Explore Saint-Rémy-de-Provence: A Beautiful Provencal Jewel

Saint Remy de Provence Things to Do

We love the Provence area. The region is full of pretty towns, art, history and culture and we always find interesting places to explore there. We spent five nights in Saint-Remy-de-Provence and loved the feel of this little town and all it had to offer.

With a good amount of time here, we felt we really covered all the major sights of the town and can offer some good insight on what you should plan to see and do, while visiting this charming Provençal village in the South of France.

Saint-Remy-de-Provence Highlights

Shop On Market Day

One of the most popular activities that draw people to Saint-Rémy is the extensive outdoor market that is held weekly, on Wednesdays.

We have enjoyed many markets in places like Collioure in France, Marsaxlokk in Malta or San Telmo in Buenos Aires. So you can trust us when we say the market is immense, with much of it located in the parking lot across from Saint Martin church in Place de Republique. From there it spills into the historic centre and fills the narrow streets right through to the Place de la Marie. 

There is a wide variety of products available to purchase here. Clothing, jewelry, fabric, leather products, artwork, and soap are all readily available. And many regional food specialities including meats, cheese, breads, pastries, jams, spices, honey, vinegars, oils, spreads and fruit and veggies.

It is a shopper’s paradise that provides foods you can enjoy while on your trip and also items that make great souvenirs or gifts. 

The market is open from 8:00am – 1:00pm. But get there early as we found the vendors were already packing up by 12:45pm.

Uncover The Estrine Museum

We are big fans of Vincent Van Gogh and have viewed his original art in Paris at Musee D’Orsay, in Chicago at the Art Institute of Chicago and in Buenos Aires at the National Museum of Fine Arts. We have even seen an immersive art display in Toronto where his paintings are projected in a 360-degree collage of moving images. 

We first started learning about him when we visited Arles, where he spent 11 months, and even though he was struggling emotionally, he painted countless well-known pieces during that time. After he tragically cut off his ear, he left Arles and went to Saint-Remy-de-Provence and committed himself to a psychiatric hospital.

Here, he was also productive, as he fell in love with the surroundings of the Alpilles region and used his art as a means of therapy.

Located in a beautiful building dating back to the mid-1700s, the Estrine Museum gives a detailed look into his life and the different periods of his work as his focus changed over time. You learn about his extensive letter correspondence with his brother among others, that gives insight to his state of mind and how he found inspiration for his art.

There are many displays with timelines and a short film that shows his work along with excerpts from his letters. The museum offers an English audio guide that helps with translating the information but it isn’t particularly helpful with guiding the visitor to specific points in the museum so you just have to go with it. We learned many inspiring stories about Vincent and his short lifetime.

There are also pieces of artwork from a famous French painter, Gleize, who also painted in St-Remy as well as rotating exhibitions from various contemporary artists. And at the end of your visit you can spend time at the nice little gift shop onsite. It is not a large museum but it is very informative.

✅ This tour will provide a guided walk of Saint Remy including the village and the Saint Paul Mausole along with the beautiful neighbouring town of Les Baux. Finishing with a wine tasting this would be a perfect day in Provence.

Take The Van Gogh Trail

Following in Van Gogh’s footsteps, there is a lovely walk from the historic centre that starts in the square in front of the Musee Estrine called the Paysages de Vincent Van Gogh. This walk is approximately 1 km and offers a stroll past many locations that inspired Van Gogh paintings during his time in the village. It ends once you reach the asylum where he spent one of the last years of his life.

There are small metal icons embedded in the sidewalk every few metres that lead you along the route and there is also a map available from the Tourist Office that indicates each stop along the way.  We have done a similar type walk in Arles and found this a nice way to explore and also immerse yourself in the artist’s inspiration.

At each location where the original was painted, there is a placard, in both French and English, that includes an image of the painting, along with a brief description of what inspired the art.

Each one is accompanied by an excerpt from a letter that he wrote to his brother, among others, during the same time that he was completing the work. It has been thoughtfully curated and gives you a glimpse into the beauty of the area in which he found so much comfort and inspiration.

Several very famous pieces were completed here, including Starry Night, Iris, and Wheat Field With Cypresses. For some of the locations, you can easily see the basics of the landscape, and for others, it requires a little more imagination. 

We enjoyed the walk and its simple surroundings with flowers, plane trees and olive groves in the forefront of the mountain range. It is a wonderful way to spend an hour or two wandering as Vincent Van Gogh himself might once have done.

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Explore Saint Paul de Mausole

As you finish the Van Gogh Trail, you will find yourself at the entrance to the Monastery. This is an incredible complex that includes a Romanesque Cloister built by monks and dating back to the 11th century. It was purchased in the early 1800s, and it was eventually made into the psychiatric facility that it is today.

The entrance ticket includes access to the grounds, church, cloister and the monastery.

Here you can see the common areas that were used by the patients: sleeping dormitories, kitchen, the doctor’s office, the Mother Superior’s quarters and the linen rooms.

And of course, the rooms where Vincent stayed and worked on his art.

The window from his room overlooks a lovely garden, which he apparently painted fourteen times during his one year stay during 1889. It is also an area that visitors can enjoy.

His doctor was very supportive of his art and encouraged him to use it as a means of expression and to help him with his episodes of depression. After being there a year, his doctor deemed him cured, and he left the asylum and St-Rémy-de-Provence. But it proved to be a premature assessment, since he would unfortunately take his own life only two months later. 

✅ If you aren’t staying in Saint-Remy but are interested in exploring this area along with Arles, then take a look at this highly rated tour that will give you great insight to the artist and the major spots where he spent time in Provence.

See Les Antiques

While in this area of town, you can easily visit Les Antiques as it is a short walk down the main road.  At the end of the Mausole driveway, instead of turning right to go back to town, turn left, and after a short walk, you will come across these structures in a park area.

They are replicas of the Arc de Triomphe and the Jules Mausoleum that were part of the Roman city of Glanum, located a little further down the street. For many centuries, they were the only visible parts at the entrance to Glanum that was found and excavated in 1921. 

They are quite majestic and are emblematic of Saint-Remy, proudly positioned now at the entrance to the town.

Discover The Ancient City Of Glanum

We have found so many incredible Roman ruins during our travels through France such as in Nimes and Arles. And the city of Glanum was a very pleasant surprise. Originally a Gallic settlement, then ruled by the Greeks who were opening the trade market in the Mediterranean, it became a Roman city in the 6th century. 

The area became a Roman Centre, including housing, shops and the standard buildings that also boasted the forum, basilica and political structures. Considering its age, it is amazing to see the basic outlines of the city walls still somewhat intact.

This location was very important due to its natural, permanent spring that is still running to this day. So of course, given the Romans’ affinity to bathing, this location had large baths as well.

The original Arc de Triomphe sat at the entrance to the city for those who took the Via Domitia. We loved seeing yet another section of this Roman road that we have seen in Narbonne and Cimiez.

As the Roman Empire fell, the city was eventually abandoned, and the residents left to begin building what would become Saint-Remy, unfortunately using the stones from the site. It then fell into ruin and over the years, 8 metres of clay, silt, soil and sand covered the entire site, leaving only the Arch and the Mausoleum visible. A field of olive trees and a house sat on the site when it was discovered in 1921.

While perhaps less known than other ancient ruins in France, we would highly recommend visiting this impressive archaeological site for a look at a well-maintained Roman city.

✅ To see Glanum and the Saint Paul Mausole with a guide, consider this tour that also includes the awesome Carrieres des Lumieres in the next town, Les Baux Provence.

Learn About History At The Alpilles Museum

This small museum, located in the centre of Saint-Remy-de-Provence is contained within a gorgeous Renaissance style building. It houses many artifacts and art that portrays the history of the people who lived in the Alpilles region. 

Clothing, tools, models, and films all share the culture and livelihood of these people. In particular, we learned about le chardon cardère, where the local people dried cardère, a flower resembling a thistle, and then used it as a filling when making wool.

There was also a series of photographs showing bullfighters jumping from the ring as bulls charged their targets. 

It was an interesting look at the history and everyday lives of the people who settled in this area.

Wander The Charming Village

The streets of this village are lovely. The cobblestone leads you past pretty buildings, many which have been converted into boutiques. Proprietors create wonderful displays to beckon you inside their beautiful shops and art galleries.

The numerous squares hold ornate fountains, decorative street art and benches where you can sit and enjoy a rest.

Place Flavier is one to mention with its decorative statue and café, which is perfect for a drink or coffee.

In your travels through the historic centre, be sure to pass by the door to the house where Nostradamus was born.

There is a plaque above the door proudly indicating that the famous philosopher came from this small town and spent his childhood here. And keep an eye out for the fountain also dedicated to him.

Savour Local Wine At Chateau Romanin

We wanted to try a local winery and were thrilled with our choice of Chateau Romanin. This unique chateau sits upon 250 hectares with 58 hectares of vineyards at the foot of the Alpilles mountain range. Above the chateau are the ruins of a 13th-century Templar castle. It is quite an amazing spot.

But while the outside is beautiful, the inside is truly amazing. Built into the surrounding rock, you have no idea of the incredible tasting room and production facility that has been completely built within the immense stone cliffs.

The barrel rooms are particularly fascinating.

We toured the full facility and finished off with a walk up the spiral staircase that opens into a room with a gorgeous wooden ceiling.  From here, there is a lookout to the valley below. It is stunning!

Once we finished our tour, we had a delicious tasting of many of the wines that are being made on the estate. They are mainly focussed on red wines with some rosé and white available too. Their wines are all designated AOP and 100% organic.

We were also very impressed to be told the new owner is a Canadian woman! Be sure to check out this extraordinary spot for an exceptional experience.

Saint Remy Pass

If you are planning to see the majority of the sites in Saint Remy, we recommend you pick up the  Pass that is offered at the Tourist Office. It is free, but once you use it at the first site, you receive 50% off any of the others that you visit. It offers discounts at The Estrine Museum, Glanum, the Alpilles Museum and the Saint-Paul Mausoleum.

Saint Remy de Provence Hotels

For a perfect location within walking distance to everything, consider Hotel Gounod. This restored 18th-century inn has a variety of room styles, an onsite bar, a beautiful garden and even a swimming pool. 

For something a little more upscale, the perfect option is Hotel de Tourrel. This boutique property has a small number of rooms, making it a more intimate experience. Rooms are spacious and modern with high quality linen and air conditioning. They have a Michelin star restaurant and a more casual roof top restaurant available. 

Saint Remy de Provence Restaurants

There is no shortage of restaurants in this small town. We had several great meals.

Les Comptoir du Gigot Bar Tabac des Apilles was a very casual location. They have both indoor and outdoor seating. The atmosphere is lively and the servers very friendly. We shared several plates, including a variety of Provencal specials from their board for the day. Pork terrine, sausage in brioche, and roasted lamb served with salad and scalloped potatoes. All of it was fantastic!

For hearty Italian food, check out Cantina Fratelli. It was quite a busy location, but we had arrived early and were able to get a table. The pastas listed on their specials were very tasty. We enjoyed a tomato gnocchi and the paccheri pasta with a bolgnaise sauce – super fresh tasting!

Our fanciest meal was at L’Aile ou la Cuisse. This was a very modern bistro with a nice ambiance and attractive decor. The dishes were beautifully presented and very flavourful. Our dishes included lobster ravioli, a mosaic of beef onglet and a beef filet. They were all cooked perfectly. A very nice meal, but expect higher prices for this higher quality.

The Final Word….Visit Saint-Remy-de-Provence

Our visit to this little village was very enjoyable. There was plenty to explore in the town, the market was fantastic, and we had several memorable meals. It is also a great base for exploring the neighbouring areas of Les Baux-de-Provence, Arles and Avignon.  Be sure to put it on your list when next in the Provence region.