A medieval town surrounded by ramparts, nicknamed the "Carcassonne of the North", Provins has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2001. The 58 listed monuments of this ancient merchant town, the Saint-Jean and de Jouy gates giving access to the upper town and the covered way, the medieval festivals and events that punctuate the year, all contribute to making Provins a prime tourist destination. In its golden age, in the 12th and 13th centuries, Provins minted its own money, and Thibaud IV of Champagne brought back from the Crusades the famous Damascus rose, now known as the "rose de Provins". At the time of the great Champagne fairs, one has to imagine crowds of people from all over the world exchanging not only goods, but also ideas. At the end of the 13th century, the decline of the county and its fairs began, with its annexation to the kingdom of France in the 14th century. A stroll through the upper town reveals its medieval character: place du Châtel and the cross from which county edicts were proclaimed, the 12th-century collegiate church of Saint-Quiriace, topped by its magnificent 17th-century dome, the Tour César (military keep), the underground passages, the Grange aux dîmes (tithe barn), beautiful stone and timber-framed houses.. In the lower town, you can also visit the church of Saint-Ayoul, a major pilgrimage site since the 10th century thanks to the saint's relics deposited there by monks from the abbey of Saint-Benoît-sur-Loire, and the church of Sainte-Croix.

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Pictures and images Provins

Le festival médiéval de Provins Richie Chan - stock.adobe.com
Les remparts de Provins Australian Dream - Fotolia
La Tour César et la l'église Saint-Quiriace. s4svisuals - stock.adobe.com

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