France-World | Video – From Arles to Marignane via Avignon: 50 years ago, Queen Elizabeth II visited Provence
The event is such that in one of the Provençal, it even eclipses the evening PSG-OM meeting. On May 17, 1972, Queen Elizabeth II arrived in Provence for a tourist visit that was to last just over 24 hours. On the program: Arles and its monuments, lunch in Fontvieille, the Palais des Papes in Avignon, a night in Les Baux-de-Provence before leaving Marignane.
Before arriving on the soil of Provence, the queen had just made an official visit to Paris where she had not been disoriented by the weather. But when landing at Nîmes-Garons airport, her majesty accompanied by prince Philip, would immediately change the mood. At 11:15 a.m., his Caravelle landed and a few minutes later, the hymns were played by the Music of the 7th Military Region of Marseille before three Arles women in traditional costume invited him to sign the Golden Book of the airport.
Welcomed by the Queen… of Arles
Queen Elizabeth II, dressed in a suit with red, white and blue patterns and carrying a bag and blue leather gloves, then took the road towards Arles where thousands of people were waiting for her. On her arrival around noon at the arenas, she crossed a guard of honor formed by the guardians before being welcomed by the mayor Jacques Perrot and the regional prefect Jean Laporte, she was offered a bouquet of roses and orchids by another queen: that of Arles. All accompanied by the music of a few folk groups because after all, it is not a Briton who would reproach that we take care of traditions.
The visit to the arenas, led by the curator of the museums of Arles Jean-Maurice Rouquette, will be brief. Barely ten minutes. The royal procession continued its discovery of Arles monuments at the Roman Theatre. It was then the portal of the Saint-Trophime cloister that caught the sovereign’s attention. No more than a few minutes though, although the queen enjoyed private visits. So private that a few minutes earlier, rue du Cloître, a postman had been opposed to an end of non-receipt when he tried to deposit a letter. It was a CRS who ended up delivering the mail to a resident.
A gin and tonic as an aperitif in Fontvieille
Then came the time for the walkabout, Place de la République. Among the public waving flags of the United Kingdom, there were schoolgirls who had provided an exemption from two hours of lessons, Provençals proud to share their heritage but also a few tourists. A discreet greeting from the Queen was enough to make some people happy, while others had the privilege of chatting with Prince Philip, who willingly approached the barriers installed nearly a kilometer long.
After spending just an hour and a half in Arles, the Duke of Edinburgh headed for the Camargue by helicopter. The queen, she settled on board a convertible to reach Fontvieille where she arrived at 1:15 p.m. for lunch at “La Regalido”. After taking an aperitif (a gin and tonic), His Majesty tasted the delights of Provence. Brouillade with truffles, veal pomegranate with morels, goat cheese and wines from the Côteaux des Baux-de-Provence. For dessert, strawberries from the garden which Prince Charles will ask to take away a basket.
Tea time at the Château de Lagoy in Saint-Rémy
Once their stomachs were full, the royal procession headed for Avignon where an even larger crowd awaited it. Protocol obliges, the queen did not linger on the Place de l’Horloge and went quickly to the Palais des Papes for a visit of a quarter of an hour. Then head to the Château de Lagoy in Saint-Rémy-de-Provence for the unmissable event of the day for any self-respecting Briton: tea time.
The queen and her procession went in the evening to Les Baux-de-Provence. The protocol provided for an “intimate dinner” with around thirty guests around three round tables at 8:30 p.m., but the Provençal journalists reported at the time the menu offered by the Oustau de Baumanière: stuffed bass in a pistou crust, Leg of lamb from the Alpilles with green pepper garnished with peas, green bean gratin and lemon sorbet accompanied by creamed raspberries and mille-feuilles.
We will learn later that Elizabeth II – who had changed for the occasion and now wore an ivory dress – enjoyed the meal but refused the champagne, preferring to “stay on this 1955 Margot”, in her own words. reported by the mayor. Before returning to their quarters, the royal couple took the time to greet the kitchen staff and admire the Alpilles.
Departure from Marignane
After spending the night in Les Baux, Her Majesty the Queen visited the village the next morning. The sky had changed and clouds obscuring the sun had cooled the bottom of the air as mobile constables searched the bushes to check for explosive devices. Arrived in her DS, the queen – whose passion for horses is no secret to anyone – was welcomed by the thoroughbreds of the riding club and then by guards on horseback. After a few emotional words spoken by the mayor in a small committee, the royal family left him a signed photo.
The procession then took the road to Marignane. Before boarding her Caravelle, the Queen enjoyed a ballet of helicopters as she visited the National Aerospace Industrial Company. Three quarters of an hour later, she joined the airport, the same one where she had landed for a stopover on November 25, 1950 when the world called her “princess”. Twenty minutes later, his plane took off, heading for Paris before returning to England.
There is no doubt that in London, the queen had taken away a little piece of Provence in her heart. A few memories among many others required throughout her rich life that she may have revisited, fifty years later, before dying this Thursday.