Calanques: Nature in Art

          One of my favorite adventures in France was to the Calanques just outside Marseille. The Calanques are large cliffs dropping straight into the Mediterranean sea.  After taking the bus to the end of the line to The University of Aix-Provence and Marseille, we trekked up a some beautiful hills before reaching the dramatic views of the calanques.  While not necessarily highlighting hybridity, the trip did show us the deep beauty of the region. It also was a chance to see some of the beautiful scenery first-hand that was utilized by some of the greats in the art world. The rolling hills near the calanques paralleled the hills shown in many of Paul Cezanne’s work, who lived and painted for a number of years in Provence.