By Paul Topping

Five of us set off from Avignon in France to the town of Orange, which is situated about 20 KM in a southeast direction. July and August are popular months for tourists in this part of the world, so it is a tad chaotic on the roads. At one stage we think we are at the fun fair on the dodgem cars. Pushy French people on holiday with their own style of impatient driving. This is a town of 30000 people, but in the summer it’s a bit hectic.

Orange is a small town with Roman and Celtic origins. After years of fighting with the Celts, the Romans finally settled in Orange, and the Roman influence and architecture are everywhere, highlighted by the most amazing open-air amphitheatre built by the Romans two centuries ago. The theatre is one of only three in the world to have the full height exterior façade: this one is 37 meters in height.

The theatre can seat 7000 plus people and has standing room for a further 2000
. In the early days, the theatre was used by the Romans to communicate to locals via plays, poem recitals, pantomimes, the glory of Rome and its three basic tenets - valour, love and destiny. 

Multilingual headphones now relay the history of the amphitheatre. Among other things, I learned that your entry to the theatre back in the day and your allocated seat was dependent upon your status. Needless to say, the high officials got the front seats, and those who did not qualify were relegated to other areas further away from the stage. Prostitutes were known to arrive from the hillside and sit on the highest seats of the theatre. No front seats are available to us, but one of our group, an ex-major in the army, has concerns given some shooting at big functions globally; we should sit higher up, the group don’t agree. At worst, one of the team suggests it’s best to sit in front of some flattish ladies and hit the deck on the first shot fired from further up the theatre.  

Upon learning that concerts at the theatre for some decades have included opera, both classical and modern music (including Eric Clapton, who had a villa nearby), we booked tickets for a classical concert for the next evening. Purchase complete, we then go in search of a restaurant. The number and variety of local restaurants is sufficient; not all of them serve French food that, in my opinion, is second to none. One of our group members, tired of having eaten French food for 21 days, has a craving for Chinese. Eating Chinese food in France? Sacrilege! But the craving won the day, and we dine in the courtyard of a large Chinese restaurant close to the theatre. We visit the eight hundred year old church, extremely ornate and peaceful. 

The next night we attended the concert. The wall facing into the theatre is adorned with statues, and the use of constantly changing light projecting onto these is spectacular and the perfect backdrop for the eighty-strong orchestra and choir. Beethoven’s “Ode to Joy” is beautifully enhanced by the theatre acoustics. I am somewhat amused that despite numerous signs saying, “No Photography” everyone is happily snapping away. And even doing video clips. Yes, including me!
Whinging pome random rule 372” the more you tell people what they can’t do, the more likely they will do it “

The drive home is a pleasant one, with high-volume classical music accompanying us all the way and a notable absence of dodgem cars. If you are in the south-east of France, I highly recommend a visit to Orange; there is also a large archway dating back to the first century.

Great place for us men as it has an acute lack of shops 

Au Revoir.