Les Baux de Provence

Touristic village located in Provence, Les-Baux-de-Provence is situated in the Bouches-du-Rhône region of Southern France. The village is on a rocky outcrop and is a spectacular spot, overlooking the plains in the south. Set up in the Alpilles Mountains, the outcrop is covered by a ruined castle.

Traces of inhabitants have been found in Les Baux as early as 6000BC. The Celts used this site as a hill fort during the second century. In the middle ages the lords of the countryside controlled 79 surrounding villages and towns. These lords claimed ancestry and the star of Bethlehem was worn around their coat arms. The Baux were eliminated by the 12th century. Yet the castle remained, with its legendary stories and myths and became renowned for its culture, ornateness and chivalry.

As of today, Les-Baux-de-Provence village is full of winding streets and houses made of ancient stones. It is thought to be the loveliest village by the French Tourist Board. There are many shops, little restaurants and very tiny streets. From the Saracen Tower, set on the plateau on the southern edge, you can see as far as Aigues-Mortes in the Mediterranean!

Thanks to its quaint charm (having a population of four hundreds habitants only), Les-Baux has a wonderful reputation among travelers. The ruins remain to be picturesque, especially the castle, surrounded by cliffs and dramatic rocks. Dante Alighieri is said to have been inspired when describing the Purgatory. There is a major catapult demonstration shown between April and September each year.

Just below The Baux the beautiful “La Cathedrale des images” is also to be seen. Those underground rooms of nearly forty feet high are made of limestone and now serve as a unique art form, where slide shows are projected with sound effects, voice and music. Thirty feet high stone-made columns provide naturally built screens with dizzying images, leaving the viewer completely enraptured, with images covering the ceilings and creeping along the floors! This natural beauty was discovered in 1970 by a photographer by the name of Albert Plecy. His family still runs the place for tourists and a show is organized annually. It is very cold, since the underground almost runs 200 feet inside. Many travelers consider this area a great tourist spot.