Les Baux-de-Provence Things to Do Tips by hquittner Top 5 Page for this destination

Chapels Near South End of the Cliff

On another part of the hill there stands the walls of a Chapel of St. Blaise and next to it another of St. Claude, both n a flat place near the southern edge of the large rocky promontory.

Visit the Hotel de Manville

Part of the Hotel de Manville still stands and is used as the Hotel de Ville and is also used for other activities. Several rooms have been made into a modern art museum. Immediately beyond the hotel, there are the remains of a Protestant oratory. It consists of the outer wall enclosing a fine Renaissance large window framing sculptural elements. Along the upper framing is a Protestant religious saying "Post Tenebras Lux)". The adjacent street leads down to the Grande Rue through a narrow street past ruined walls.

Coming to Les Baux

Les Baux sits on the west edge of the Alpilles, 3 km south of Glanum. Almost all of the Alpilles chain stretches east from here for 11 miles (an area southwest of the Luberon). The walls of the Alpilles are almost white and are not very tall. This area was used by van Gogh in several great paintings. From inside the town one can look out into a small valley which is part of the commune. Here is where there is the famous Ousteau de Baumiere.

See the Maison des Porcelets

The simple facade of the Maison des Porcelets is intact near the church, as is an adjacent small domed tower. Along the main street and nearby are many shops of varying quality.

Look In the White Penitents' Chapel

The chapel is close to the edge of the cliff on the east. It is a plain structure with a a small belfry and minimal carved decoration. Inside the chapel has bee covered with recent frescos of surrounding the Birth of Jesus by Yves Breyer.

Inside St. Vincent's Church

The inside of St. Vincent's is dark and aside from a few adornments nothing remains. In the depth along one wall is a tomb of a knight from the 15C. In the back wall is an ancient small heraldic shield and nearby is a small statue of St. Francis with raised arms. A recent fine window by Max Ingrand completes the items to see.

See the Church of St. Vincent

The facade of St. Vincent is a plain Romanesque building with unadorned arcading. It sits in a small square. The unside is dimly lit. Much of the vertical deeper wall is modifying of the surface of the cliff. Adjacent to the north of the church is a campanile whose belfry is completed above by a rising pointed top.