The Good Life: Craving for vrai myrtilles sauvages, Bilberries or Fraochán

When you look forward to the August Bank Holiday weekend you have a certain amount of expectation measured with more than a fair sprinkling of pessimism. The first break since early June and the knowledge that the Irish Summer has passed you by is confirmed when you realise the weather forecast for the August Bank Holiday weekend is going to be dull, overcast and damp at best. In fact you could view it as the departure of the Summer as the weather was going to be in constant decline from Friday afternoon.

Undeterred by the lack of global warming and promised long stretches of sunshine we ventured into the Dublin mountains for a little adventure suitably attired in warm clothing. Our quest was to find bog land as Corinne wanted to see if we could collect what the French call myrtilles sauvages, and are known as bilberries in England or fraochán in Ireland. She has often treated me to Tarte aux Myrtilles or Vrai Myrtilles Sauvages en bocaux while in France. There is some bog land in the Doubs region where these low growing shrubs or vaccinium myrtillus and its related species thrive in the acid soil. They may also be found in some of the forests where the soil is suitable.

 A view of the fraochán still in situ

Bog land is plentiful in the Dublin and Wicklow mountains and we stopped close to Glencree sighting the bright green foliage, and a number of people practically on their hands and knees collecting in the cold mist and rain. At first this might seem like an unrewarding task, but after a few hours collecting by hand you might gather almost three quarters of a kilo of the small black berries. We saw little or no evidence of people having used combs which can be used to rake the berries from their branches. These gather a good quantity of berries quite quickly but also strip the leaves from the small shrubs. As we drove closer to Glencree we saw more and more of these shrubs, not just growing among the heather but growing in thick tufts along the road side and atop the distinctive Wicklow granite walls.

Drawing your fingers through the fleshy green leaves to collect the small berries, you can gather a multitude of little insects disturbing the happy existence of small spiders and ladybirds. Corinne found a frog at one point. During my foraging, I noticed a tiny ladybird moving about climbing through the berries in the container. The ladybird was extremely small and quite unusually coloured. Before it took flight to a safer location, I managed to photograph it and subsequently discovered it was a 10-spot ladybird or Adalia decempunctata. Add another dot to your chart Mister Anderson!  This site has a more accurate distribution chart for this type of ladybird

The "punk" - the 10-spot ladybird or Adalia decempunctata among the small berries

Upon reaching the kitchen we started the lengthy process of cleaning the berries an separating them from a multitude of tiny leaves, twigs and diminutive spiders. Fortunately most of the spiders had disappeared by the time the berries were washed and were not condemned to a watery grave. An average full depth tarte aux myrtilles would employ 600 grams of the precious berries; a few hours work wrapped in a sweet pastry crust. I wanted to preserve a few berries and Corinne, becoming more and more demanding, made a strong argument for tarte aux myrtilles. I decided to scale down the affair, being a moderate diplomat maintaining the vestiges of some control and proposed the option of a few tartlets.

 A close up of the cleaned berries - not unlike there tasteless commercially grown cousins the blueberries

The vrai myrtilles sauvages en bocaux is the least difficult method of preserving the berries. The recipe was given to me by a friend of Corinne's who lives near Frasne in the Haut Doubs, which is very close to one of the few bogs in the area. Essentially you fill a .75 litre Le Parfait jar or other preserving jar with the berries and sprinkle over them two tablespoons of sugar. Seal down the jars and put the in a large preserving pot or bain marie with a lid. Place a tea towel on the base of the pan.; preferably the one you have just destroyed while cleaning the berries. This prevents the jars coming in direct contact with the heat. Fill the pan with water until it reaches two thirds the height of the jars, and simmer steadily covered for 1 hour. Allow to cool and store in a cool dry place away from sunlight. These are great on a cold winters night after dinner served with sweetened whipped cream. Do not forget to compare the colour of your tongues!

Corinne changed her mind (a recently developed fluctuating characteristic which is difficult to accept at times), and wanted a baked custard base filling to her tarte aux myrtilles. Fortunately, this allowed a more moderate use of the berries, and I should be able to make a full tart using a 24 centimeter tart ring. To begin place 250 grams of the berries with 50 grams of sugar in a pot and cook for 5  minutes. Thereafter allow to cool and strain the cooked berries through a sieve retaining the juice. Pour this juice over the uncooked berries and stir - I have about 270 grams remaining!

Then make a sweet shortcrust pastry. I rub approximately 250 grams of flour and 40 grams of icing sugar, together with 125 grams of cold butter. Once it mixture is the consistency of breadcrumbs, add an egg yolk and two or three tablespoons of cold water. Bring the pastry together and place in the fridge for about 20 minutes to rest.

In the meantime you can prepare your custard. There are many recipes for this, but I generally beat 4 eggs with two tablespoons of sugar, and a teaspoon of  purée de gousses de vanille or vanilla extract. Once combined I add to the egg mixture 250 milliliters of milk and the same quantity of cream. Leave this mixture to stand at room temperature. Carefully, roll out the pastry on a floured surface and with the same care and precision place the pastry into a buttered and floured tart tin. Cook the pastry blind at 180 Celsius for about thirty minutes. It is important to make sure there are no tears in the pastry prior to baking because you will be pouring a very liquid custard mix into the cooked pastry case. Taking the pastry case out of the oven, I let it cool for a short period before taking the parchment, and weights or chickpeas, from the case. To firm up the pastry I brush it with a little egg wash and put it back into the oven for a few minutes.

 
Once satisfied the case is not broken or torn, reduce the temperature of the oven to 160 Celsius and return the pastry case to the oven. I find it easier to pour in the custard mix at this point rather than going on a shaky adventure through the kitchen accompanied by frequent spillages. Cook the custard and the case for 45 minutes, or until the custard has a gentle wobble when you gently nudge the pastry tin. When cooked remove the tart from the oven and allow it to cool. Thereafter, gently spread and dot the the surface of the baked custard with the cooked berries. Then spoon the remaining berries and juice on top of the tart. To complete the experience, find a French person, preferably in a good humour, and serve them a slice of this tart with sweetened whipped cream and a cool glass of chardonnay from Arbois, Franche Comté.

An excellent end to the day

Corinne is leafing through a cook book now and has suggested that she would like grenouilles á la creme for dinner at some stage. I guess it is back to the bog for me next week!

The Good Life - Pain D'Epices

After last weeks cooking adventure, I have decided to redress the balance and encourage a little entente cordiale. I suggested to Corinne that I would attempt to make pain d'epices for Christmas. Her mood, which resists some of my extra curricular cooking, immediately brightened. A broad smile filled her face and she described in simple detail her personal nibble of choice; a thin slice of pain d'epices, with a slice of butter, and another thin slice of pain d'epices on top. "A sandwich", I said, but in the knowledge that this was far from being a modest sandwich.  This combination may sound like an artery bursting experience, however this most luxurious of festive spice breads is as much part of the French Christmas tradition as the traditional fruit cake or Christmas pudding would be in Ireland, and England. It is often served as an aperitif or can be presented in delicately thin slices to accompany a specially prepared foie gras.

A large slab of pain d'epices among buches de noel and other festive treats from the ancient producer Mulot-Petitjean, Dijon

The recipes for pain d'epices are as varied as its origins. Some authors believe it to have originated with the Chinese, the Greeks, others mention the Romans, and nearly all refer to the Arab tradition, through whose lands many of the spices required were transported and traded. It is made in a variety of manners throughout France and northern Europe. Its basic spiced flavours permeate the speculoos biscuits produced in the low countries at this time of year, and in spiced and seasoned ginger breads produced in Germany and Alsace. Certain types of pain d'epices are associated with certain cities in France such as Reims and Dijon, where it has been produced for hundreds of years. In the city of Dijon there are a number of traditional shops selling large slabs of pain d'epices and other spiced cakes and confections such as nonnettes. The facade of Mulot - Petitjean in Dijon has remained the the same since 1842 and the decadent and richly decorated interior of the shop cannot have changed much either.

Mulot - Petitjean, Dijon

The first task we had was to identify the spices to use in our pain d'epices. This proved to be quite difficult because just about everything I have read provided a different list of spices with varying quantities. Most acknowledge, and include in varying amounts, the core spices of cinnamon, nutmeg, ground ginger and ground clove. However, other recipes incorporated other spices which one would expect to find, and to taste, in pain d'epices. Eventually we settled on a recipe, which we found in a very interesting blog called Les Jardin de Pomone. The recipe is as follows: 15g ground cinnamon bark, 20g ground anise seed, 3g ground nutmeg, 5g ground coriander seed, 5g ground ginger, seeds from 5 cardamon pods ground, and 10 cloves ground. To this I also added a few twists of the pepper mill in acknowledgment of the Roman colonists in the vicinity of Dijon, and Burgundy.

The honey, spice and sugar mixture being combined with the wholegrain flour and the parfait jar of ground spices

Having read a few recipes, we could not decide which one would be the best to use. Once again the measures and ingredients varied greatly, allowing us to fall back into a state of confusion having only just solved the secret of the spices. We finally resorted to phoning Patricia, our principal contact for all things culinary in France. She provided us with a list of the following ingredients for a 1 pound loaf tin; 200g good honey (preferably a mountain honey or one from a single source), 100g soft light brown sugar, 100g milk, 1.5 teaspoons of the spices, zest from half a lemon and zest from half an orange chopped finely, a pinch of salt, 1 egg, 250g flour (most recipes suggest a rye flour but I am using a stone ground wholegrain flour), 1 teaspoon bicarbonate soda, 1 teaspoon baking powder. In somewhat of an interesting departure form the norm, Patricia added a teaspoon of pastis to her recipe, however I allowed myself my own variation, or elaboration, and decided to add a teaspoon of fleur d'oranger. The ingredients are somewhat surprising when you first cast your eye over then, but once put into operation the recipe comes together quickly and very easily.

 The loaves of pain d'epices cooling in their baking tins

Into a heavy based steel saucepan pour the honey, sugar, milk, zest, spices, salt and fleur d'oranger. Dissolve all these ingredients together over a low flame stirring from time to time. Once dissolved and well combined, remove from the heat and allow to cool. Whisk the egg and combine well with the cooled honey, sugar and spice mixture. In another bowl combine the flour, bicarbonate soda and baking powder. Gradually stir the flour into the honey, sugar, spice and egg mixture. Once well combined, spoon the mixture into a buttered  and floured loaf tin. This can then be placed into a preheated oven at 160 Celsius for one hour. The pain d'epices is cooked if a skewer drawn from the loaf is clean. Once cooled the pain d'epices should be stored for a few weeks wrapped in plastic. This aromatic bread softens as it matures, and the flavours develop with time becoming the perfect accompaniment to a festive foie gras with a sweet wine, or simply eaten with butter.

Fantastic Pumpkins from Le parc de la Tete D'Or, Lyon

The Good Life - Wood Hedgehog and Penny Bun Cep

Once again prior to departing the little village of Courviere, in Franche Comté, we decided to take a look at the cattle in the pasture and go for a walk in the woods. The walnut collection program was somewhat miserable, and after targeting a number of places we had collected them in previous years, the collection barely covered the bottom of the basket. Corinne described the experience in French as follows: "nous avous fait choux blanc". The vast majority of the walnuts are still contained within their fleshy skin. The occasional rain and drop in temperatures will cause this skin to break down over the next week or so, and la récolte des noix can begin in earnest.  For the moment we consoled ourselves with a trip to the woods.

Some locations were better guarded than others

The forest is at 850 meters above sea level and largely made up of sapins, or coniferous, with only a few deciduous trees to be found. Over the previous few days there had been light showers, and the forest air and floor was mild and damp. Walking among the neat rows of tall sapins we could see many different varieties of mushrooms; all of different shapes, colours and sizes. In some parts of the forest small mushrooms could be seen growing just about everywhere, in others brigthly coloured mushrooms stood out in an unnatural and eerie way on the forest floor

Amanita Muscaria is extremely toxic and often found growing in similar conditions to boletus edulis

At different levels in the forest, along the slopes, different conditions appear to pervade, and therefore certain types of mushrooms or fungi can be found depending on light, ground conditions, terrain and moisture. The verdant mossy floor of the forest produce some remarkable mushrooms, and the first clearly identifiable mushroom we happened upon was the wood hedgehog, hedgehog fungus or pied de mouton, known officially as Hydnum repandum. The growing pattern was typical of this type of mushroom, growing in small patches not distant from each other. They were quite young and consequently in very good condition. One notable characteristic of the wood hedgehog is that they are resistant to various larvae, and other infestations which plague other edible mushrooms.

The wood hedgehog or pied de mouton among the moss and pine needles on the forest floor

The wood hedgehog is reasonably rare in Ireland and England, but appears to be less rare in France due to its proliferation in markets. The season for this mushroom is from late september to late autumn, or until the first frosts. The cap is quite distinctive because of its irregular shape; it is not flat but as a somewhat undulating, folded appearance to its surface. It is normally found measuring 5 to 15 cms. However, it may be found incorporating one or more caps of its neighbouring mushrooms, because it can often be found growing in compact groups. The colouring of the cap varies over the entirety of the surface, with a mixed colouring of white and downy hue, to a yellow ochre. Underneath the cap can be found white or cream coloured spines where the white coloured spores are released from.

Along the perimeter of the forest we found a number of the much sought after boletus edulis. It is more popularly known as, depending on where you may find them, penny bun cep, cep du Bordeaux, bouchon de champagne, and porcini. This is probably one of the most identifiable mushrooms, however you have to be quite alert to spot them when young, because their bulbous foot is often buried in a thick layer of moss leaving only the small brown cap visible. These mushrooms can grow to be quite sizeable with the cap measuring up to 30 cms in diameter, and weighing in excess of a kilo. Unfortunately, the boletus family of mushrooms can be full of parasites, and are often found in a partially eaten state. Slugs devour them!

A young penny bun cep or boletus edulis growing in moss

We cooked our perfect little ceps à la creme upon our return home. This is a simple recipe, and one which I believe captures their rich characteristics of their flavour very well. We brushed clean our four penny bun ceps and sliced them thinly. Selecting two shallots, they were also sliced thinly, and fried in butter. Once the shallots had softened, the sliced ceps were added to the pan. The pan was covered for a few minutes to allow the ceps and shallots to soften and cook, and thereafter the pan was taken off the heat to add approximately 20 cl of full cream. Once replaced on the heat the contents of the pan were allowed to simmer for a further 5 to 10 minutes to reduce, and salt and a little freshly ground pepper were added to season.

Our wood hedgehog or pied de mouton ready to be cleaned on a board

For the wood hedgehog, we decided to preserve them in vinegar. The mushrooms must be fresh, of good quality, and preferably young, to make this process worthwhile. Any damage or undesirable parts should be pared away, and the pine needles and soil brushed away.  Many of our mushrooms were small enough not to be sliced, but of the larger ones were cut in half. The cooking process will cause the mushrooms to shrink to nearly half their original size, so if in doubt do not cut them.

To begin the preserving process, bring a saucepan of salted water to the boil. Place the cleaned mushrooms in the boiling salted water and leave to cook for 5 minutes. Meanwhile, in another saucepan, bring some white wine vinegar to the boil. The vinegar should be diluted with water by one third to reduce its intensity, and there should be enough liquid boiled to cover the mushrooms in the preserving jars. The preserving jars and lids should be clean and sterile. The preserved mushrooms benefit from adding herbs and garlic. You can add a combination of yellow mustard seed, pepper corns, bay leaves, and basil if you choose. Due to a combination of lack of resources and a lack of time, we opted for the simple combination of a slice or two of a garlic clove and a bay leaf. Once the mushrooms have been boiled for five minutes, they should be strained and placed in their jars, and thereafter the boiling vinegar mixture can be poured over them, and the lids put in place. This process should preserve the mushrooms for six months.

The mushrooms preserved in their jars

It is imperative to always positively identify a wild mushroom before you eat it. If there is any doubt about the identification of a mushroom it should not be picked or placed in your basket, because the toxins may contaminate other mushrooms you may have picked. Get a good book or find a good guide.

The Good Life - St George's mushroom

A small panier of St George's Mushrooms

“Les Champignons dans la Nature” by J. Jaccottet [Neuchatel, 1925] opens with the following line: “L’Homme a eté creé pour la marche….” which simply translated means “Man was created for walking”. The improvements in transport noted then in 1925, which he lists as including electric trams and bicycles, reduced ones desire for walking and therefore ability to access the countryside and forests. For one who enjoyed nature as much as Mr Jaccottet, the day was always too short, the sun rose too late and set too early.

Anybody who has done some mushroom hunting will appreciate the fact that there is rarely enough time in the day to find what you are looking for. A combination of patience, luck and a good eye may bring good results but there is no replacement for experience in this pursuit. Finally, when you find the particular variety you have been looking for it is important to never reveal the location of your discovery. People have been known to go to their graves without parting with such closely held secret.

The are a small number of mushrooms which work their way through the earthy ground at this time of year, but among them the St George’s mushroom, which is also known as Tricholome de la St George, Thricholome Georgii L’Écluse and Mousseron du Printemps, is the most highly prized. While they are said to grow in meadows and grassland, they are most likely to be found on the edges of woods. The season described by most writers is from April to June and they traditionally emerge on or about St George’s day and continue in season for a few brief weeks.

In Ireland and England their caps are primarily white, but they can be found elsewhere coloured yellow ochre, and rare varieties are known to be brown or chamois. The caps, which have a dry appearance, vary in size but they can grow to be 15 cms in diameter. By the time they grow to any great size they are more than likely going to be providing refuge and nourishment to a small worm colony, so it is best to pick the small ones when they are found, and check the larger mushrooms for infestation. Beneath the caps the gills are white and fragile. This mushroom has a large foot and grows in tight groups, so you generally will find more than one in any one location. When cut in half the flesh is firm and white. One of the most distinctive characteristics of this mushroom is its smell; the odour is quite strong and pleasant, and has been described as resembling freshly milled flour.

Ignoring Mr Jaccottet's esprit de vivre, we steamed around the hillsides and meadows in an old Peugot 405, which cut down some of the vast wandering required to locate these mushrooms. With the small basket of mushrooms we had collected I decided to make an omelette. After cleaning them, they were cooked on a pan over a low flame in mountain butter with a little salt and pepper. We had earlier liberated some eggs from chickens nearby, and these were whisked and poured over the lightly cooked mushrooms. After two or three minutes I put some grated Comte cheese from Frasne on the runny surface of the uncooked egg and mushroom mixture and finished the omelette under a hot grill. It looked great and tasted really good, but I was scolded for not slicing the mushrooms finer and for overcooking the omelette. I accepted these criticisms graciously while drinking a glass of undated, but assuredly ancient, white wine from the Jura.

In preparation for the meal I found a book entitled “60 Champignons 190 Recettes” by Suzanne Fonteneau and Philippe Joly published in 1978. These authors rate their mushrooms with a star system; four stars being the best, and so on. I will not query why they did not chose a system of marks out of 10 or 5 for example, being nice round figures allowing for a wider variety for distinction, however in their opinion both the Truffe du Perigourd and Tricholome de la St George achieve the lofty and distinguished score of a perfect 4. Among the recipes they offer for the Tricholome de la St George is `Tricholome á la paysanne`. For this recipe you shall require 400 grams Tricholomes de la St Georges; 50 grams of butter; 2 spoons of vinegar; 1 spoon of flour; 1 egg; half a glass of dry white wine;2 spoons of bouillon; salt and pepper.

The method given is as follows: After cleaning the mushrooms, cut them into slivers (remember not coarsely or in chunks!). Gently cook them with half the butter and the vinegar. At the same time make a roux with the remainder of the butter and the flour and mix in the suggested half glass of white wine and the bouillon. All this time, you should keep the juice of the mushrooms moving on the pan seasoning with salt and pepper. The recipe is completed by turning the mushrooms onto the sauce, mixing together, and just before serving stir in the egg yolk into the ensemble to bind it together.

The recipe as given does make sense however; you may wish to experiment with another variety of mushroom and the suggested quantities a few times to gain some confidence in it and to satisfy yourself in advance of cooking these highly prized mushrooms. I would also suggest using white wine vinegar in preference to any other, and it appears that the tablespoon measurement is the weapon choice for this recipe.

A traffic jam or "bouchon" in the Haut Doubs, Franche Comté

The Roman town of Vienne - Gallia Lugdunensis 2

 A view from Mount Pipet above the Roman theatre and looking up the Rhone and across the river to Saint Romain-en-Gal

I stood on the platform at Gare Part Dieu waiting for my train. The announcement for the arrival of the train had been made and I patiently waited for it. The train was destined for Gare St Charles in Marseille, and stopping at Vienne en route. The announcement referred to platform "E", but in French, as everybody knows,  the letter "I" is pronounced "E". Consequently, as I was inquiring from the stationmaster about my train on platform "E", he retorted by pointing across a couple of platforms, gesticulating at a train as it glided easily out of the station on time. An hour or so later I was on my way south heading towards Vienne. That evening Corinne would say that I might have made the same mistake if it was announced as platform "G", because of course as everybody knows the letter "J" is pronounced as "G". She smiled and inquired if I had felt terribly stupid at the time. Not sensing any sympathy I also smiled and ignored the comment.

If I had little interest in Roman Archaeology and the Roman provinces of Gaul and Germania, I might never have heard of Vienne and possibly might not have expressed an interest in stopping there for a visit. Prior to the arrival of the Romans, Vienne was the capital city of the Allobroges tribe, one of the most powerful Gallic tribes controling territory that stretched from the Rhone valley to the Alps. While the Allobroges had some contact and relations with Rome prior to the Gallic Wars, their fate was inevitable once Julius Caesar showed up in Gaul with his legions. The settlement was elevated to the status of a Colonia and despite the turbulent political chicanery of the late Roman Republic Colonia Julia Vienna flourished, in tandem with its neighbour Lugdunum [Lyon]. 

Both Lugdunum and Vienna thrived enjoying all the favour and infrastructure that one would associate with prominent Roman cities. They both had an Odeon and Theatre built, and both cities had a circus for chariot racing, a true barometer of a high level of romanisation. Most people associate the amphitheatre and circus buildings with Roman urban infrastructure. However, the circus was in fact quite rare and typically associated with provincial capitals. Four were built in Gaul; Lugdunum [Lyon], Vienna [Vienne], Arelate {Arles] and Santos [Saintes].  The structures of most of these circuses are no longer visible; the circus in Vienne was excavated during the 19th Century and early 20th Century and little of it remains visible today. However, in Vienne one of the obelisks from the spina still remains in its original position.  The date for the Circus is not definite but it may have been developed at a similar time to the one at Lugdunum, which we know from inscription evidence was developed or extended during the 2nd Century A.D.

 

Obelisk, known locally as La Pyramide, from the Roman circus at Vienne

The future of another Roman circus is currently lying in the balance, a little further north of Gaul, at Colchester in England. Known to the Romans as Camulodunum, this site was a provincial capital and while its prominence may have waned with the passage of time, it is obvious that the settlement enjoyed considerable status in the Roman Britain, and the citizens of Camulodunum appear to have had a keen interest in chariot racing. The circus was discovered in 2004 and may be consigned to history in the near future. I would respectfully suggest that replacing a Roman circus with a modern residential development is an act of vandalism and a desperate error in judgment.

View looking north across the cavea of the theatre, Vienne

 

The theatre in Vienne commands dramatic views over the town, and indeed up and down the Rhone river valley. The archaeological finds from the vicinity of the theatre suggest it was constructed in the mid 1st Century A.D. Constructed against the end of the colline Pipet with small valleys or cuts on either side, the site proved to be the perfect location for a large theatre facilitating the construction larges structures on either side for the management of the spectators access and egress. The diameter of the theatre is 129.8 meters, and it is estimated it could have seated 11,000 spectators. In form, the theatre at Vienne was quite similar to the one at Orange; it originally had a large scaenae frons structure estimated to have been 32 meters in height. The scaenae frons would have been roofed and was terminated at either end by a large basilica block. The orchestra measured 19 meters from which the vast cavea rose quite steeply to a height of 28.5 meters. Underneath the cavea there are the two hemispherical barrel vaulted passages or vomitoria facilitating the easy movemnt of  the spectators. Neither the extremities of these passages nor the cavea and seating above them have been restored.

View looking south across the cavea of the theatre, Vienne

I arrived mid morning and the sun had still not brought about a rise in the air temperature. The orchestra and cavea of the theatre were coated in an undisturbed perfect white covering of snow. It was surprising the theatre was open, but I managed to clamber around eager to experiece the great prospects across the theatre from either end of the summa cavea.  Underfoot the cavea was lethal; as I walked across the modern flat stage below I had slipped several times and 28 meters above the orchestra I took the greatest of care moving around.

During the 18th Century the structure was believed to be the vestiges of a Roman amphitheatre. This long held belief was born out by the street name in the area, because the street that runs along the front of the theatre is called Rue du Cirque. The restoration began on the cavea when a number of properties were purchased allowing for the clearance, excavation and restoration of the site. The theatre finally opened in 1938 and today just over 2/3 of the cavea is available for seating.

 View looking down on the cavea and orchestra from the top of the hill behind the theatre

Prior to this excursion in Lyon, while lunching with my new found friends at Les Adrets on Rue du Boeuf, I was advised to take the time to have lunch at Vienne. After visiting the theatre, and climbing up to the top of colline Pipet behind the theatre, a hunger had set in. I made my way back down through the town and towards 34 Cours du Verdun and to a restaurant called Les Saveurs du Marche, which I was reliably informed was one of the best places to eat in Vienne. I was not disappointed and enjoyed a simple well prepared and presented formule du midi, accompanied by the habitual pot of Cote du Rhone. 

The portico of temple of the divine Augustus and Livia, Place Charles de Gaulle, Vienne

Time was running out and there was still a lot to see in Vienne. The modern town of Vienne has not developed greatly in the last 2000 years. Newer buildings have clearly employed the stones of their predecessors and in no place is this more evident than Place Charles de Gaulle. One of the most interesting Roman monuments in Vienne is the Temple of the divine Augustus and Livia. The temple benefited from the attentions of Prosper Merimee, who was responsible for it being classified as a national monument, along with other sites in Vienne, in 1840.  On the 24th July 1835 Merimee published his "Notes d'un voyage dans le midi de la France". He visited Vienne on his tour of France in his capacity as Inspector of National Monuments and made the following comments on the condition of this temple:
"My first place to visit was the museum, presently established in a little antique temple, which was in the past converted to a church and horribly disfigured. The columns which surrounded the cella were now engaged in an ugly masonry, and if this was not enough of a barbarity, they have also chipped away the fluting of the columns, for the purpose of aligning them with the enclosing wall."

Significantly the temple in Vienne is one of two Roman temples left in tact in France, the other being the Maison Carree at Nimes. The masonry walls have now been taken away and the columns, some of which have been ravaged by time and the masons chisel, continue to support the architrave and entablature and pediment of the temple. Place Charles de Gaulle is today raised above the antique levels and an incline rises slightly towards the west side, and despite being set on a lower level of the square the temple surrounded by its barrier, stands with great stature and importance surrounded by more recent featureless and irregular constructions.  

 

A broken colossal head neatly placed on an upturned capital, Musee Archeologique Eglise St-Pierre

Much of the collection of stones, cut masonry, and statuary that would have been found in the Museum at Vienne visited by Merimee in the 1830s must now be in the Musee Archeologique Eglise St Pierre. This building is one of the oldest Churches in France dating back to the 5th and 6th Century and was most likely built on Roman foundations. Wandering around the large blocks which carry the marks of some distant important message, one finds broken colossal heads and elsewhere sandaled feet. I recently saw pictures of similar pieces being hauled out of the ground in Turkey at Sagalossos, and thereafter at the British Museum where some of the same items were displayed in the exhibition on Hadrian. In Vienne today these giant sculptures are hidden in a dimly lighted church dating to the 5th century, underneath which are to be found the foundations of ancient walls, streets, sewers and graves of a prolific Roman town.
 

A marble statue of Tutela, a Gallo-Roman goddess associated with Vienne

More recent discoveries found in excavations are exhibited in this museum, of which the statue of Tutela is the most striking. It stands out as being one of the more better preserved objects in the collection and was found during the excavation of the baths or thermes in 1954. Among the mosaics to be seen in this collection is the mosaic of the masks which is attributed to mosaic workers of the third Century A.D.. There are a vast array of objects to be found in this collection which are the soul surviving components of structures from the Roman town, and many of these items only exist today through the efforts of Pierre Schneyder who collected, recorded and investigated the vestiges of Roman structures during the latter half of the 18th Century. 

 Detail of mosaic of the masks at Musee Archeologique Eglise St-Pierre

Across the river Rhone is the smaller modern town of St Romain-en-Gal, which was an affluent residential and commerical area of the Roman town of Vienna. Discoveries of mosaics and other artifacts have been occurring in this area for over two hundred years, many being lost forever due to the weather, once exposed, or the use of the land. The area was well preserved because in the years subsequent to the Roman occupation, it was used primarily as an orchard, and not developed. However, as it was about to be built upon in the late 1960s, further discoveries were made and since 1981 a team of archeologists have been on site. In 1985 the site was classified as an historic monument and a museum now stands above a portion of the 7 hectare site housing many of the mosaics and finds from the excavations.

 

Central panel from an Orpheus mosaic, Musee Gollo Romain Saint Romain-en-Gal 

Mosaic from Musee Gollo Romain Saint Romain-en-Gal 

The Musee Gallo Romain Saint Romain-en-Gal, exhibits a magnificent amount of material found in the excavations. They reveal details of everyday life of the people that lived in Roman Vienna, and in particular the surroundings associated with the wealthy residential dwellings they occupied. Consequently, it is an important insight into the cultural identity of an important economic and commercial urban centre in Gaul. Many of the mosaics are well preserved however the two Orpheus mosaics found survive in fragmentary form. Portions of colourful frescoes that adorned the walls have also been excavated and preserved; one does not have to be too imaginative to envisage examples of the better preserved decoration from the walls in Pompeii and Boscoreale existing in Vienne.

It is surprising how much is visible of Roman Vienna and indeed the extent of the areas which are still to be investigated and excavated. As I have suggested, the Roman remains rest just below the surface or form part of the fabric of the Modern town of Vienne. A number of sites are undeveloped and await attention. One such structure is the Odeon which was built into the hillside of Saint-Juste. It is important because very few Roman towns were provided with a theatre and an Odeon; in particular only Lyon and Vienne had an Odeon and theatre complexes in Gaul. The Odeon in Lugdunum [Lyon] is quite well restored, however the Odeon in Vienne remains closed to the public. One can view the Odeon from further up the hillside of Saint-Just and look down upon the cavea structure without the seating, which would have been similar to the condition Prosper Merimee would have seen the theatre in the early 19th Century.

 A view through a locked gate of the Odeon at Vienne

The cavea of the Vienne Odeon structure measured 72 meters in diameter and had an orchestra which measured 22.3 meters in diameter. The Odeon at Lyon measured 73 meters in diameter and hence one cannot resist making comparisons between these structures. There was an impressive outer hemispherical wall pierced by three doorways, in much the same way as the Odeon built in Lyon. At Vienne the pulpitum, pro scaenum and portions of the scaenae frons area are still visible depite the covering of snow, when I saw this overgrown and dilapidated parcel of ground. The construction of the Odeon at Vienne probably dates to the second century A.D. and would have been a well decorated structure with statuary, and marble veneers from across the Roman Empire.

My visit to Vienne was brief, but I did managed to get a good understanding of the Roman town that existed there. In fact, I was left with an impression that Rome and its culture was not as distant as it could have been; the veins of the citizens of Vienna clearly ran with loyal Roman blood, and that there was a strong connection with not only Rome, but the Empire itself. In particular, what struck me was the wealth of material found at Vienne and in contrast the lack of material to be found in Orange, which would have been in the heart of Gallia Narbonnensis. This may be due to a lack of opportunities to investigate and excavate the lands surrounding Orange, but I did form the opinion from leafing through the field archeology magazines on the news stand waiting for my train, that discoveries of Roman villas and sites continued and that a great deal of Roman archeology remained hidden just below the surface of many French villages and towns.

An evening view looking south down the Rhone river valley from Vienne

A day trip to Orange and the Roman theatre

Roman theatre at Orange, view of the scaenae frons

Originally in planning our trip to Lyon I thought we might base ourselves in Orange for a night or two and travel to Arles and Nimes. Upon reflection this itinerary would have proved to be impossible and require us to rush form place to place. Ultimately we would not have had enough time to enjoy Lyon. Consequently we confined ourselves to a day trip to Orange. Corinne fanatasized about an increase in the temperature, however despite the bright sunshine this never materialised. Our route south during the morning bore witness the gradual build of the increasingly chilly wind which followed our route down the valley of the Rhone. Thoughts of peeling off a few layers of warm clothing disappeared and she put on an extra fleece to retain some warmth in the cold air.

 

 A view of the Roman theatre in Orange by Hippolyte Destailleur (1822 - 1893)

The Romans settled in the area were veterans of the second Gallic Legion. This settlement is reputed to have taken place occurred in or about 35 B.C. close to the site of a Gallic hill fort, home to the Tricastini tribe. The site was named Colonia Julia Secundanorum Arausio. Today one can view the well preserved  monuments built by these Roman settlers; the theatre and triumphal arch. Arausio became an administrative centre for the region of modern day northern Provence, a few kilometers from the river Rhone, and enjoyed a certain amount of stability until it was sacked by the Visigoths in 412 A.D. As such you would expect to find more evidence of Roman life in the local museum but its collection is quite limited and confined to finds associated with the theatre. This having been said the significance of the Roman architecture in the town has been recognised, and the site was listed by UNESCO in 1981.

Roman theatre at Orange, view of the cavea looking north west

Roman theatre at Orange, view of the passage access to the upper media cavea 

The theatre was built during the reign of Augustus [31 B.C. - 14 A.D.] and similar to many Roman theatres in Gaul the theatre in Orange utilises the steep rocky hillside of Saint-Eutrope to support the middle of the cavea. The theatre ranks as a medium size theatre in Roman Gaul measuring 103 meters in diameter. One can only begin to imagine and marvel at the massive scale of the structure that was built at Autun (Augustodunum) which measured approximately 148 meters in diameter.  The theatre was restored and embellished during the Hadrianic period [117 A.D. - 138 A.D.]. Either side of the theatre an arcaded perimeter wall contains stairwells providing access to barrel vaulted tunnels and the summa and media cavea. Similar to many Roman theatres, to the west of the theatre at Orange a large temple complex was constrcted into a hemicycle, again dictated by the hillside of Saint-Eutrope.

The theatre is most notable for the fact that the scaenae frons is still standing. the guide states that it is the only one in Europe still standing and draws comparison to the other scaenae frons structures still visible today at Aspendos in Turkey. Viewed from the street this wall is on a monumental scale standing 37 meters tall. The street side of the wall still has the series of corbels used to support masts from which a vela or cover was suspended over the theatre. Today all that remains on the surface treatment of the wall are some imitation arches in low relief. The wall facing the cavea would have been richly decorated with architectural ornament including columns, statuary and possibly mosaic on a number of levels.

 

Roman theatre at Orange, view of the cavea and scaenae frons from the hill of Saint-Eutrope

The scaenae frons was vitally important to the function and acoustics of the theatre. Vitruvius, who would have been alive for a portion of the reign of Augustus, set out in his ten book treatise, De Architectura, the importance and attributes of the scaena frons and its role in acoustics. The fifth Book deals with the Theatre and its construction and he makes the following comments:
"The roof of the colonnade to be built at the top of the rows of seats, should lie level with the top of the scaena, for the reason that the voice will then rise with equal power until it reaches the highest rows of seats and the roof. If the roof is not so high, in proportion as it is lower, it will check the voice at the point which the sound first reaches."
More recently studies have sought to examine and understand the acoustic effects of the Roman theatre and come to the conclusion that they worked very effectively; for reasons that would embarrass modern concert hall designers who would appear to depend on sound systems to control acoustics.

Roman theatre at Orange, view from Rue de la Republique of the scaenae frons wall

The structure was most likely abandoned as a theatre by the end of the 4th Century and was occupied for other purposes until the 19th Century. The precincts of the theatre were known to have been used as a prison, a fort, and occupied by the town's townspeople until the restoration commenced. By 1869 a series of annual shows were initiated; held during the Summer they were called "Fetes Romaines".

Contemporary drawings depict the theatre in a variety of conditions but an engraving from Gazette des Beaux-Arts published in 1861 depicts the cavea without seating and the arcing contours of the hillside which opens in places revealing the substructure of the cavea and the vaulted passages. The restoration of the theatre was begun in 1825 under the instructions of Prosper Merimee, Directer of Historic Monuments. The initial challenge, like similar ancient structures in the south of France, was to demolish the dwellings incorporated into and adjacent to the theatre. These works continued for many years and were overseen directly by Simon-Claude Constant-Defeux from 1856 to 1858. Later excavations were undertaken by the architect and archaeologist, Jules Formige, who also worked on the theatre at Arles and amphitheatres at Frejus and Lutece, in Paris. In the early 20th Century and is credited with discovering numerous articles now associated with the scaenae frons structure.

Theatre at Orange from Gazette des Beaux-Arts, Volume 11, 1861

Upon arrival at the site, I climbed up to the top of Saint-Eutrope to get a better vantage point when the sun was going to be at its highest point during the day. The sun's low flight across the early February sky meant that the hill of Saint-Eutrope placed most of the cavea in a cool shade. In contrast the immense scaena frons was exposed to bright sunshine and the white marble statue, said to be that of Augustus, was radiant in its niche. Afterwards we explored the theatre itself which it is estimated could seat up to 7,300 spectators. Wandering around the structure today you can experience the scale and atmosphere of one of the best preserved a Roman theatres. Viewing the theatre from Saint-Eutrope is a vertigo inducing experience but is in my opinion the only way to get a good look at the entirety of the theatre and put in a context of the surrounding countryside.

 The triumphal arch at Orange, view from the south

About half a kilometer to the north of the theatre can be found the Roman triumphal arch. The construction date of the triumphal arch at Orange is not easy to pin down because of the inscription evidence. If one is to interpret the inscription evidence associated with the arch it is easy to form the view that the construction was a prolonged process probably beginning under the reign of Augustus [31 B.C. - 14 A.D.] to honour the veterans of the Gallic Wars settled in the area, and later either embellished or remodeled under the reign of Tiberius [14 A.D. - 37A.D.] to commemorate the victories of Germanicus [16 B.C.? - 19 A.D.] in the Rhineland and of course Tiberius himself. This arch is important for a number of reasons; the arch is a provincial precursor to the more famous monumental triumphal arches of Septimius Severus [193 A.D. - 211 A.D.] and Constantine [306 A.D. - 337 A.D.] in Rome, having the principal arch in the centre and a minor arch to either side, and a sequence of four Corinthinan columns ranging across the facade. The decoration and inscriptions are well recorded, thanks to the restoration work, but despite the two thousand years which have passed since its construction much of the architectural ornament and sculptural reliefs, which are cut in limestone, are in reasonably good condition.

Impression of the Arch at Orange prior to restoration in 1825 from Gazette des Beaux-Arts,

Volume 11, 1861

 The triumphal arch at Orange, view from the north

The arch itself measures 19.57 meters long, 8.4 meters wide and 19.21 meters tall. The sculptural decoration that would have been placed on the attic story no longer exists but would have raised the overall height considerably. The arch was restored during the 1820s by the architect Augustin Caristie and another person called Renaux, who are also associated with the works being carried out the theatre at this time. The arch had been incorporated into the medeval walls of Orange and the first task was to liberate and isolate the structure.

 The triumphal arch at Orange, detail of relief above the right hand arch on the south side

Caristie is accredited with a very judicious and sympathetic restoration. The careful manner in which he undertook this task has made it possible for us to enjoy this important Roman piece of urban imperial and historical architecture. 

Many of the reliefs on the north and south sides depict typical trophy displays of shields, above them are motifs related to marine warfare such as tridents and anchors. The naval references in the arch may be a direct reference to the victory of Augustus at Actium in 31 B.C. The majority of these reliefs are in low relief, however the trophy scenes on the short sides were sculpted in high relief. These six panels, two destroyed on the west side, depicted the battledress, helmets, standards and trumpets and captives.

 The triumphal arch at Orange, view from the north and reconstructed west side

The battle relief on the attic story of the north side remains in good condition. Originally there may have been other bronze objects applied to the relief to add detail and embellishment but these have disappeared. The scene depicts a chaotic combat scene with the naked Gaulish tribesmen being killed and overpowered by the Roman Legionaries. The Roman Second Legion has been identified on a panel by the use of the Capricorn motif on the shield of an officer. The settlers and their descendants must have had certain amount of pride in the arch and what it commemorated; the victory over the Gaulish tribes was not to be forgotten and the arch guaranteed this.

 The triumphal arch at Orange, detail of a battle relief from the attic story

Returning to Lyon, I set my heart on exploring Vienne for a day and Corinne's thoughts leaned in the direction of shopping and staying in Lyon. I was amazed by the theatre and triumphal arch at Orange, but I admit I was overwhelmed by the the Roman building program at Vienne, and hope to relate my experience of some of them in the next entry.