On Day 14, we visited the medieval town of Provins. The city used to be a large trading hub in the XII and XIII centuries- a little like Dubai today. Provins was particularly well known for its Champagne fairs that attracted traders from all over Europe. Today, it is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Its intact and authentic ramparts, dungeons, churches, underground tunnels, ancient houses, vaulted underground rooms as well as its several equestrian and falconry shows attract a large number of tourists every year.
Below is a photo essay of our visit to Provins.
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- Our tour guide, Cecile took us on a walk around the medieval town. We explored the key iconic landmarks of the city.
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- The ramparts: One of the most imposing fortified walls of France at the time with a total of 5 km of ramparts. Builders were able to take advantage of the wealth of the counties to demonstrate their knowledge, by building all possible forms of towers: round, rectangular, hexagonal, octagonal, etc. Today, there are 1200 meters of ramparts around the upper town.
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- The square where the Champagne Fairs took place.
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- The two rivers of Provins helped the clothing and leather industry develop.
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- The people of Provins showed their wealth by building houses out of stone- a very expensive process at the time.
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- View of Provins from the Caesar Tower
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- The Caesar tower: This Dungeon complex is the symbol of the city and illustrates the power of the counts of Champagne during the middle ages.
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- For lunch, we enjoyed a medieval banquet.
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- We dressed up…
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- … and watched jugglers, sword-swallowers, and fire eaters.
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- After the banquet, we saw eagles, owls and falcons at a falconry show.
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- Students even had a chance to hold a falcon on their arm!
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- A truly amazing day in Provins!