East of Avignon
The small towns between Avignon and the Luberon are defined by water. Pernes-les-Fontaines' aesthetic derives from scores of fountains, some dating to the 15th century; L’Isle-sur-la-Sorgue, famous for antiques trading, is bisected by the glassy River Sorgue; and Fontaine-de-Vaucluse is home to the river's source.
Pernes-les-Fontaines
Pop 10,711
Once the capital of the Comtat Venaissin, Pernes-les-Fontaines is now a sleepy village of ancient buildings. It's known for its 40 fountains that splash and gurgle in shady squares and narrow cobbled streets. Among those not to missed: Fontaine du Cormoran (pont Notre-Dame, 1761), Fontaine Reboul (place Reboul, 15th century) and Fontaine du Gigot (rue Victor-Hugo, 1757).
1Sights
Maison du Costume ComtadinMUSEUM
(
%04 90 61 31 04; www.costumescomtadin.com; rue de la République; 
h10am-12.30pm & 3-6.30pm Wed-Mon Jul–mid-Sep, reduced hours rest of year)
F
A 19th-century Provençal costume museum.
Maison FléchierMUSEUM
(%04 90 61 31 04; pl Fléchier)F
This cultural museum displays local crafts in a historic building.
4Sleeping & Eating
Mas La BonotyPROVENçAL€€
(%04 90 61 61 09; www.bonoty.com; chemin de la Bonoty; lunch/dinner menus from €19/32; h12.15-1.30pm & 7.30-9.15pm; 
W
E)
It's worth getting lost to find this 18th-century farmhouse-hotel, which has earned its reputation as a laudable Provençal restaurant. Menus feature hearty fare – thyme-roasted duckling, foie gras and rack of lamb – served on linen-dressed tables in an atmospheric stone-walled dining room. Attractive, simple rooms (doubles including breakfast €90 to €100) are available with half-board.
TTours
Town & Fountain WalkWALKING TOUR
A free walking-tour map from the tourist office details strolls through quaint streets past such historic sights as the Maison du Costume Comtadin, Maison Fléchier and a fortified 11th-century church. Follow a rough path to the top of the medieval clock tower (tour de l'horloge) for panoramic views.
8Information
Tourist OfficeTOURIST INFORMATION
(%04 90 61 31 04; www.tourisme-pernes.fr; place Gabriel Moutte; h9am-1pm & 2-6.30pm Mon-Fri, to 5pm Sat, 9.30am-12:30pm Sun Jul & Aug, reduced hours rest of year)
L’Isle-sur-la-Sorgue
Pop 19,395
A moat of flowing water encircles the ancient and prosperous town of L’Isle-sur-la-Sorgue, 7km west of Fontaine. This ‘Venice of Provence’ is home to several antiques villages, housing 300 dealers between them. Sunday is the big market day, with antique vendors participating as well, while Thursday offers a smaller market through the village streets.
L’Isle dates to the 12th century, when fishermen built huts on stilts above what was then a marsh. By the 18th century, canals lined with 70 giant wheels powered silk factories and paper mills.
1Sights
Old TownHISTORIC SITE
The exceptional historic centre is contained within canals dotted by creaking waterwheels – the one by the tiny park at ave des Quatre Otages is particularly photogenic. The former Jewish quarter exists in name only: the ghetto's synagogue was destroyed in 1856. The ancient fishermen’s quarter, a tangle of narrow passageways, dead-ends in L’Isle's eastern corner and retains a town-within-a-town feeling.
A tourist-office brochure details the attractions, and there's a smartphone app.
Collégiale Notre Dame des AngesCHURCH
(Our Lady of Angels; place de la Liberté; h10am-noon & 3-6pm daily Jul-Sep, Tue-Sat Oct-Jun)
The stately exterior of the Collégiale Notre Dame des Anges, in L’Isle's historic centre, shows no sign of the Baroque theatrics inside:122 gold angels ushering forward the Virgin Mary, and a magnificent 1648-built organ, on the left as you face the altar (the pipes on the right are mute, there purely for visual symmetry).
Campredon Centre d'ArtMUSUEM
(%04 90 38 17 41; http://islesurlasorgue.fr/campredon.html; 20 rue du Docteur Tallet; adult/child €7/free; h10am-12.30pm & 2-5.30pm Tue-Sat)
Rotating contemporary-art exhibitions fill this 18th-century mansion.
Partage des EauxPARK
A country lane runs riverside from the old town 2km east towards the serene partage des eaux (parting of the waters), where the Sorgue splits into the channels that surround the town. It's a perfect spot for idling on grassy banks, skipping stones and watching birds. Waterside cafes sell ice cream.
DON'T MISS
PADDLING THE SORGUE
There is no more enchanting means of meandering from Fontaine-de-Vaucluse 8km downstream to neighbouring L’Isle-sur-la-Sorgue (or it can be done in reverse) than in a canoe or kayak. Take guided or self-guided two-hour trips (adult/child €17/11) from late April to October with Canoë Évasion (%04 90 38 26 22; www.canoe-evasion.net; rte de Fontaine de Vaucluse (D24), Fontaine de Vaucluse) or Kayak Vert (%04 90 20 35 44; www.canoe-france.com; Quartier la Baume , Fontaine de Vaucluse).
Life jackets are provided, but children must be able to swim 25m. Afterwards you’re returned by minibus to your car.
4Sleeping
Hotel NevonsHOTEL€
(%04 90 20 72 00; www.hotel-les-nevons.com; 205 chemin des Nevons; d €70-120, tr €120-140, q €140-160; 
a
iW
s
c)
This modern, generic hotel (with elevator) near the town parking lot could be anywhere, but its rooms are good value and have gleaming bathrooms. The rooftop pool has knockout views. The family suite (€150 to €180) sleeps five.
oLa PrévôtéB&B€€€
(%04 90 38 57 29; www.la-prevote.fr; 4bis rue Jean-Jacques Rousseau; d incl breakfast €150-225; hclosed late Feb–mid-Mar & mid-Nov–early Dec; W)
Straddling a creek running through the house, this former 17th-century convent has been converted into a très sexy chambre d'hôte, its dreamy rooms decked out in luxe style: locally loomed high-thread-count linens, silk draperies and antiques reupholstered in contemporary fabrics. It also has an excellent gastronomic restaurant.
5Eating
Au ChineurBISTRO€€
(%04 90 38 33 54; 2 esplanade Robert-Vasse; lunch menus from €13, mains €15-20; h7am-midnight)
Antique bric-a-brac hangs from the rafters at this quayside bistro with excellent people-watching. Expect simple classics and good-value lunches; between mealtimes, find cheese-and-charcuterie plates, tarts and nibbles.
La VillaMODERN FRENCH€€
(%04 90 38 24 50; www.lavillarestaurant.fr; 682 av Jean Monnet; mains €15-22; h7.30-9.15pm Wed-Sun & noon-2pm Sun)
Los Angeles meets Provence at La Villa, 1.7km north of the centre, where tables line a portico surrounding a swimming pool. Everyone dresses sharp, filling the concrete-and-velvet, rustic-chic interior. Up-tempo lounge beats set a lively mood. Reserve.
oLe VivierGASTRONOMIC€€€
(%04 90 38 52 80; levivier-restaurant.com; 800 cours Fernande Peyre; weekday menus from €26, weekend dinner menus €53-75; hnoon-1.30pm Tue-Thu & Sun, 7.30-10pm Tue-Sat)
One kilometre northeast of the centre, swanky Michelin-starred ‘Fishpond’ is renowned for its imaginative, contemporary cooking. Prime local ingredients appear in dishes served riverside on the terrace or in the dining room. Reservations essential.
La PrévôtéGASTRONOMIC€€€
(%04 90 38 57 29; www.la-prevote.fr; 4bis rue Jean-Jacques Rousseau; menus lunch €23, dinner €41-75; hnoon-1.30pm & 7.30-9.30pm Thu-Mon)
La Prévôté's excellent gastronomic restaurant is run by chef Jean-Marie Alloin, who concocts dishes like foie gras ravioli, and pear sorbet with thyme-and-rosemary chocolates – délicieux!
7Shopping
Antiques VillagesANTIQUES
(hnoon-6pm Fri, 10am-6pm Sat-Mon)
If your manor house needs that perfect Louis XV chandelier, look no further. The former mills and factories along L'Isle-sur-la-Sorgue's main road contain seven fascinating-to-explore antiques villages with 300-plus high-end stalls. For bargains, it's better to come mid-August or Easter for the antiques fairs.
La ManufactureARTS, FASHION
(http://manufactureisle.canalblog.com; 21 impasse de l'Hôtel de Palerme; h10am-7pm Tue-Sun)
A collective showcasing the work of 25-odd local artists and artisans, La Manufacture is a one-stop shop for funky furniture, original jewellery, designer clothing, dogs crafted from rubber wellington boots and so on. Find it at the end of an alley off L'Isle's main pedestrian street, rue de la République.
8Information
Tourist OfficeTOURIST INFORMATION
(%04 90 38 04 78; www.oti-delasorgue.fr; place de la Liberté; h9am-12.30pm & 2.30-6pm Mon-Sat, 9.30am-1pm Sun)
In the centre of the old town.
8Getting There & Around
Bicycle
David BollackBICYCLE RENTAL
(%06 38 14 49 50; veloservices.jimbo.com; 3 rue du Docteur Tallet; per day from €15; h9am-1pm & 2-7pm)
Reservations are essential for weekend rentals from this old-town bike shop; also delivers to Fontaine-de-Vaucluse.
Luberon BikingBICYCLE RENTAL
(%04 90 90 14 62; www.luberon-biking.fr; 10 av de la Gare; per day adult/child €22/12)
Wide range of bicycle rentals and delivery available. Reserve on weekends.
Bus
Voyages Raoux (www.voyages-raoux.fr) buses serve Avignon (€2, 40 minutes) and Fontaine-de-Vaucluse (€1.50, 15 minutes). Voyages Arnaud buses serve Carpentras (€2, 30 minutes) and Cavaillon (€1.50, 30 minutes), via L'Isle-sur-la-Sorgue.
Car
Free parking lines the canals, but spaces are rare on weekends.
Train
L'Isle-sur-la-Sorgue Fontaine-de-Vaucluse Train StationTRAIN STATION
(av Julien Guigue, L'Isle-sur-la-Sorgue)
L'Isle-sur-la-Sorgue Fontaine-de-Vaucluse train station is on the train line between Marseille (€17, 1½ hours), Cavaillon (€3, 10 minutes) and Avignon (€5, 30 minutes). Eight per day continue to Avignon TGV station (€6, 40 minutes).
Fontaine-de-Vaucluse
Pop 661
France’s most powerful spring surges from beneath the pretty village of Fontaine-de-Vaucluse, at the end of a U-shaped valley beneath limestone cliffs. The rain that falls within 1200 sq km gushes out here as the River Sorgue. The miraculous appearance of this crystal-clear flood draws 1.5 million tourists each year – aim to arrive early in the morning before the trickle of visitors becomes a deluge; avoid it Sundays in summer.
Stroll beyond the village's tourist distractions and you quickly sense the peace and beauty that inspired Italian poet Petrarch (1304–74), who wrote his most famous works here – sonnets to his unrequited love, Laura.
1Sights & Activities
oLa FontaineSPRING
At the foot of craggy cliffs, an easy 1km walk from the village, the River Sorgue surges from the earth's depths. The spring is most dazzling after heavy rain, when water glows azure blue, welling up at an incredible 90 cu metres per second. Jacques Cousteau was among those who attempted to plumb the spring’s depths, before an unmanned submarine touched base (315m down) in 1985.
Musée d’Histoire Jean Garcin: 1939–1945MUSEUM
(%04 90 20 24 00; www.vaucluse.fr; chemin de la Fontaine; adult/child €3.50/free; h10am-6pm Wed-Mon Apr-Oct & Jan-Feb, Sat & Sun Mar, Nov & Dec)
Excellent examination of life in occupied France during WWII.
4Sleeping & Eating
Hôtel du PoèteHISTORIC HOTEL€€
(%04 90 20 34 05; www.hoteldupoete.com; d €98-240; hMar–Nov; aWs)
Drift to sleep to the sound of rushing water at this elegant small hotel, inside a restored mill on the river's banks. By day, lie poolside in the sun-dappled shade among the park-like grounds. Breakfast €17.
Pétrarque et LaureBRASSERIE€€
(%04 90 20 31 48; place Colonne; lunch/dinner menus from €14/19; hnoon-3pm & 7-10pm)
Fontaine-de-Vaucluse’s restaurants tend toward the touristique; this one is no exception, but it manages to serve reasonably priced, good-quality food (try the local trout) on a wonderful tree-shaded terrace beside the river.
THE LEGEND OF ST VéRAN
Il était une fois – once upon a time – Fontaine-de-Vaucluse was plagued by a vile half-dragon, half-serpent called the Couloubre. Enter St Véran, who slayed the beast and saved the town. A statue outside the village's 11th-century Romanesque church, Église St-Véran, commemorates the slaying. Follow the legend up the cliff to the 13th-century ruins of a castle built to protect the saint’s tomb – views are as incredible as the tale.
8Information
Tourist OfficeTOURIST INFORMATION
(%04 90 20 32 22; www.oti-delasorgue.fr; Résidence Jean Garcin; h10am-1pm & 2.30-6.30pm May-Sep, reduced hours rest of year)
By the bridge, mid-village.
8Getting There & Away
Bicycle
A tourist-office brochure details three easy back-roads biking routes. Bike shops in L'Isle-sur-la-Sorgue deliver to Fontaine.
Bus
Voyages Raoux buses serve Avignon (€2, one hour) and L'Îsle-sur-la-Sorgue (€1.50, 15 minutes).
Car
The narrow road to Gordes (14km, 20 minutes) from Fontaine-de-Vaucluse makes a scenic, less-travelled alternative to reach the Luberon. Parking in town costs €4.
Pays de Venasque
The seldom-visited, beautiful Venasque Country is perfect for a road trip: a rolling landscape of oak woodlands, dotted with villages atop rocky promontories and hundreds of bories (domed stone huts from the Bronze Age). The region is famous for its early-summer ruby-red cherries.
The Forêt de Venasque ( GOOGLE MAP ), criss-crossed by walking trails (including long-distance GR91), lies east of Venasque. Cross the Col de Murs mountain pass (627m) to pretty little Murs, and see the remains of Le Mur de la Peste (the Plague Wall), built in 1720 in a vain attempt to stop the plague from entering papal territory. You could also walk into the Luberon from here, calling at Gordes and the Abbaye Notre-Dame de Sénanque. IGN's map Balades en forêts du Ventoux de Venasque et St-Lambert (€9) outlines several family-friendly walks.
Venasque
Pop 1184 / Elev 320m
Tiny Venasque teeters on a rocky spur, its twisting streets and ancient buildings weathered by howling winds. So picturesque are the village and its views that everyone is forever reaching for their cameras.
1Sights
Romanesque ChurchCHURCH
(Église Notre-Dame; h9.15am-5pm)
The church contains the pride of the Pays de Venasque: an unusual late-Gothic Crucifixion painting (1498).
oBaptistryCHURCH
(%04 90 66 62 01; place de l'Église; adult/child €3/free; h9.15am-noon & 1-6.30pm, 9.15am-5pm winter)
Tucked behind the Romanesque church, this baptistry was built in the 6th century on the site of a Roman temple.
4Sleeping & Eating
Les RempartsPROVENçAL€€
(%04 90 66 02 79; www.hotellesremparts.com; 36 rue Haute; lunch/dinner menus from €22/27; hnoon-1.30pm & 7.30-9.30pm daily Apr-Oct; W
vc)
Built into the city's ramparts, this aptly named restaurant-hotel serves good traditional Provençal cooking, copious lunchtime salads and – quelle surprise – a dedicated vegetarian menu. The terrace has stunning valley views: sit outside. There's yummy cherry juice if you're driving. Upstairs are eight spiffy, great-value rooms (singles/doubles/triples/quads including breakfast €55/65/85/100).
8Information
Venasque Tourist OfficeTOURIST INFORMATION
(%04 90 66 11 66; www.tourisme-venasque.com; Grand Rue; h10am-noon & 2-6pm Mon-Sat Apr-Oct)
Stocks excellent hiking information.
Les Alpilles
This silvery chain of low, jagged mountains strung between the Rivers Durance and Rhône delineates a très chic side of Provence, notably around upmarket St-Rémy-de-Provence, known for fine restaurants and summertime celebrity-spotting. The entire region is full of gastronomic delights – AOC olive oil, vineyards and Michelin-starred restaurants. History comes to life at magnificent ruined castles and at one of Provence’s best Roman sites, the ancient city of Glanum.
OLIVE-OIL MILLS
The Alpilles’ southern edge contains some of Provence’s best-known moulins d’huile (oil mills), where four types of olive, freshly harvested from November to January, are pummelled and pressed into silken AOC Vallée des Baux-de-Provence oil.
In Maussane-les-Alpilles, the cooperative Moulin Jean-Marie Cornille (%04 90 54 32 37; www.moulin-cornille.com; rue Charloun Rieu, Maussane-les-Alpilles; h9.30am-6.30pm Mon-Sat, 11am-6pm Sun) sells direct to the public, though its 200,000L sell out by mid-August. You can tour the mill at 11am on Tuesday and Thursday June to September.
At Mouriès, 6km southeast of Maussane, pop in for tastes of exceptional oils milled at Moulin Coopératif (%04 90 47 53 86; www.moulincoop.com; Quartier du Mas Neuf, Mouriès; h9am-noon & 2-6pm Mon-Sat). The village celebrates a Fête des Olives Vertes (Green Olive Festival) in mid-September, and the arrival of the year’s new oil with the Fête des Huiles Nouvelles in early December.
St-Rémy-de-Provence
Pop 10,826
See-and-be-seen St-Rémy has an unfair share of gourmet shops and restaurants – in the spirit of the town’s most famous son, prophecy-maker Nostradamus, we predict you’ll need to let your belt out a notch. Come summer, the jet set wanders the peripheral boulevard and congregates at place de la République, leaving the quaint historic center strangely deserted. The low season is quiet.
ST-RéMY DISCOUNT PASS
Pick up the free Carte St-Rémy at the first sight you visit, get it stamped, then benefit from reduced admission at St-Rémy's other sights.
1Sights
oSite Archéologique de GlanumROMAN SITES
(
GOOGLE MAP
; %04 90 92 23 79; www.glanum.monuments-nationaux.fr; rte des Baux-de-Provence; adult/child €7.50/free, parking €2.70; h9.30am-6.30pm Apr-Sep, 10am-5pm Oct-Mar, closed Mon Sep-Mar)
Spectacular archaeological site Glanum dates to the 3rd century BC. Walking the main street towards the sacred spring around which Glanum grew, you pass the fascinating remains of a once-thriving city, complete with baths, forum, marketplace, temples and houses. Two ancient Roman monuments – a triumphal arch (AD 20) and mausoleum (30 to 20 BC) – mark the entrance, 2km south of St-Rémy.
oMonastère St-Paul de MausoleHISTORIC SITE
(
GOOGLE MAP
; %04 90 92 77 00; www.saintpauldemausole.fr; adult/child €4.70/free; h9.30am-6.30pm Apr-Sep, 10.15am-4.30pm Oct-Mar, closed Jan–mid-Feb)
Van Gogh admitted himself to Monastère St-Paul de Mausole in 1889. The peaceful asylum's security led to his most productive period – he completed 150-plus drawings and some 150 paintings here, including his famous Irises. A reconstruction of his room is open to visitors, as are a Romanesque cloister and gardens growing flowers that feature in his work. From the monastery entrance, a walking trail is marked by colour panels, showing where the artist set up his easel.
St-Paul remains a psychiatric institution: an exhibition room sells artwork created by patients.
Musée EstrineMUSEUM
(
GOOGLE MAP
; %04 90 92 34 72; www.musee-estrine.fr; 8 rue Lucien Estrine; adult/child €7/free; h10am-6pm Tue-Sun mid-Jun–mid-Sep, reduced hours rest of year, closed Dec-Feb)
Twentieth-century modern art and rotating contemporary-art exhibitions fill a beautiful 18th-century hôtel particulier (mansion).
Musée des AlpillesMUSEUM
(
GOOGLE MAP
; %04 90 92 68 24; www.mairie-saintremydeprovence.fr; 1 place Favier; adult/child €4.50/free; h10am-6pm Tue-Sun May-Sep, 1-5.30pm Tue-Sat Oct-Apr)
An engaging little museum chronicling the area’s rich heritage, with fossils and crafts, bull-fighting exhibits, Augustin Gonfond’s painstaking illuminations, and contemporary engravings.
zFestivals & Events
Route des ArtistesART
Professional artists sell work in the streets one Sunday each month, May to October.
Féria de St-RémyCULTURAL
(www.mairie-saintremydeprovence.fr)
Bull-running, festivities and fireworks; mid-August.
Fête Votive de St-RémyRELIGIOUS
(www.mairie-saintremydeprovence.fr)
Six-day celebration of St-Rémy's patron saint, held in late September, with bullfights and parades.
LOCAL KNOWLEDGE
FêTE DE LA TRANSHUMANCE
Every spring throughout parts of southern France, an incredible migration, largely on foot, takes place as thousands of sheep are led from the coast to the mountains to summer on alpine pastures. The journey takes about six days, and sheep, goats and donkeys block many tertiary routes to the Alps, leading to the amusement or annoyance of many a tourist.
In St-Rémy-de-Provence on Pentacost Monday this tradition is honoured as shepherds kitted out in traditional dress lead about 6000 sheep through St-Rémy's streets on their way to the mountains, and market-day festivities fill the town.
4Sleeping
Hôtel Canto CigaloHOTEL€
(
GOOGLE MAP
; %04 90 92 14 28; www.cantocigalo.com; 8 chemin Canto Cigalo; d €75-98; aiWs)
This excellent-value 20-room hotel with apricot facade and blue wooden shutters is a 10-minute stroll south of town. Simple and spotless, its frilly-feminine rooms are decorated in dusty rose, with wicker and white-wood furniture. Unusually, guests have the choice of a gluten- /lactose-free breakfast (€10.50) as well as regular petit-déj (€9) with homemade bread and jam. South-facing rooms have air-con.
oSous les FiguiersBOUTIQUE HOTEL€€
(
GOOGLE MAP
; %04 32 60 15 40; www.hotelsouslesfiguiers.com; 3 av Gabriel St-René Taillandier; d €98-122, tr €188; aiWc)
A five-minute walk from town, this country-chic house hotel has 14 art-filled rooms facing a leafy garden – lovely for unwinding after a day's explorations. The owner is a painter (who runs half-day classes costing €85 per person) and has exquisite taste, marrying design details like velvet and distressed wood, Moroccan textiles, and rich colour palettes. Breakfast €13.50.
La Maison du VillageBOUTIQUE HOTEL€€€
(
GOOGLE MAP
; %04 32 60 68 20; www.lamaisonduvillage.com; 10 rue du 8 Mai 1945; d €176-220; aW)
This hotel is St-Rémy all over – exclusive, eclectically stylish and appealing to all the senses. Gorgeous rooms, smack in the centre, come in a number of configurations, and there’s a Diptyque fragrance and candle shop.
WORTH A TRIP
SWEET RETREAT
oMas de l'AmarineINN€€€
(%04 90 94 47 82; www.mas-amarine.com; Ancienne voie Aurélia; d €190-270, 2-/3-course lunch menus €29/35, dinner mains €36)
A sweet retreat to eat and sleep, Mas de l'Amarine is five minutes' drive east of town. Contemporary artwork fills this fashion-forward auberge (country inn), a romantic old mas (farmhouse) and 1950s artists retreat with drystone walls, great fireplaces and funky Fatboy beanbags by the pool. Many ingredients cooked in the restaurant, open to nonguests, come fresh from the magnificent gardens.
Reservations, well in advance, are essential.
5Eating
Les Filles du PâtissierCAFE€
(
GOOGLE MAP
; %06 50 61 07 17; 3 place Favier; mains €15-20; h10am-10pm, closed Wed Apr-Oct)
Particularly perfect on sultry summer nights, this upbeat, colourful cafe has vintage tables filling one corner of a delightful car-free square in the old town. Its daily-changing menu features market-driven salads and tarts, and come dusk it morphs into a wine bar with charcuterie plates and occasional live music. Don't miss the homemade citronnade (lemonade) and melon-fizz soda.
Café de la PlaceCAFE€
(
GOOGLE MAP
; %04 90 92 02 13; www.cafedelaplace-stremy.fr; place de la République; mains €14-25; h7am-12.30am daily)
St-Rémy's no-frills, casual hang-out for locals abuts the place de la République car park but is always packed, serving fresh local dishes, wine and coffee.
Michel MarshallPATISSERIE€
(
GOOGLE MAP
; %04 90 95 03 54; 2 place Joseph Hilaire; pastries €5-7; h9am-6pm Mon-Sat)
St-Remy's most refined patisserie is elegant for afternoon tea.
La Cuisine des AngesBISTRO€€
(
GOOGLE MAP
; %04 90 92 17 66; www.angesetfees-stremy.com; 4 rue du 8 Mai 1945; menus €28, mains €18-21; hnoon-2.30pm & 7.30-11pm Mon, Wed, Sat & Sun, 7.30-11pm Thu & Fri; aW)
Packed with locals and tourists, this casual maison d'hôte has been around for an age and just doesn't lose its edge. Light Provençal dishes are derived from organic local ingredients and served in the interior patio or wooden-floored dining room with textured paintings and zinc-topped tables. Upstairs is cute B&B Le Sommeil des Fées, with five rooms (doubles €63 to €84).
oMaison DrouotMODERN FRENCH€€€
(%04 90 15 47 42; http://maisondrouot.blogspot.fr; 150 rte de Maillane (D5); menus lunch €23-49, dinner €45-65; h12.30-2.30pm & 7.30-11pm Wed-Sun)
There are few lunch addresses as charming. Snug in a 19th-century oil mill with a terrace basking in the shade of a fig tree and a vine-covered pergola, this restaurant is pure style. Contemporary Provençal cuisine – made strictly from local products (listed in the menu) – is served with a creative twist in a thoroughly modern interior.
Find the mill-restaurant five minutes out of town, opposite supermarket Intermarché on the D5 towards Maillane.
7Shopping
St-Rémy’s packed with boutiques and shops. Hours are reduced in winter, and some close.
oJoël DurandCHOCOLATE
(
GOOGLE MAP
; %04 90 92 38 25; www.chocolat-durand.com; 3 bd Victor Hugo; h9.30am-12.30pm & 2.30-7.30pm daily)
Among France’s top chocolatiers, Provençal herbs and plants – lavender, rosemary, violet and thyme – are used with unexpected flavours, like Earl Grey.
Le Petit DucFOOD
(
GOOGLE MAP
; %04 90 92 08 31; www.petit-duc.com; 7 bd Victor Hugo; h10am-7pm daily)
Biscuits made using ancient Roman, Renaissance, alpine and Arlésien recipes.
La Cave aux FromagesCHEESE
(
GOOGLE MAP
; %04 90 92 32 45; 1 place Joseph Hilaire; h10am-7pm daily, reduced hours Oct-Apr)
Thrilling cheese shop with a 12th-century ripening cellar and cheese and charcuterie plates.
Espace AnikadoFASHION, ARTS
(
GOOGLE MAP
; %04 90 94 53 22; http://anikado.canalblog.com; 1 bd Marceau; h10.30am-6.30pm)
There is no finer shop for vibrant local art, craft and design than Espace Anikado. Eye-catching, colourful and oozing creativity, the hybrid boutique-gallery showcases fashion, jewellery, shoes, furniture and more by local designers. It also hosts Provençal art exhibits.
Moulin à Huile du CalanquetFOOD
(%04 32 60 09 50; www.moulinducalanquet.fr; Vieux Chemin d’Arles; h9am-noon & 2-6.30pm Mon-Sat, plus Sun Apr-Oct)
Brother-and-sister-run olive-oil mill located 4.5km southwest of St-Rémy, with tastings and homemade tapenade, fruit juice and jam.
8Information
Websites www.alpilles.com and www.alpilles.fr list information on the region.
Tourist OfficeTOURIST INFORMATION
(
GOOGLE MAP
; %04 90 92 05 22; www.saintremy-de-provence.com; place Jean Jaurès; h9.15am-12.30pm & 2-6.30pm Mon-Sat, 10am-12.30pm Sun mid-Apr–mid-Oct, shorter hours rest of year)
Helpful, with transport schedules, walking maps of town and Van Gogh sites, and summertime guided tours (book ahead).
WORTH A TRIP
TARASCON
Château de TarasconCASTLE
(%04 90 91 01 93; www.tarascon.fr; adult/child €7/free; h9.30am-5.30pm Oct-May, 9.30am-6.30pm Jun-Sep, last entry 45min before close)
The mighty walls of the 15th-century Château de Tarascon rise straight out of the Rhône, in the relaxed village of Tarascon. A beauty of a castle, the imposing fortress was built by Louis II to defend Provence’s frontier. Today it's a great destination for a half-day trip. Cross the mossy inner courtyard and explore the dainty chapel, ancient pharmacy and carved grotesques as you make your way to the crenellated rooftop for stunning river views.
After losing battles and suffering a lengthy imprisonment, Louis’ son King René (r 1409–80) turned away from politics and towards the arts, writing poetry, decorating the castle in rich Renaissance style, organising courtly tournaments and instigating the Fêtes de la Tarasque, an Easter parade to celebrate St Martha’s taming of Tarasque, a monstrous lion-headed, tortoise-shelled, fish-bellied beast that legend says once lurked in the river. This colourful festival still takes place today.
8Getting There & Around
Bicycle
Rentals and free delivery within a 20km radius of St-Rémy from Telecycles (%04 90 92 83 15; www.telecycles-location.com; per day €20) and Vélo-Passion (%04 90 92 49 43; www.velopassion.fr; per day €15-20). Or add a zip to your pedal power with a battery-assisted electric bike from Sun e-Bike (
GOOGLE MAP
; %04 32 62 08 39; www.sun-e-bike.com; 16 bd Marceau; per day €36; h9am-6.30pm Apr-Sep, shorter hours rest of year).
Bus
Allô Cartreize (%08 10 00 13 26; www.lepilote.com) buses depart place de la République for Avignon (€3.60, one hour), Les Baux-de-Provence (€2.40, 15 minutes, weekends June and September, daily July and August), Arles (€2.40, 45 minutes, Monday to Saturday) and Cavaillon (€1.70, 30 minutes).
Car
St-Rémy gets packed in summer; there's parking by the tourist office (parking Jean-Jaurès) and north of the periphery (parking Général-de-Gaulle).
Around St-Rémy-de-Provence
Vineyards and olive groves line valleys below craggy peaks, covered in fragrant Mediterrandean scrub. Rugged castles, ancient olive-oil mills, a troglodyte monastery and unusual attractions dot the countryside.
Jardin de l'Alchimiste
Jardin de l’AlchimisteGARDENS
(Alchemist’s Garden; %04 90 90 67 67; www.jardin-alchimiste.com; Mas de la Brune, Eygalières; adult/child €8/3; h10am-6pm daily May, 10am-6pm Sat & Sun Jun-Sep)
Eleven kilometres east of St-Rémy, in Eygalières, fascinating Jardin de l’Alchimiste – inspired by the nearby 16th-century house of an alchemist – is planted in arcane medieval patterns and filled with blossoming trees and herbs reputed to hold mystical properties. It's a magical destination for a Sunday-afternoon drive.
Les Baux-de-Provence
Pop 392
Clinging precariously to an ancient limestone baou (Provençal for ‘rocky spur’), this fortified hilltop village is one of the most visited in France (best as a day trip). It’s easy to understand why: narrow cobbled streets wend car-free past ancient houses, up to a splendid ruined castle.
1Sights
Château des BauxCASTLE, RUIN
(%04 90 54 55 56; www.chateau-baux-provence.com; adult/child Apr-Sep €10/8, Oct-Mar €8/6; h9am-8.15pm Jul & Aug, to 7.15pm Apr-Jun & Sep, reduced hours rest of year)
Crowning the village of Les Baux, these dramatic maze-like ruins date to the 10th century. The clifftop castle was largely destroyed in 1633, during the reign of Louis XIII, and is a thrilling place to explore – particularly for rambunctious kids. Climb crumbling towers for incredible views, descend into disused dungeons, and flex your knightly prowess with giant medieval weapons dotting the open-air site. Medieval-themed entertainment and hands-on action – shows, duels, catapult demonstrations and so on – abound in summer.
Carrières de LumièresLIGHT SHOW
(%04 90 54 55 56; www.carrieres-lumieres.com; rte de Maillane; adult/child €10.50/8.50; h9.30am-7.30pm Apr-Sep, 10am-6pm Oct-Dec & Mar)
A high-end sound-and-light show, Carrières de Lumières is an odd, strangely thrilling attraction. In the chilly halls of a former limestone quarry, gigantic projections illuminate the rough cave walls and floor, accompanied by oration and swelling music. Programs change annually and there are joint tickets with the Château des Baux. Dress warmly.
4Sleeping & Eating
The tourist office has information on the few accommodation options in town; restaurants tend toward the touristy.
oL'Oustau de BaumanièreGASTRONOMIC€€€
(%04 90 54 33 07; www.oustaudebaumaniere.com; lunch/dinner menus from €90/160, mains €60-100; aiWs)
A legendary table beneath vaults, L'Oustau serves rarefied cuisine, with many ingredients plucked from the organic garden. Upstairs are five-star hotel rooms (doubles from €200). Head chef and owner Jean-André Charial also hosts Saturday-morning cooking classes (€170 including lunch) and innovative table d'hôte sessions (€160), during which guests watch the chef work and share a kitchen lunch with him.
Wine aficionados will adore the half-day wine-discovery workshops (€190), during which you delve into L'Oustau's amazing cellars packed with 60,000-odd bottles and taste the best vintages from the region, accompanied by lunch.
8Information
Tourist OfficeTOURIST INFORMATION
(%04 90 54 34 39; www.lesbauxdeprovence.com; Maison du Roy; h9.30am-5pm Mon-Fri, 10am-5.30pm Sat & Sun)
8Getting There & Around
Bus
Allô Cartreize has services to St-Rémy-de-Provence (€2.40, 15 minutes) and Arles (€2.40, 30 minutes) on weekends from May to September and daily in July and August.
Car
Driving is easiest, but parking is hellish. Find metered spaces (€5 per day) far down the hill at the village's edge; there's free parking outside Carrières de Lumières. Good luck.
