aixcentric

Over 50 years ago, Queen Elizabeth II came to Provence.  Here’s a look-back on what she saw  during her 25 hours in the region.

Her Majesty the Queen and her husband Prince Phillip landed on 17 May 1972, at Nîmes-Garons airport.  Her Caravelle aircraft from a rainy Paris landed in the sunny south (a little late at 11 h 15) where she was greeted by music from the ‘7e Région militaire de Marseille’ and three Arlésiennes in traditional costume.

For her part, the Queen wore a suit of red, white and blue motifs with blue leather gloves, thus  keeping both countries happy.  The party was whisked off to Arles where thousands of people were waiting for a glimpse. First stop was the Roman Arena for a guard of honour from local ‘gardians’, a welcome from the mayor and the prefect, and a bouquet of roses and orchids from the queen of Arles, an annually chosen beauty from the town.

The head of the town’s museums took them into the Arena for 12 minutes followed by a whistle-stop tour of the monuments, the théâtre antique and the cloister at Saint-Trophime. The royal couple then met some of the locals waving Union Jacks in the Place de la Republique.  By now it was time for lunch.

Prince Philip went off to the Camargue by helicopter while the Queen went by cabriolet to Fontvieille to dine at La Regalido. Her aperitif was a gin & tonic, which she probably needed after such a hectic morning, then they tucked into:

brouillade aux truffes, grenadin de veau aux morilles, fromages de chèvre accompanied by Côteaux des Baux-de-Provence wines. Dessert was strawberries from the garden which it is said Prince Charles (who had joined his mother) liked so much that he asked for a basket of them.

Avignon next and a large crowd waiting for her. She spent 15 minutes in the palais des Papes and then went to le château de Lagoy at Saint-Rémy-de-Provence for ‘le tea time’.

The party spent the evening at Les Baux-de-Provence with a “dîner intime” for 30 local dignitaries at 3 round tables. The menu at l’Oustau de Baumanière was:

 loup farci en croûte au pistou, gigot d’agneau des Alpilles au poivre vert garni de petits pois, gratin de haricots verts et sorbet au citron accompagné de framboises à la crème et de mille-feuilles.

La reine Elizabeth II arrive en DS aux Baux-de-Provence.Photo archives Le Provençal

The Queen, now in an ivory dress, refused champagne preferring a Chateau Margot 1955. Before turning in for the night, the couple went to thank the staff in the kitchen.

The next day, they visited the village of Les Baux where gendarmes had been busy frisking the undergrowth for explosives. None found. So safely on to see something that must have delighted the Queen – stables of pure-blood horses with their ‘gardians à cheval’.

There must be some people in Provence who still remember seeing the Queen that day.

Fifty years later, the news of her death has prompted people in countries worldwide to talk of their memories of ‘the time I met the Queen’. Reading about her day in Provence emphasises the organisation behind the visit which gave their royal visitor a taste of the region, but also allowed many locals access to her.

The details of her visit come from the pages of La Provence, which finished with the hope that she had retained a happy memory of Provence: ‘Nul doute qu’à Londres, la reine avait emporté dans son cœur un petit bout de Provence. Quelques souvenirs parmi tant d’autres accumulés tout au long de sa riche vie qu’elle a peut-être ressassés, cinquante ans plus tard, avant de s’éteindre ce jeudi’.