Salon-de-Provence and the Alpilles are best visited over two days from Marseille, Aix or Cavaillon with MR Taxi: the Château de l'Empéri and the Nostradamus house in Salon, then Saint-Rémy-de-Provence, Glanum and Les Baux-de-Provence. Sometimes it only takes leaving the motorway to feel as though you have stepped into another era, a world apart. Villages perched on white rocks, olive trees shaped by the mistral for centuries, and a few sites worth the journey in their own right. I regularly bring visitors to this corner of Provence, and I never tire of it.
Day 1: Salon-de-Provence, shadow and mystery
We often start with the Château de l'Empéri, which has dominated the old town since the 10th century. The interior houses one of France's most important military museums, but it is above all the view from the ramparts that justifies the climb: the Crau plain on one side, the Alpilles in the distance on the other. Take your time in the old town on the way down: the lanes of old Salon are full of that quiet Provence you do not find in the guides.
In the afternoon, something more singular: the Nostradamus house. Whether you believe in prophecies or not, the visit is fascinating. The most famous astrologer of the 16th century spent the last twenty years of his life here, in this house that has not changed much. The atmosphere is strange, slightly suspended in time. Children love it, adults too.
Day 2: the Alpilles, light, stones and colours
The morning belongs to Saint-Rémy-de-Provence. Before strolling through its markets and galleries, go and see the archaeological site of Glanum, with a Roman triumphal arch and mausoleum, standing for two millennia at the foot of the hills. The site museum is small but well done. And right next door, the Saint-Paul-de-Mausole monastery, where Van Gogh painted some of his best-known canvases during his internment. You do not leave there indifferent.
Have lunch in Saint-Rémy. Avoid the most touristy terraces in the centre and head for the adjacent streets, where you often find better places.
The afternoon is reserved for Les Baux-de-Provence. The perched village is one of the most beautiful in France, and one of the busiest in summer: arrive early. The ruined castle offers a 360° view over the Alpilles, the Camargue and, in clear weather, as far as the sea. Just below, the Carrières de Lumières live up to their reputation: the monumental projections on the walls of the former limestone quarry are truly impressive. Allow time for the visit.
What I advise for organising this stay
Two days is the ideal pace to skim nothing. But if you only have one day, do Les Baux and the Carrières in the afternoon, Saint-Rémy in the morning. From Marseille, Aix or Cavaillon, MR Taxi takes you there and picks you up whenever you wish, with no return-time constraint, which changes everything for this kind of escape. The van is available for groups or families with a lot of luggage.
