Medieval city of Provins. Provins, the city of medieval fairs How to get from Paris to Provins
A quick and inexpensive way to get to know medieval France near Paris.
Travelers wishing to see the medieval French cities, usually head to Chartres or even further to Orléans in the Loire Valley. But it is much more convenient and faster to travel an hour by train or car to be in former capital Champagne - Provins.
In the XI - XIII centuries, the city, located 90 kilometers south of Paris, was the center of international trade, in which the trade routes of the Mediterranean merchants and of Eastern Europe. Provins has managed to retain the charm of a rural atmosphere and French history to this day. City listed world heritage UNESCO and has 58 historical monuments. To feel the spirit of bygone times, climb the restored fortress walls and Caesar's tower or take a walk along the cobbled streets along which Thibaut IV of Champagne himself walked - a true knight, poet and hero of numerous legends. So, one of the old stories about the Count of Champagne says that he was the first to bring the famous variety of roses “Damas” from the crusade. 
Then, head to Tithe Barn, an indoor city market. The trade past of the city is also reminiscent of a huge cross mounted on central square. In the old days, the main "exchange office" was located near the cross. And today there are shopping arcades where you can buy souvenirs and delicious products: from honey to mustard from roses. 
Next to the cross is a medieval well. Everyone can refresh themselves with water from the well. Or descend the underground galleries: a network of tunnels and rooms beneath the city. These places played a key role in the life of the city from the beginning of the 800s AD and 400 years after that. 
For those who are interested in spectacles, as well as for travelers with children, there are performances in the style of the Middle Ages, for example, "The Eagles of the Fortress Walls" and "The Legend of the Knights".
Tickets to visit historical buildings(Tithe Barn, Caesar's Tower, Underground Galleries and the Provins Museum) can be bought separately, or you can purchase a general ticket for 11.40 €, which also includes a visit to the Rose Garden and a trip to tourist train. Prices for medieval shows start from 7€.
How to get and where to live in Provins
Provins is easily accessible from Paris rental car or you can use the services public transport. Get a ticket for 16 € Mobilis, which will take you to Provins for half the price of a trip to Orléans. This pass is valid throughout the Île-de-France region, including Paris, and allows you to take the metro from your hotel to the Gare de L’Est station, as well as to Provins by train. Trains leave for Gare de L'Est every hour. For those wishing to walk around the surroundings from the city, there is a regular fixed-route taxi(trip cost 4 €). 
If you decide to stay in Provins for a couple of days, then the city has several great boutique hotels, such as Aux Vieux Remparts or Demeure Des Vieux Bains, whose atmosphere and furnishings are exactly the same as your time travel, but with all the much-needed modern man amenities and comfort. 
For many, a trip to Paris is a journey of a lifetime, while others manage not only to bring their wishes to life, but also, walking around the city, tell their requests and thoughts, turning to higher powers for help through statues, stones and tombstones. Continue your itinerary through gorgeous France and the city of love as you explore 10 magical places in Paris where dreams come true. The city of light, romance and love is literally saturated with magic and magic.
City: provence
Category: architecture
Provins is a charming Champagne town located just an hour from Paris, whose medieval architectural ensemble recognized as one of the grandest in Europe in terms of the number of monuments preserved in it. In 2001, this centuries-old fairground city was listed as a World Heritage Site. cultural heritage under the protection of UNESCO.
The first mention of Provins dates back to the beginning of the 9th century, but its heyday came in the first half of the 10th century, when important trade routes ran through the city's borders. In this regard, its old part, located on a hill and fortified with a fortress wall, became the venue for annual trade fairs, where merchants from all over Europe flocked. Local artisans were engaged in the production of woolen fabrics and durable cloth, as well as the cultivation of scarlet roses, which are very popular in our time. By the thirteenth century, the popularity of the local fairs began to decline and Provins lost its economic importance.
The historical part of Provins, which used to be the epicenter of the fair in Europe, is divided into two sections - the Upper and Lower Towns, in which, in addition to the fortified defensive wall, underground galleries used to obtain fuller's clay, as well as many merchant buildings, are perfectly preserved. The Upper Town is also interesting for the majestic Donjon Castle, which was built in 1137 and surrounded by round towers, while the Lower Town boasts old half-timbered houses for every taste, color and size.
As for the city fortifications, they abound in every possible variety of towers erected in different architectural styles. The most famous of them is the Caesar's Tower, built in the 12th century as a symbol of the military and defensive power of the Counts of Champagne. The Saint-Ayul temple, notable for its Gothic facade, and the unfinished Saint-Kiryas church, where in 1429 Joan of Arc herself attended the service along with the newly minted French monarch Charles VII, deserve special mention, as clearly evidenced by a memorial plaque placed not far from entrance.
On Bastille Day, we went to the city of Provins (Provins), located near Paris. Proven is old City historical area Champagne. Quoting the travel brochure: Provins is one of Europe's finest examples of a medieval merchant town and a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
The ancient city of Provins is located on a hill and is still surrounded by medieval walls. The city in the XIII century was the venue for the annual fair, perhaps the largest not only in Champagne, but throughout France. The city's population at that time was seven to eight times more than it is today. The counts of the Champagne region were the first to introduce passports to ensure the safe passage of merchants through their territory, making the fairs in Provins one of the most important in Europe. Here they made wool and grew scarlet roses, taken by the Crusaders from the Holy Land. At the end of the 13th century, Provins' relations with the counts of Champagne deteriorated, he lost his trading privileges, and with them his economic importance.
The city can be reached from Paris in a variety of ways; we arrived by train from the East Station (Paris Gare de l "Est), travel time is about an hour and a half. Provins is divided into lower and upper cities. Most of the attractions (the remains of the fortress, the fairground) are located on top of a hill in the upper city, A railroad station where we arrived is below, so we went around the city from below upwards.
Probably due to the fact that we arrived on a holiday (Bastille Day), the streets were completely deserted: 
The first of the sights noted in the guidebook, we met the Church of St. Ayoul. The porch of this church was the place of money exchange and the first fairs in Provins. The building of the church has been rebuilt many times since its foundation in the 11th century, and most recently the church has been completely restored.
The church is small and "cozy" inside.
Beautiful stained-glass windows flood the church from the inside with a soft mysterious light: 
Go ahead. In the booklet-guidebook, three routes of bypassing the city, different in time, were drawn. We chose the shortest one called Count Thibaut's path . Count Thibault IV is the most famous of the Dukes of Champagne. A poet and skilled horseman, he participated in several crusades. In Provins, the capital of the county, he planted a garden with damask roses brought from the East, they were called "Roses of Provins."
As we understood, a normal announcement for France in the summer - the store is closed, everyone is on vacation for a month :) It seemed strange to us that such announcements were even in many pharmacies - they say, don't get sick while I'm on vacation. 
City Hall: 
Streets: 
Sometimes the road up is quite steep: 
Blooming lindens: 
We went to Place du Châtel - the heart upper city. In the center of the square is an ancient well and the Exchange Cross dating from the 13th century. The cross was also called the "Cross of Edicts": at its foot, money exchange transactions were made and counts and then royal edicts (decrees) were read.
Around the square are various restaurants and souvenir shops. 
Here we stopped for lunch, if I am not mistaken, at a place called Le Cesar Gourmand
We really liked the food. We ordered lunch - salad (appetizer), main course and dessert, even found a couple of photos on the phone. Instead of a salad, I had duck riillette (something like pate) with toasted bread. 
And Igor has a salad of potatoes and herring, very tasty. 
Stew for Igor. 
What I had for the main course, I don't remember =) For dessert there were creme brulee and homemade ice cream. Everything is very tasty, after Korea the portions seem not very large, but at the same time the food is so tasty that I eat much better.
Having refreshed ourselves, we went to the fortress wall. View from it: 
You can walk along the wall, touch the stones, imagine that time. 
The fortress was built in the 13th century and, in the best traditions of those times, was surrounded by a rampart. These fortress walls at one time discouraged many enemies from attacking Provins. The walls were up to 5 km long, and their perimeter expanded as the city grew. The towers here have a variety of architectural forms: square, rectangular, polygonal, round and even almond-shaped. 
We leave the fortress through the gates of St. John (The Saint-Jeans "s Gate), they protected the road to Paris. 
Around the city stretched rye (and not only) fields. Not far from the field, in the shade of trees, we drank a stored bottle of wine, enjoying the view of the fortress. The French may not be the best workers, but they definitely know a lot about simple pleasures. It was great =) 
We moved on to walk along the fortress. In the fields across the road from it is a small old cemetery, where the remains of the soldiers of the Commonwealth of Nations (Commonwealth War Grave), who died in different wars, are buried: 
Some gravestones are over a hundred years old. 
On the other side of the fortress wall, at that time, a show with eagles was taking place: 
This is not the only show on the territory, there is also a show of knights and a show about weapons. None of them got hit.
Having rounded the fortress, we went to the gates of Zhui. A small bell tower once towered over these gates, from where they monitored the approach of the enemy and warned the city of danger with a ringing. It was possible to climb these gates, the view from them to the city ... 
And in the neighborhood: 
Absolutely touching pictures open up - as, for example, in the photo below: the family got into the car and drove home along the beautiful peaceful alley:
Further, the road led us to the Collegiate St. Quiriace Provins Church. The construction of the church was started in the 12th century by Count Henry I, but was not completed due to financial problems. The dome was completed only in the 17th century. 
Unfortunately, the church closes early: we were literally five minutes late and could not get inside: (View from the other side: 
Saying goodbye to the city, we need to hurry to the train, we are waiting for another festive fireworks in Paris =) 
Provins seemed to us very beautiful and calm, it breathes history and is not teeming with tourists. A real medieval city, as I always imagined them in books! there are no very bright monuments, but there is a special atmosphere. It's a pity that we didn't make it to the rose garden, because the city is so famous for its roses: rose jam, rose honey and even pink sweets are produced here. Well, there will be a reason to come again;)
The walled city of Provins in the Seine-et-Marne department is of great architectural value.
In Provins, the atmosphere of the era of knights and feudal lords is carefully recreated. Then he was economic capital counties of Champagne: there were large trade fairs connecting the north of Europe with the Mediterranean. Provins has 58 historical monuments and has been on the UNESCO World Heritage List since 2001. The medieval city is located just 80 km southeast of Paris - the journey takes about an hour.
Attractions
fortress wall. 22 towers of various shapes rise above the 1200 m long wall. The construction of the fortification lasted from 1226 to 1314.
Caesar's Tower. Donjon of the 12th century great view over the city and the Briar fields.
grunge-o-dim. Former indoor market, now a museum dedicated to medieval fairs in Provins.
10 km underground galleries and 150 Romanesque and Gothic rooms.
Wide rectangular Place Châtel with ancient buildings of the XIII-XV centuries.
"Maison Roman". The oldest building in the city now houses the Provins Museum.
Collegiate Church of Saint-Cyrias 12th century
Rose garden. More than 300 varieties grow on the territory of 3.5 hectares, including Provencal rose. Flowering time is June. Desserts based on rose petals can be tasted in the shop and tea salon.
Pass Visites
The Pass Visites entitles you to visit Caesar's Tower, Grange aux Dimes, underground galleries and the Provins Museum, as well as guided tours, a ride on a tourist train and medieval-themed performances such as falconry on horseback, a knightly show in the moat and "banquet of the troubadours" - a medieval feast in an old hall. You can buy a season ticket at the Tourist Office of Provins.
calendar of events
Early June: Sound and light show with 300 locals in medieval costumes.
Weekend in mid-July: Medieval feasts, street processions and performances.
Last weekend of August: Harvest Festival. This is the only Harvest festival in France, which takes place in the squares and streets of the city, as it was in the old days. A string of wagons and vintage harvesting equipment pass through the streets, locals dancing folk dances.
Gastronomy
Provins is famous for its rose-based sweets (petal jam, rose honey, rose candy, rose syrup). Try also the niflet cream puff pastries and Provencal brie.
How to get there
By train: from Gare de Paris to Gare Provins (line P, trains every hour); Navigo's special fare allows you to travel for free on weekends and holidays.
By bus: with ParisCityVision, regular service Paris-Provins-Paris (with guided tours)
Contacts
Tourist office of Provins
Chemin de Villecran, 77482 Provins
July 6th, 2013 , 02:27 pm
On the way from Troyes to Paris, we decided to stop by the small provincial town of Provins. It's small now, but it used to be huge. And here lived in the Middle Ages 80 thousand people (against 10 thousand of the current population).
Provins was first mentioned in 802, and apparently, already at that time it was a fully developed city, surrounded (of course) by a wall.
In 996, the relics of St. Aiola were found here, possibly hidden here by monks fleeing the Normans. This discovery led to the draining of the adjacent swamps and the construction of various religious buildings here. And first of all - the church (and monastery) of St. Aiola, where his relics were kept.
In those days, Provins belonged to the county of Champagne. Count of Champagne Thibaut II built a palace here, which after his death went to his widow. She, being a pious lady, in 1160 organized a hospice in the palace.
Pilgrims who came to venerate the relics of St. Aiola stopped here.
The same Count Thibault of Champagne brought a particle of the Holy Cross from Jerusalem, and the Church of the Holy Cross was built for it (it took 500 years to build).
At the beginning of the second millennium, annual large-scale fairs began to be held in several cities of Champagne. Twice a year, in spring and autumn, such a fair was held in Provins. In addition to Provins fairs were held in Troyes, Lagny and Bar-sur-Aube.
Thanks to them, the city grew, developed, grew rich and, starting from the 9th century, even minted its own coin - "Provins denier".
Everything that is in this city is directly or indirectly connected with fairs. The houses that were built here were built with the expectation of fairs. In any old building in Provins (and almost all of them here) there is always a whole system of vaulted cellars - warehouses. From the cellar there must be an exit to the street.
The building that immediately attracts the eye of a tourist is Caesar's Tower.
It was built on the ruins of ancient Roman fortifications as a donjon (that is, the main tower of the fortress) in the 12th century.
Donjon - usually the most impregnable and protected part of the castle, a fortress within a fortress.
Caesar's Tower served mainly military purposes. From it, the sentinels surveyed the surroundings, whether the enemy was approaching.
And now tourists have the opportunity to enjoy the views of the surroundings.
Opposite Caesar's Tower collegiate church Saint Cyriacus, the same age as the tower.
In fact, it was never completed. The chapel stood here in the 19th century. When the city began to grow, it was decided to expand it. The project was huge. The cross on the square in front of the cathedral marks the place where, according to the plan, the border of the church nave should be.