Discover the Enchanting Village of Saint-Rémy-de-Provence: A Journey into Timeless Beauty
Saint-Remy-de-Provence is a small village in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur region of southern France. It was founded by the Romans and is in the middle of the French countryside. The village, which is called “Sant Romieg de Provenca” in Occitan Provençal, is surrounded by the Alpilles, which are the pre-Alps with silvery olive trees.
Vincent Van Gogh
Vincent Van Gogh was a fan of these timeless places, where the plants seem to whisper when the wind blows through them. He spent a year in the psychiatric hospital of Saint Paul de Mausole from 1889 to 1890, where he painted more than 150 paintings inspired by the view of Saint-Rémy-de-Provence. Some of his most famous works, like “The Starry Night” and “Self-Portrait,” were made while he was in the city.
Saint-Remy keeps masterfully made copies of all 150 paintings, which were quickly sent all over Europe and the rest of the world. These copies are shown all year long at the Estrine Museum. It is a refined and elegant building, and it is a pleasure to walk down any stairway or hallway. But most of all, it is a tribute to the genius of the great painter and a monument to his work.
Nostradamus
Nostradamus is another person who is linked to the town of Saint-Remy-de-Provence. He came to light in the small Provencal village, but he moved away soon after. Even now, there’s a plaque in front of the house where he was born, but you can’t go inside.
The ruins of Glanum
The ruins of ancient Glanum, which are just outside of the city center, are the main attraction of the town. Glanum was a Celtic-Ligurian town that was ruled by the Greeks between the 2nd and 1st centuries BC. During Augustus’s reign, it became more Roman.
Augustus was the one who turned the small city of Glanum into a major hub with a forum, basilica, and curia. During the Roman era, when it was at its best, the settlement was said to have been as beautiful and grand as Marseille, Arles, and Orange, which were some of the most popular cities at the time. Scholars say that what we can see today is only a small part of the once-grand city.
Villa of Cybele
The remains of the basilica, the forum, the curia, and other temples, as well as the temples dedicated to the Sacred Fountain, have been kept up to this day. In the residential area, then, there are still the thermal baths and the villa of Cybele, as well as the ruins of other houses that belonged to wealthy and powerful people.
But the first Glanum buildings that archaeologists found were the huge Mausoleum from 30 BC and the Triumphal Arch at the city’s entrance. These were thought to be the only ones left for a long time. You can go to the site every day, at different times depending on the season, if you buy a ticket that you should definitely buy.
But people who watch the ancient excavations shouldn’t think that what they see is all that was found. In fact, many things were taken away and moved to the Hotel de Sade a long time ago. The museum has an amazing collection of statues, capitals, pieces of columns and friezes, furniture, and things that people used every day back then.
Nightlife
In Saint-Rémy-de-Provence, there are lots of places to party, drink wine, have fun and drink more wine.
Wine is always the main focus of the events, and the Saint-Rémy Summer Festival is especially dedicated to it. The festival takes place in July and is free. From morning to night, you can visit the cellars and try the best wines from more than 30 local producers.
The cattle festival at the end of September and the transhumance festival over the Pentecost weekend are both popular festivals that honor traditions.
How to get there
The village of timelessness is easy to get to, and there are many ways to get there. Saint-Remy is easy to get to because it is in the middle of Provence and is surrounded by Marseille, Avignon, and Arles in the shape of a triangle. The fastest way is to get on the A7 highway, get off at Cavaillon, and follow the signs to Saint-Remy. If you’d rather fly, you can land at Marseille Airport, which is about 74 kilometers away.
Climate
When you get off the plane, you’ll be greeted by Provence’s beautiful weather, which has mild temperatures, cool breezes, and a magical light. During the winter, it never gets very cold. In January, the average temperatures range from a low of 1°C to a high of 7°C.
In July, which is the hottest month, the temperature ranges from an average low of 16°C to an average high of 29°C. July is also the least rainy month, with an average of only 5 rainy days per month. From October to January, when there are an average of 10–12 rainy days per month, it rains the most.
