Les Baux-de-Provence

Les Baux occupies a limestone spur in the Alpilles with vertical drops on three sides, and the lords of Baux ruled a large part of Provence from it until Louis XI had the fortress dismantled in 1483; Richelieu finished the job in 1631. What remains is a ruined citadel spread over about seven hectares, with rooms cut into the rock, a keep to climb and reconstructed siege engines demonstrated in season. The mineral bauxite was identified in the quarries below in 1821 and takes its name from the village. The old village street below the citadel is intact but almost entirely given over to shops.

What you actually see

• The ruined citadel - seven hectares of walls, rock-cut rooms and a keep.
• The Alpilles panorama - the plain and hills from the cliff edge.
• The siege engines - reconstructed trebuchets demonstrated in season.
• The village street - the intact lane below the fortress.

When to go

April to June and September to October; summer is very hot on bare rock with no shade and extremely crowded. The mistral hits the exposed plateau hard.

Honest expectations

The village is one of the most visited in France and the single street is wall-to-wall shops and coach groups. The citadel is exposed with uneven footing and no shade. Parking is outside and charged.

Nearby

The Carrieres de Lumieres are a few hundred metres away; Saint-Remy lies north.