Paris Day
Trip
Provins
Day-Trip to Provins - 77 km southeast of Paris.
On the hilltop site of a Roman camp, Provins developed into the third
largest town in france (after Paris and Rouen) in the Middle Ages as
capital of the counts of Champagne, acquiring international renown for
its fair and as a rose-growing center. Provins has over 50 protected
monuments bearing witness to its opulent past, including the
12th-century gothic church of St-Quiriace with its incongruous 17th
century classical dome. There's plenty to see underground, too -
a guided tour of the Souterrains takes in a small part of the 6 miles
of tunnels that honeycomb the hill on which Provins is built
(contact the tourist office for details www.provins.net). Climb
up the tour Cesar, a round, ivy covered 11th-century keep atop a sturdy
mound, for a panoramic view of the town and some of the best preserved
medieval ramparts in France. The vaulted 13th century Grange aux Dimes
(Tithe Barn), originally used as a covered market, houses a collection
of waxwork displays evoking the crafts and merchants who brought
medieval Provins wealth and fame, and shows a film retracing the town's
history.
