What to see in Les Baux-de-Provence ?

Les Baux-de-Provence occupies a rocky spur of the Alpilles with almost military logic: every street, every building follows the slope of the limestone as if the rock itself had dictated the urban planning. The medieval village and its ruined citadel tell of eight centuries of warlike lords, before the place became, in the twentieth century, a high point of Provençal painting. This duality between mineral harshness and artistic sensitivity gives the place a character that's difficult to replicate.

Allow half a day, no more: the village can be walked in two hours, and everything essential is concentrated around the citadel and the rue de la Calade. Come on a weekday outside July and August, when tour coaches turn the narrow streets into a rush-hour corridor. The Carrières de Lumières, a five-minute walk away, merit the detour but book your ticket in advance. Avoid parking your car in the village car park: the free car park down below works perfectly well.