Les Baux de Provence

A regional guard atop its natural stronghold, the village of Les Baux-de-Provence is one of the most sensational places to visit in the county of Bouches-du-Rhône and in the heart of the Parc Naturel Régional des Alpilles. The site, occupied over many millennia, has preserved an exceptionally rich heritage. Wander around the cobbled lanes of this fortified place, a member of the association Les Plus Beaux Villages de France. Visit monuments such as the Musée des Santons, the Hôtel de Porcelet - Musée Yves Brayer, the Chapelle des Pénitents Blancs and St Vincent’s church… along with the remnants of the Château des Baux, a listed historic monument. This impressive 13th-century feudal keep was carved out of the rocky outcrop, greatly adding to the village’s defences. It offers unrivalled views over western Provence and the area’s beautifully lit mosaic of landscapes, with olive groves, vineyards, fields and limestone cliffs.

Visit the Carrières de Lumières, huge limestone quarries that now host outsized immersive exhibitions devoted to some of the greatest painters in the history of art. The immediate area around Les Baux has kept its ancestral traditions going, typical ways of living, produce and tastes kept up by many passionate craftspeople and producers here.

This exceptional perched site is accessible from Saint-Rémy de Provence via the cycling circuit: Alpilles – Le Val d’Enfer (41km)