4 km from Paradou, 10 km from Mouriès, Eyragues, 13 km from Tarascon, 14 km d'Aureille, 15 km of Arles, 18 km from Barbentane, 25 km of Avignon
Altitude: 280 m
Population: 458
Les Baux de Provence is a Provençal village set in the heart of the Alpilles. Dating back to the Middle Ages, it is considered one of the most beautiful areas in Provence. Numerous traces of ancient settlings have been unearthed in the region. Rising majestically on a rocky plateau that stands 245 m above sea level, it offers breathtaking views of Arles, the Camargue and the Alpilles. |
The quarries scattered around Les Baux, such as Les Portalets, are as old as the village itself, and were originally caves that were used as shelter. Stone has been quarried from Les Baux since antiquity. Wine from Les Baux, which now bears an ‘Appellation d'Origine Contrôlée’ (AOC), was much loved by the Romans. Numerous artists have fallen for the charms of the village, notably the painter Yves Brayer – the village’s Yves Brayer gallery includes around a hundred oil paintings, watercolours and sketches. |
What to see and visit: the Château des Baux; the castle's museum, with three restored medieval siege weapons (a trebuchet, a ballista and a battering ram); the Hôtel De Manville (1571); the sixteenth-century Hôtel des Porcelet (which houses the Yves Brayer gallery), the Église Saint-Vincent (twelfth and sixteenth centuries); the Porte des Eyguières.
Recommended activities: walking, horse riding, mountain biking, numerous cultural exhibitions, summer festivals and workshops.
|
