Forcalquier

The surrounding region is called the Pays de Forcalquier; the hills are covered with pubescent oak, their year-round leaves brown through the winter, making the hillsides brown and barren looking until spring.

There's actually no citadel remaining on the citadel hill, just a few vestiges of the ancient stone defensive walls and stone-vaulted underground rooms on the hillside on the way up. The citadel was first built in the 10th century, and destroyed in 1601.

At the peak of the hill is the 19th-c octagonal Notre-Dame-de-Provence chapel [photo-1], with beautiful carved-stone figures and stone tiled domed roof. There is of course a fabulous view in all directions; the Touring Club de France has provided an observation table, built on a lovely stone pedestal with an iron railing.

At the top you'll also find a carillon of 16 bells, with carved plaques for each of the notes and the person dedicated to the bell. During the summer you can listen to the carillon playing late morning every sunday.

Although it's pretty and picturesque, Forcalquier is an active, living village. Walking through the steep narrow streets, you'll see old, care-worn buildings interspersed with others refurbished in bright new stone, and there will be people and activity everywhere. The most faded looking part is actually the Place St Michel in the heart of the old town. The carved-stone Renaissance fountain [photo-3], built in 1511, is surrounded by delapidated old buildings.

Many of the doorways are ancient, some dating to the 12th to 16th centuries. And we like the may wroght-iron balconies in the old town.

In the center of town, where the main road passes by the Place du Bourguet, is the impressive 12th-c Notre-Dame-de-l'Assomption "concathedral". This huge white-stone building has 13th-c gothic parts, 17th-c bell towers and a 17th-c organ - with organ concerts every Sunday during the summer. The two bell towers are impressive, and the sound is just as impressive: sitting at a terrace café in the evening, sipping a "ballon de rouge" and snacking on fromage de Banon, conversation stops for a few minutes when they chime.

The Cordeliers Convent was built in the 13th century by an order of Franciscans, named "cordeliers" because of their rope belts. This convent was one of the first Franciscan sites built in Provence, and was occupied by the monks continuously until the end of the 18th century. The port de cordeliers [photo-5] is all that remains of the town's fortified walls.

Bories

There are many bories in the region. There's a nice one just beside the road (on the right) on the D950 a couple of km to the west, just before the bend where the road goes alongside the lake. We found others along the GR6 going north out of town, including a couple in people's yards in that corner of town. On the hiking maps, the bories are called "cabanons pointus" or just "cabanon".

Market

Forcalquier has an outstanding marché on Monday mornings, and an even bigger one on the first Monday of the month. The normal Monday market has just about everything you could imagine, including agricultural plants and equipment. The market fills the main Place du Bourguet and overflows down the adjoining streets. It spreads across the main road to fill the Place in front of the church and Rue de Bereluc-Perussis, goes up through the small streets and crowds into the Place St Michel with its fine old fountain.

The Forcalquier market has a much larger selection of organic (biologique) foods than is found in most of the markets of Beyond. On a typical Monday, you'll see at least a dozen different stands offering organic vegetables, breads, drinks and other home-grown foods. Evelyne and Christian Robert-Traeger are there every week with their delicious varieties of Pain à l'Ancienne.

Shopping. Forcalquier isn't a place for clothes shopping, but there are plenty of low-cost clothes stands during the Monday market.

Museums

Musée Municipal
Prehistoric and Gallon-Roman archeology. Glass works. Faïence pottery from Mane, Apt and Moustiers-Ste-Marie.
Location: 2 Place du Bourguet (beside the Mairie)
Tel: (33) 492 75 00 14; Fax: (33) 492 75 05 20 (Mairie)
Open: all year; visits Wed, 15h