paul during the first World War. The US writer Gertrude Stein lived in St-Rémy, and Nostradamus, the philosopher and astrologer who predicted many disasters, was born there. Gounod, the composer, came to meet Frédéric Mistral, the Nobel-laureate poet, who was born nearby. Today local galleries display the work of resident artists, not all up to Van Gogh's standards.
The accents of expatriate Britons, Americans and, yes, Irish can be heard in the winding streets, market, cafes and boutiques. Property prices are well above average. Princess Caroline of Monaco has a pad nearby - the Grimaldis once owned a chunk of St-Rémy - as have the racing driver Alain Prost and the actor Jean Reno. There have been sightings, locals say, of President Sarkozy. An Irish friend is convinced he saw Sue Lawley.
Glanum, one of Europe's premier Roman archaeological excavations, stands just outside the town, on the route of the old Via Domitia, the Roman road from Italy to Spain. Beside it, known as Les Antiques, are the Mausoleum of Julius, from 25 BC, and the Triumphal Arch, from about AD 20.
St-Rémy also makes a perfect base for exploring the many attractions of the Bouches-de-Rhone region: Arles, Aix-en- Provence, Avignon, Nîmes, Tarascon and the remarkable wetland wilderness of the Camargue. Even Marseilles (90km away), chic Cassis and the spectacular Calanques can be reached on a day trip.
What more, in Jefferson's phrase, can we ask of heaven?
Go there
Aer Lingus (www.aerlingus. com) and Ryanair (www. ryanair.com) fly from Dublin to Marseille most of the year. St-Rémy is an hour away. Aer Lingus also flies to Nice, about three hours from St-Rémy, year round from Dublin and seasonally from Cork and Belfast.
Where to stay, eat and go
Where to stay
Hôtel les Ateliers de l'Image. 34 Boulevard Victor Hugo, St-Rémy. 00-33-4-90925150, www.hotelinprovence.com. Four-star hotel on main street but with pool and gardens.
Le Château des Alpilles. Three kilometres outside St-Rémy on the D31, 00-33-4-90920333, www.chateaudesalpilles.com. A four-star hotel in a graceful 19th-century mansion at foothills of the Alpilles. Auberge de la Reine Jeanne. 12 Boulevard Mirabeau, St-Rémy, 00-33-4-90921533, www.auberge-reinejeanne.com. A central three-star hotel whose restaurant has a terrace.
Where to eat
L'Assiette de Marie. 1 Rue Jaume Roux, St-Rémy. 00-33-4-90923214. Très provençal old-fashioned bistro. Princess Caroline, Rod Stewart and Pamela Anderson have dined here. Not together.
La Maison Jaune. 15 rue Carnot, St-Rémy, 00-33-4- 90925614, www.franceweb.org/ lamaisonjaune. Charming. Roof patio. Two Michelin forks.
Le Mas du Capoun. 27 Avenue des Paluds, Mollégès, 00-33-4-90260712, www.masducapoun.fr. Worth the 12km trip from St-Rémy for the excellent food and ambience. Stay here if you can.
Where to go
Maison de Santé Saint-Paul. Route des Baux, St-Rémy, 00-33-4-90927700, www. cloitresaintpaul-valetudo.com.The private hospital that Van Gogh stayed at now includes a museum to him.
Glanum and Les Antiques archaelogical site. Route des Baux-de-Provence, St-Rémy, 00-33-4-90922379, http://glanum.monuments- nationaux.fr/en. Among Europe's top Roman archaeological artefacts.
Le Mas de la Pyramide. St-Rémy. 00-33-4-90920081. This agricultural museum exhibits centuries of Provencal tradition. Follow a visit with a drive - or, if you are vrai sportif, a cycle - through the limestone massif of the Alpilles.
Arles. Roman amphitheatre, museums and famous outdoor market (flower, food, clothes and flea), 22km from St-Rémy.
Avignon. Palace of the Popes, museums and the iconic Pont d'Avignon, 25km from St-Rémy.
Citadel of Les Baux. Stunning rock formations at fortress eyrie of the medieval lords of Baux, 15km from St-Rémy. Annual audiovisual staging in caves of the nearby Cathédrale des Images this year celebrates Van Gogh.
The Camargue. Marshes, sand dunes, wildlife, black bulls, white horses, flamingos, cowboys and gypsies, 40km from St-Rémy.
Pont du Gard. Marvel of Roman engineering and architectural elegance, 50km from St-Rémy.
Aix-en-Provence. Cafes in shady squares. Roman baths. Rich Cézanne heritage. 70km from St-Rémy.