Port-de-Bouc : POULE A
Port-de-Bouc iwas a town founded after the French revolution, the city experienced intermittent
resurgennce of activity from the Renaissance to the Revolution..
In 1794 Bonaparte visited the fortress of Bouc and he noticed its strategic importance. When he was
crowned Emperor, he had various works undertaken including the digging of thr canal from Arles to
Bouc.
On this subject , reports, interventions multiplied for several years. General council and borough
council intervened with the senator of the Bouches-du-Rhone. Finally in june 20th 1886 Napoleon’s
interior minister notified the reprentative of the departement that a law of the previous june 13th
had turned the section of Port de Bouc into a municipality separate from the municipality of Fos-
sur-Mer and Martigues.
The following July 26th the first mayor of the new municipality was appointed by order of the
senator of the departement. This man was Isidore Barthélémy.
By Robert Strozzi . Port de Bouc History.
Saint-Raphaël : POULE B
Saint-Raphel is a city of more than 35000 inhabitants located in the departement of VAR in the
middle of a territory of 90 square kilometers between the Esterel Massif and the mediterranean sea.
With its 5 million nights , Saint-Raphael is a well known tourist resort for its 34 km coastline and its
hiking trails in the Esterel, its famous Cornice D’or and its 5 harbours.
The ports of Santa Lucia and the Vieux Port are labeled « Blue Pavilion Ports » international ecolabel
rewarding efforts in tourism , environmental and sustainable development.
The Vieux Port has also the Afnor certification « Clean Ports » a European certification awarded to
ports commissioned in the fight for the preservation of acquatic and sustainable development of
coast and sea activiies .
With more than 300 animations a year , Saint Raphael conducts a very varied cultural policy
accessible to all public : « Les rencontres de L’Avenir », The 18 :59 conferences, the summer live
concerts, The Saint-Raph jazz festival, the book festival, the festival of laughter , the festival of chalk,
the museum Louis de Funés….
ARLES : POULE C
Arles is a city located on the Rhône in the region of Provence southern France. The city is famous for
having inspired Van Gogh’s paintings who has influenced the contemporary art exhibited at the Van
Gogh foundation.
Arles once provincial capital of encient Rome the city is also famous for its many ruins dating back of
that time including the amphitheatre of Arles which now hosts theatre plays, concerts and bullfights.
SAINT-MAXIMIN-LA-SAINTE-BAUME : POULE D
Villa Latta, little Gallo-Roman town who took his name after Saint Maximin’s death. It has become
famous since the 13th century when tombs attributed to Saint Maximin and saint Marie-Madeleine.
According to the tradition , Marie-Madeleine,after spending many years of penity in the cave of
Sainte-Baume would have been buried in the cripte of Saint Maximin. Baume means cave in
Provençal.
The city was chief district center from 1790 to 1795. For a time it took the name of Marathon in
honor of Marat.
SISTERON : QUARTERFINAL
Siteron called « Door of La Provence » is located near the Durance River and Faces the cliffs of La
Baume rocks. Sisteron is a great stopover. This place is « end of a region and beginning af a new
one » because it is the border between Provence and Dauphine between the Alps and the sea. The
citadel, remarkable historical monument dominates the Durance valley built on a rocky spur offers a
striking panorama of the Haute Provence. The citadel was Originally built as a boundary between
the Dauphiné and the Provence region It was declared historical monument, it carries 8 centuries of
history and architecture on a space of 10 hectare.
MANOSQUE : QUARTERFINAL
Small town, Manosque over the years has grown and has become the most populated city in the
Alpes de Haute Provence. A millennial city and yet it leaves no trace of its existence before Roman
times when it grew into the biggest regional market place. Manosque has gradually become
urbanized, however, the olive grove and the culture of the vine has remained significant
In the nineteen sixties , the town saw its population grow as the Atomic Study Center of Cadarache
was built.
Digne-les-Bains : the finale
The capital of the » departement of the Apes de Haute Provence » Digne-Les-Bains is the also the
historic capital of Lavender. The most famous of th festivals is undoubtedly the « Corso of
Lavender.Between the Alps and Provence it stretches out in a mid-mountain lanscape.
Digne-les-Bains is a spa resort well known all over the country. The Geoparc also lists many fossil
sites such as the Dalla aux Ammonite concentrating 1500 fossils of ammonites, nautilusses, or
pentacrines.
You can also see Ichtyosaurs of the Robine and Chanolles , respectively 185 and 107 million years
old accessible by hiking trails.
