Saint-Rémy-de-Provence Villas in France
Saint-Rémy sits at the foot of the Alpilles, a low run of white limestone hills, with olive groves and plane-lined roads all around it. It's a market town. The old centre is a loop of boulevards round a tangle of lanes, and just outside are the Roman ruins of Glanum and the old monastery where Van Gogh spent a year. Our five mas and villas sit in the countryside nearby, six and seven bedrooms each.
5 villas · 6 to 7 bedrooms · up to 14 guests
Villas in Saint-Rémy-de-Provence
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Life in Saint-Rémy-de-Provence
Market morning
Wednesday is the big one. From early on, the stalls spread through the streets and squares of the old town: tomatoes that actually smell of something, honey, lavender bags, roast chickens turning on spits, tablecloths in every shade of yellow. Go before ten. After that you're moving at the speed of the crowd. Everyone ends up with far too many peaches, which is fine, because there's a kitchen back at the house.
Glanum and the Roman past
A short walk south of town, Glanum is the ruin of a Greek and then Roman town, laid out in pale stone at the foot of the hills. You can walk its streets, past the baths and temples. By the road outside stand a triumphal arch and a mausoleum, known together as Les Antiques, which have been there around two thousand years. Go early in summer. There's little shade on the site.
Van Gogh's Saint-Rémy
In 1889 Van Gogh had himself admitted to Saint-Paul de Mausole, the old monastery just outside town, and stayed a year. He painted constantly. The cypresses, the olive groves, the hills with their strange jagged outline, you'll recognise them from the canvases as soon as you drive out. The monastery still runs as a clinic, and parts of it, including a room like his, are open to visitors.
Walking in the Alpilles
The Alpilles are only low hills, but they're steep, rocky and full of paths. You can walk up from town into the pines and white limestone, with the plain spread out below and on a clear day the line of Mont Ventoux to the north-east. In high summer some paths close because of fire risk, so check before you set out, and carry plenty of water. Mornings are the time.
Nearby in Provence
Distances are straight lines on the map; the drive through the mountains is longer.
When to go
Late spring and early autumn have soft light and full markets. July and August are hot and busy, with lavender in flower nearby; winter is quiet.
Before you go
What guests ask us most before a stay in Saint-Rémy-de-Provence.
How far is Saint-Rémy from Avignon and Marseille airport?
Avignon is close, around 25 minutes by car, and its TGV station has fast trains from Paris. Marseille Provence airport is around 50 minutes to an hour away, depending on traffic around the city. Nîmes airport is another option. We'd say hire a car at whichever you arrive at, as you'll want one all week.
Which day is the market?
Wednesday morning is the main market, spreading through the old town. There's a smaller one on Saturday morning too. Both start early and are mostly packed away by lunchtime, so it's worth getting there before ten. In summer some evenings have markets for crafts and local producers, but dates vary from year to year.
When is the lavender in flower?
Usually from mid-June to late July, though it moves a little with the weather. The big fields are mostly north and east of here, on the Valensole plateau and around the Luberon, so it's a drive rather than a walk from Saint-Rémy. Harvest often starts in July, so later visitors may find some fields already cut.
Do we need a car?
Yes, for nearly everything. The mas and villas are out in the countryside, and the villages around the Alpilles are poorly served by buses. With a car you can reach Les Baux, Arles, Avignon and the markets of neighbouring towns easily. In town itself you'll want to park and walk, as the lanes are narrow.
Is it busy in July and August?
Yes. It's high season, the old town is crowded on market days and the roads into it are slow. Plenty of visitors come for exactly that buzz. If you want quieter lanes and easier tables, May, June and September are the months, still warm and with the markets running.
Planning a stay in Saint-Rémy-de-Provence?
Let us know your dates and who's coming, and how much time you'll spend by the pool. We'll come back with the houses that fit.