A tour of the Alpilles: Les Baux, Les Antiques and Saint Paul de Mausole
Provence - The Alpilles Mountain
Walk - Half a day - 5€
(ex. suppl.2€)
Classic
We have prepared 3 audio guides to enable you to explore the region:
We’ll visit the charming medieval village of Baux de Provence, perched 650 feet up on a rocky plateau which is no more than half a mile long and 650 yards wide. A remarkable combination of geological and human architecture!
Near Saint Rémy de Provence, we’ll by visiting 2 sites including that of Les Antiques, which will provide a fine illustration of Roman life in Provence. In particular, we’ll see 2 well preserved monuments: The Triumphal Arch and the Julius Mausoleum. The latter is the only preserved example of its kind today and as such, is a unique archaeological testament to this Ancient Roman form of monument to the dead. (Nearby you’ll also see the interesting, if less spectacular, remains of the ancient town of Glanum which is not included in this tour. Naturally you’re at liberty to visit it yourself!)
Finally, after our visit to these 2 ancient masterpieces, we’ll move on to The cloisters of Saint Paul de Mausole, only 200 yards away, where Vincent Van Gogh was committed and where he painted some of his most intense works. This is also a very attractive example of the Romanesque architecture of Provence.
Places and topics covered
1 :Baux de Provence : origins and history of the village, walk, Louis Jou, place François de Herrain, church, castle 2 :Antiques : Glanum, mausoleum, triumphal arch 3 :Saint Paul de Mausole : monastery, cloister, Paul Gauguin, church
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Informations
Author: Elizabeth Petitjean Access: By car Comments:Baux de Provence: Several access routes are possible. The most spectacular one is the D27 through the Val d’Enfer, or Hell Valley. As its name would suggest, this is a jumbled formation of rock sculpted by wind and rain. Alternatively, you can take the much wider and virtually straight. D27A. The Antiques and St Paul are to be found on the D5 about a mile and a half south of St Remy de Provence and 4 miles from Baux. If this is your chosen route, you’ll arrive on the D27A before joining the D5.
