Les Baux-de-Provence Attractions
The ruined town of Les Baux is situated in the extreme west of Provence on the southern edge of the Alpilles, northeast of Arles. This unique ruined site occupies the plateau of a rock mass which rises above the Lower Town.
The entire place can be visited only on foot; parking is available outside the entrance to the Lower Town.
This elevated site was settled as long ago as the Early Stone Age. The first signs of overlords in Les Baux are found around the year 950. In the 12th and 13th C. Les Baux (Provençal Li Baus = The Rocks) was the chief town of a county which embraced a great part of Provence and numbered more than 3,000 inhabitants. The Cour d'Amour, the rendezvous of the troubadours in the 13th C., was famous as the center of courtly poetry which was later to find a parallel in German- speaking countries in the Minnesang. Being a stronghold of Huguenots - there still exists a window from the former Protestant church of 1571 with the watchword "post tenebras lux", or "after the dark comes light" - and a refuge for rebels from Aix, in 1631 Louis XIII ordered the Duke of Guise to lay siege to the town and take it. The inhabitants longed for peace, and asked the king to take over the whole town and to tear down the fortifications at their expense, which was done two years later. In 1642 Les Baux was given as a gift to the Grimaldi family, who remained Dukes of Les Baux until 1791, when they were dispossessed during a revolution. Charles Maxime de Grimaldi, who died in 1880, was the last to hold the title of Marquis des Baux.
At the beginning of the Industrial Age another aspect quickly became important. In the surrounding countryside in 1821 rich deposits of a mineral were discovered which provides the main basic material for aluminum production, and which was named "bauxite" after the town.
The entire place can be visited only on foot; parking is available outside the entrance to the Lower Town.
This elevated site was settled as long ago as the Early Stone Age. The first signs of overlords in Les Baux are found around the year 950. In the 12th and 13th C. Les Baux (Provençal Li Baus = The Rocks) was the chief town of a county which embraced a great part of Provence and numbered more than 3,000 inhabitants. The Cour d'Amour, the rendezvous of the troubadours in the 13th C., was famous as the center of courtly poetry which was later to find a parallel in German- speaking countries in the Minnesang. Being a stronghold of Huguenots - there still exists a window from the former Protestant church of 1571 with the watchword "post tenebras lux", or "after the dark comes light" - and a refuge for rebels from Aix, in 1631 Louis XIII ordered the Duke of Guise to lay siege to the town and take it. The inhabitants longed for peace, and asked the king to take over the whole town and to tear down the fortifications at their expense, which was done two years later. In 1642 Les Baux was given as a gift to the Grimaldi family, who remained Dukes of Les Baux until 1791, when they were dispossessed during a revolution. Charles Maxime de Grimaldi, who died in 1880, was the last to hold the title of Marquis des Baux.
At the beginning of the Industrial Age another aspect quickly became important. In the surrounding countryside in 1821 rich deposits of a mineral were discovered which provides the main basic material for aluminum production, and which was named "bauxite" after the town.
Upper Town
The best time to visit the Upper Town of Les Baux-de-Provence is in the evening, in order to experience the special light when the sun goes down; the ticket office is open until 7 p.m., but visitors can of course stay in the Upper Town later than that.
View
The best view of Les Baux is from the Plâteau des Bringasses; take the D27 road north, and turn right after 1km/0.5mi. From here can be seen "half of Provence", as well as Mont Ventoux and Luberon, the Rhône Valley and Camargue, Aix and Arles.
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Cathédrale des Images
In the Upper Town of Les Baux-de-Provence one passes the former quarries, some of which were underground. In one such quarry the artist Albert Plécy installed his "Cathedral of Pictures", with slides on various subjects projected onto the giant stone walls some 400m/1,300ft in length. Plécy's aim was to create a "total picture", where the observer actually stood within it rather than simply looking at it.
Cathédrale des Images
Route de Maillane
F-13520 Les Baux de Provence
France
Route de Maillane
F-13520 Les Baux de Provence
France
Hours
March 1 to January 6
| Mon | Tue | Wed | Thu | Fri | Sat | Sun | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Open | 10:00 | 10:00 | 10:00 | 10:00 | 10:00 | 10:00 | 10:00 |
| Close | 18:00 | 18:00 | 18:00 | 18:00 | 18:00 | 18:00 | 18:00 |
Chapel of the White Penitents
Opposite St Vincent church the square is closed off by the 17th C. Chapelle des Pénitents-Blancs; inside can be seen some modern paintings by Yves Brayer.
Columbarium
The old Columbarium, or "dove-cote", is an Early Christian burial-place with niches for the urns containing ashes.
Hôtel de Manville
In Les Baux a lane going gently uphill on the left of Hôtel des Porcelets, on the right the former Protestant Church (Temple Protestant) and leads to the 16th C. Hôtel de Manville, with its beautiful inner courtyard. This now houses the office of the Mayor and the Office de Tourisme; on the ground floor is a picture gallery and on the second floor a permanent exhibition of modern masters, as well as documents and photographs dealing with Les Baux past and present.
Hôtel de la Tour de Brau
Coming from the Hôtel de Manville, Rue des Fours and Rue du Trencat, the latter a chemin creux (sunken road) cut into the rock, lead to the entrance to the Upper Town of Les Baux. The 14th C. Hôtel de la Tour on the right houses the Musée Archéologique et Lapidaire, exhibiting remains of the fortress and archeological finds from the surrounding countryside - especially from graves of a Celtic necropolis - as well as information concerning the mining of bauxite.
Hôtel des Porcelets
The Hôtel des Porcelets in Les Baux-de-Provence is a 16th C. building which now houses the Musée d'Art Moderne; an entrance ticket for all museums and the Upper Town can be used here. On exhibition are works by contemporary artists, especially from the Provençal region.
Hours
| Mon | Tue | Wed | Thu | Fri | Sat | Sun | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Open | 8:30 | 8:30 | 8:30 | 8:30 | 8:30 | 8:30 | 8:30 |
| Close | 19:00 | 19:00 | 19:00 | 19:00 | 19:00 | 19:00 | 19:00 |
Les Baux de Provence - St Vincent
The sturdiness of the Church of St-Vincent in Baux-en-Provence, dedicated to St Vincentius, a fourth C. martyr, gives a surprising impression of space. Its present-day form dates from the Romanesque and Gothic periods. The chapels leading off the right-hand aisle have been hewn into the soft stone; in the center stands a font contrived from the actual rock. The right aisle is 10th C., from the Carolingian era. The 12th C. nave reflects the Romano-Cistercian style. The left-hand aisle is 15th C., from High to Late Gothic; immediately behind here the Marquis of Les Baux lie buried; their tombs in the subterranean gallery beneath the church are not open to the public.
All the windows of the church are modern and were the gift in 1962 of Prince Rainier of Monaco, the succesor to the last Dukes of Les Baux.
At Christmas shepherds celebrate midnight vespers here, an event which already threatens to become a spectacle for the "initiated". As only a few seats are available, anyone wishing to attend is advised to come early and dress warmly.
All the windows of the church are modern and were the gift in 1962 of Prince Rainier of Monaco, the succesor to the last Dukes of Les Baux.
At Christmas shepherds celebrate midnight vespers here, an event which already threatens to become a spectacle for the "initiated". As only a few seats are available, anyone wishing to attend is advised to come early and dress warmly.
Lower Town
Passing the former 17th C. Town Hall in Les Baux-en-Provence and the Porte Eyguières, the ancient town gate, follow the Rue de L'Eglise to the attractive little Place St.-Vincent, the south side of which is formed from rock-hewn walls. There is a fine view from this square towards the west.
Plateau
On the far side of the 14th C. Chapel of St-Claude-et-St-Blaise - which has been restored and contains an exhibition of olive production and processing - extends a large bare rock plateau, the edge of which falls almost vertically to the foothills below. This steep slope should be approached with due caution, for it is completely unsecured and the often violent and gusty winds here can be dangerous.
Quite near to the end of the plateau stands a monument to the Provençal poet Charloun Rieu (1846- 1924), who belonged to the circle of "Félibres" around Frédéric Mistral. This association was responsible for the renaissance of the Provençal language and culture. From here there is a grandiose panorama into the Valley of the Rhône, the Plain of the Crau and over the Alpilles.
Quite near to the end of the plateau stands a monument to the Provençal poet Charloun Rieu (1846- 1924), who belonged to the circle of "Félibres" around Frédéric Mistral. This association was responsible for the renaissance of the Provençal language and culture. From here there is a grandiose panorama into the Valley of the Rhône, the Plain of the Crau and over the Alpilles.
Ruins
The way to the ruined edge of the town runs parallel to the eastern edge of the plateau. The phenomenon of wind erosion which can be observed everywhere on exposed surfaces is impressive.
Only scant remains of the former castle have survived. Right on the edge of the rock at the highest point is where the keep was built, with its huge windows and spacious proportions; some remains of the foundations of the adjoining residential quarters still exist.
A comprehensive and highly impressive panorama can be enjoyed from the rocky crests which border the Upper Town and which can be climbed by narrow paths and steep steps.
Only scant remains of the former castle have survived. Right on the edge of the rock at the highest point is where the keep was built, with its huge windows and spacious proportions; some remains of the foundations of the adjoining residential quarters still exist.
A comprehensive and highly impressive panorama can be enjoyed from the rocky crests which border the Upper Town and which can be climbed by narrow paths and steep steps.
