Les Baux-de-Provence

One of many impossibly gorgeous medieval villages carved out of the rocks, this makes for an excellent day out. One and a half hour's drive from Montpellier it's in Provence, but close enough to be able to make a day trip of it and feel like you've been on holiday.

There are three main things to see and do in Les Baux-de-Provence: the castle ruins, the village, and the 'Carrières de Lumières'. There is also the Yves Brayer museum and for those who stay longer, plenty of walks, gastronomy and local arts and culture to discover.

The castle is perched above the village and offers magnificent panoramic views across Provence- you can see Marseille in the distance. 

It's a sprawling, tumble-down ruin, and you can explore most of it through a series of walkways that have been created throughout the castle, however most of them make use of the existing stones which can be quite steep, slippery and uneven.

Definitely take decent walking shoes and note that not all of the castle may be easily accessible to very small children or people with limited mobility.

The village is small, quaint and lovely, with the usual array of tourist shops selling local artisan products, jewellery, ceramics etc. There are a number of inviting restaurants offering local Provencal menus, some gastronomic. We went in September, didn't book in advance and got a table for 6 at a decent restaurant with a very charming terrace garden, although we made sure to get there quite early before the lunchtime rush set in. 

Below the village you find the 'Carrières de Lumières', a 19th century limestone quarry-turned-arts centre. It's a fantastic cathedral-like industrial space, which they fill with music and light shows projected onto every surface, the shows themed to different artists. 

The day we went it was Salvador Dali and Gaudi. You can buy tickets at the entrance, however, it is advisable to book in advance through their website and pre-choose a time slot, as it's very popular and they sell out. You can also purchase combined tickets to the castle and light show. It's chilly inside so remember to take a jumper!

Our itinerary for the day from Montpellier was: leave at 9.30 am, arrive at 11 am (there was ample parking at this time of day but it was packed later on), castle tour, lunch, browse the village, light show at 3 pm, in the car at 4.30 pm, home by 6 pm. 

How to get there

By car: A9 to Nimes, A54 and N572 to Arles, then D570N, D17 and D78F to les Beaux-de-Provence.

By public transport:  Not very easy! One option would be the train to Tarascon sur Rhone (about 1 hour from Montpellier), then taxi (17 min journey). There is one bus service (number 57) to the village from either Arles or Avignon, but it only runs in July and August (see: https://www.lesbauxdeprovence.com/en/prepare-you-visit/getting-here).