Day off in Orange

Yesterday, I arrived in Orange from the north, as travelers in ancient times would have. Now, as then, visitors are greeted by the imposing triumphal arch erected by the Romans 2,000 years ago. It was built on the Via Agrippa, a paved road that connected important cities of the Rhone Valley, including Arles, Avignon, Orange, and Valence and Vienne, where I had just been.

Carrie found me a cute hotel called L’Herbier d’Orange in the centre of this small town. From the arch, I continued along the Avenue de l’Arc de Triomphe to an area free of cars. Here, I found my hotel in a maze of small streets and alleys lined with colourful buildings bursting with character and home to restaurants, shops, and small inns.

I had intended to only spend one night in Orange but sitting outside the hotel while waiting for the check-in to open, I decided to stay two nights and give myself a day of rest. Over the past two days, I have cycled 225 kilometres, and while I felt the strongest I have on the bike, my body was telling me it needed a rest. Marcus, too wanted a break.

A typical day is getting on the road before eight in the morning and depending on the length of ride, I get to my destination in the afternoon (sometimes it’s late afternoon, or in the case of mechanical issues or strong headwinds it’ll be early evening). Then, I repeat the following day.

Theatre in Orange was constructed two thousand years ago and had a capacity for 10,000.

So, what did my rest day look like today. I visited the Orange Art and History Museum and ancient theatre, both a block away. Then, I returned to my hotel to read, write, and generally do nothing with my legs.

Like a lot of places in Roman controlled France (known as Gaul back then), the Romans displaced the locals and established communities that were first settled by veteran legionnaires (retired military folk). In the case of Orange, veterans commanded by Julie Caesar were given plots of land and the town grew to one of importance.

At the end of the grand road leading from the triumphal arch, a theatre that could accommodate 10,000 people was built at the base of Saint Eutrope hill. For ease of construction, the Romans typically took advantage of the topography (sloped hillsides) to build their theatres. The stage, still standing today, rises 120 feet and was richly decorated with 76 columns and various statues. In the 1600s, King Louis the 14th remarked that the Roman theatre in Orange is the best-preserved one in Europe, and the finest wall in the kingdom. It’s believed, the theatre’s preservation was because it has continually been used as a theatre, as it still is today.  

Tomorrow, Marcus and I continue south to Arles, with a pit stop to see the Pont du Gard. Then, it’s a left turn and eastward we travel.

A maze of narrow streets and alleys, backdropped by charming buildings