At this
time of year when I look out the window and it’s cold, dark and dreary, I
really appreciate the uplifting effects of colour. And the vibrant print of a
Provencal fabric never fails to put a smile on my face. The vivid yellows, reds
and blues whisper ‘summer’ to me. Avignon’s Rue des Teinturiers, Street of the
Dyers, is where these lively textiles originated.
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A Rainbow of Provencal Prints |
Traditional Provencal designs are
inspired by Indiennes prints, the brightly coloured cotton fabrics that were imported
from India to the port of Marseille in the 16th century. French versions of the popular
prints were soon produced in the textile mills of Avignon and today’s motifs still
reflect the colours and themes found in the local landscape like olives,
lavender and the sea.
On a quiet
Sunday morning I headed out to explore Rue des Teinturiers. The shops and cafés were still closed but a group of
artists had gathered beneath the plane trees to do some sketching. The small
stream running along the street is a branch of the Sorgue River that once turned
the water wheels to power the city’s textile mills.
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Rue des Teinturiers, Street of the Dyers |
|
Water Wheel |
|
Sorgue Canal |
The cobblestoned
street is now lined by a row of unique car barriers carved out of limestone
blocks.
|
Limestone Car Barriers |
I was disappointed
that I’d arrived too early for un café on Rue des Teinturiers. But the warm summer
memory of a cup enjoyed on Square Agricol Perdiguier is one I can embrace on
the frosty days to come.
|
Un Café on Square Agricol Perdiguier |
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