Visiting Baux de Provence and it’s surroundings (Maussane les Alpilles, Arles, Saint Rémy de Provence, Camargue)

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Les Baux de Provence

Located in southern France, in the province of Provence, Baux de Provence has a spectacular position in the Alpilles mountains, set atop a rocky outcrop crowned with a ruined castle overlooking the plains to the South. It’s name refers to its position; in Provençal, a baou is a rocky spur.

One of the most beautiful villages in France, it sees more than 1.5 million visitors per year. Overlooking the stunning scenery of Arles, the Camargue and the Alpilles, the views are positively breathtaking.

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Saint Rémy de Provence

The village of Saint Rémy is located within 10km from the hotel.

Saint-Remy de Provence is a charming Roman city of the Renaissance, a city of painters and writers. One of the oldest cities in France, remains have been found dating back to the first millennium BC.

It was under Roman imperial rule that the city really took off, and the city has retained many sites of significance from this period, including the site of Glanum. This ancient site is one of the largest in France, with the central monument, forum, basilica and curia excavated.

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Arles

Less than 20 km from the hotel Fabian des Baux is the town of Arles.

Originally a Celtic dwelling place colonized by the Greeks, Arles became Roman following Caesar’s rule in 46 BC where many of his legions veterans settled. This was the golden age of the “Little Rome of Gaul” and the town became a great religious center of the early days of Christianity. Ruined and devastated by the invasions of the Middle Ages, the city was rebuilt during the twelfth century and the splendor of its medieval monuments attests to the vitality and richness of this era.

The seventeenth and eighteenth centuries saw the construction of numerous mansions, which still hold the charm of the village. With several monuments, this town holds visible evidence of over 2000 years of history. Since 1981 all Roman and Romanesque monuments are classified by UNESCO as World Heritage sites and Arles remains today a city of art and history.

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Avignon

About thirty kilometers away lies the beautiful city of Avignon.

Nicknamed the”City of Popes” or “Altera Roma”, Avignon has retained it’s history as a town that was for quite some time known as the capital of the medieval West. Today it is a cultural capital, home of the internationally known Theatre Festival.

Whilst in Avignon, you can visit the Palais des Papes and the St Benezet bridge, classified as a UNESCO World Heritage site. Also nearby are the Musée du Petit Palais, Musée Angladon, Palais du Roure, and Jean Vilar Lamaison. On the other bank of the Rhone, there are a number of monuments to see, such as the Certosa, Philippe le Bel Tower, the Fort and St Andrew’s Abbey.

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Les Alpilles

The Alpilles have been protected within the Regional Natural Park of the Alpilles since July 2006. There are very few people living within this massive area, however there are some villages to be visited, with their famous Roman ruins and Summer festivals.

The Alpilles mountain range comprises the villages of: Saint-Rémy-de-Provence on the North Slope, Les Baux de Provence in the South, a museum and a Romanesque chapel at Eygalières, in the Northeast. The Alphonse Daudet Museum, found in Fontvieille is a reconstruction of a famous windmill on a massive prominence on a road linking with Arles.

Other attractions include various other museums, including a museum of figurines, as well as the towns of Maussane, Mouriès and Aureille. All these villages have preserved their authenticity and make wonderful places to stop and relax.

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La Camargue

The Fabian des Baux hotel is near the National Reserve of the Camargue and is one hours from Saintes Maries de la Mer.

The Camargue is a site of national importance for local birds, particularly for migratory and wintering birds. Between 2000-2005 this area held the largest number of winter visiting birds in France (122 000 birds, before the Arcachon Basin that hosts 105,000).

The Camargue is also known its flamingoes. The botanical and oological reserve was created in 1928 with a mandate to promote the breed of Camargue horses.

Among the most famous sites include Le Grau du Roi, Aigues-Mortes and Les Saintes Maries de la Mer, not forgetting the beautiful sandy beaches of course.

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Le Pont du Gard

Forty miles from the hotel is one of the masterpieces of Roman architecture that is the Pont du Gard, beautifully integrated in a natural setting that has kept its wild charm, the Pont du Gard fascinates each of its visitors with its elegance and majesty.

Two millennia after its construction, this ancient building is still a true masterpiece, both for its technical prowess and for its simple beauty. It spans the Gardon and ensures the continuity of the Roman aqueduct that carried water from Uzes to Nimes.

This monument has been a World Heritage site since 1985. It attracts 1.5 million visitors a year and is the second most visited provincial monument after Mont-Saint-Michel.

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Le Luberon

Le Fabian des Baux is 1 hour drive away from the village of Gordes in the Luberon. Gordes is a beautiful hilltop village built into the rockface.

Walking through the village streets, you will discover all of its splendor and history. The village of Gordes is classified as one of the most beautiful most beautiful villages in France, alongside Lourmarin, Roussillon and Ménerbes.

Luberon, a land both green and wild with its Regional Natural Park amongst the hills is surrounded by famous vineyards and is steeped in history with its many villages.

Festival in Saint Remy

– Wine and Arts & Crafts festival – last weekend of July
– Saint Rémy Artist festival
– Fête de la transhumance
– Feria
– Large Provencal market
– Carreto Ramado

Festivals in Baux

– Baux Medieval festival

Festivals in Maussane

– Place aux arts
– Fête de la Saint Eloi

Festivals in Arles

– Les feux de la Saint-Jean
– La Pegoulado
– La fête du Costume
– Rice Feria
– Easter Feria