On the Backroads: Provence

To paraphrase the noted wanderlust traveler, Willie Nelson, this series takes viewers "on the backroads again," journeying along "ancient paths [that] reveal everyday life in Italy, France and Spain." One of 13 episodes in the larger On the Backroads of the Mediterranean series, Provence beautifully captures the gorgeous palette of southern France, from the fields of purple lavender to the colorful costumes at the annual arts festival in Avignon. Roger Hagan narrates this half-hour travelogue on life in the Provence region (so wonderfully described in Peter Mayles' best-selling books): viewers watch men in deadly earnest competing at boules, visit the beautiful seaside mini-metropolis of Marseilles (setting for Marcel Pagnol's acclaimed Fanny trilogy), accompany pigs on a truffle hunt, stop in at Aix (famous for its healing waters, Aix is also the place where more black lingerie is sold than anywhere else in the country), and gaze at the landscapes that inspired Cézanne and Van Gogh. In addition, the program also looks at the bullfights at Arles, a Bastille Day celebration, and the famous Pont du Gard Roman aqueduct, among other sights. Sure to appeal to Francophiles and armchair travelers alike, this is warmly recommended. Two other titles are also currently available at the same price: On the Backroads: Tuscany and On the Backroads: Cote d' Azur. Aud: P. (R. Pitman)