Les Baux-de-Provence Provence-Beyond (Beyond the French Riviera) ® Bouches du Rhône (13520) Population: 460 Altitude: 218 m Nearby: [ Avignon 30 km | Arles 24 | St. Rémy 10 | Alpilles ] Photos:       1 A bigger photo of the ancient castle ruins (19k)       2 "Faces" rock formations beside the village (32k)       3 The road cut through the rock (18k) Below: [ History | Museums | Wine | Hiking | Lodging ] This is an extremely picturesque village with royal history. Les-Baux-de-Provence is included in all guidebooks about Provence, so look it up in your favorite for more complete information. Les-Baux-de-Provence is a touristic site rather than an active village, but that's not a discredit considering the beauty of the village and the surrounding Alpilles. Whenever we've been by, including as early in the season as April, the roads near the village have been packed solid with cars and buses, and the 20 F parking along the roads and in the crowded lots strigently controlled; we've not had the nerve to brave the parking and the crowds to visit the village. While much of the southern part of the Alpilles is exposed rock, the northern slopes, where the road zig-zags down to (or up from) St. Rémy, is thickly forested. The road up to Les Baux from the southeast passes through olive groves and vineyards, and passes the Cave Vignoble Sainte Berthe where you can stop and taste the local wines. There are incredible rock formations in this part of the Alpilles, with the road sometimes seemingly cut through the solid rock with single strokes of some giant's knife [photo-3]. The name "baux" means a prominent cliff (see below), but has become more well-known for the bauxite named after this region. Bauxite was first discovered in the Alpilles, and named after the village of Baux-de-Provence. Name The name Baou is the Provençal word for a prominent, elevated rock (like a protruding, narrow cliff). The "Baux" family became powerful here in the 9th century and ruled as Lords until the 15th century (1426). First record, 960: Balcium History Les Baux-de-Provence has been occupied as a defensive site throughout history. Celtic-Ligurian: signs of these ancient peoples have been found here, and there are both Celtic-Ligurian and Roman necropolis nearby to the north. Roman: Several Roman artifacts, including burial tombs and stèles (monoliths) mark this as a Roman defensive town. Medieval: The "Baux" family ruled from the 9th century until 1426 when the last of the lords died. Baux was integrated into the county of Provence, and then became part of France, along with Provence, in 1481. When the population revolted at this integration, Louis XI responded by "dismantling" the chateau. Baux became a barony, eventually ruled by Anne de Montmorency who rebuilt the castle and built the social life of the town to royal proportions. Dates, Numbers Fête folklorique St. Jean: last Saturday June Art and Music festivals: July - Sept Office de Tourisme - tel: (33) 490 54 34 39; fax: (33) 490 54 51 15 Museums   Cathédral d'Images - Picture Palace Total 3-dimensional images: walls, ceilings, floors, screens. In the Sarragan quarries of Val d'Enver (Hell Valley), 500 m north of the village. Tel: (33) 490 54 38 65 Chapelle des Pénitents Blancs Frescoes of shepherds and the midnight mass, in 17thc chapel. Chapelle St Blaise - Musée de l'Olivier Photographs with the theme of olive trees (oliviers) and painters Tel: (33) 490 54 55 56 Citadelle ou Cité des morts - City of the Dead Tel: (33) 490 54 55 56 Tickets available from the Museum of History Eglise Saint-Vincent Cistercian nave and stained glass windows, in 12c and 16c church. Musée d'art contemporain Contemporary Art Museum Hotel de Manville Tel: (33) 490 54 34 39 Musée Fondation Louis Jou Grand master printer of Baux; works, engravings, incunabula Tel: (33) 490 54 34 17 Open: only for groups and by rendez-vous Musée de peinture free entrance Musée des Santons Provencal santons, 17th and 18th century. Tel: (33) 490 54 34 39 Musée Yves Brayer Hotel des Porcelets Contemporary works of art, sculptures Tel: (33) 494 54 36 99 Tour du Manoir de Brau - Musée d'Histoire des Baux Famous historical events to the Baux citadel Tel: (33) 490 54 55 56 Wine Les Baux-de-Provence is in the region of its own appellation, Coteaux Baux-de-Provence wines. It's also on the edge of the appellation Coteaux d'Aix-en-Provence. Golfing Hiking Maps: IGN "bleue" (1:25,000) 3042 ouest "Châteaurenard, St-Remy-Pvce" IGN "verte" (1:100,000) #66 "Avignon, Montpellier" The GR6 (Grande Randonnée) goes through Les Baux-de-Provence. To the west, the GR6 follows the ridge of the Alpilles to the end, and continues on northwest to Tarascon and Pont du Gard. To the east, the GR6 drops down the northern slope of the Alpilles to St. Rémy-de-Provence, then climbs back up to continue east along the Alpilles past Eygalièeres and Eyguières, crossing the autoroute north of Salon-de-Provence. Lodging Listing available