Restaurants, cafés and local life
Hidden gems can be found in the nearby villages that are off the tourist track. Our favourite local restaurant is Le Café du Soleil in Eyragues (5-10 mins drive from the house) which is open year-round, has a great atmosphere and mixes delicious cocktails. In Maillane (5 mins drive from the house), l’Oustalet Maianen is referenced in the Michelin guide and serves a refined yet affordable cuisine based on locally sourced products.
There are two boulangeries that we enjoy – Fassy in Maillane for their breads and traditional fougasses and Le Moulin de Nicolas in Graveson for their amazing pastries and cakes – we highly recommend trying their selection of “gateaux de soirée” at the weekend. Terre et Blé in St Rémy is also well worth a visit for their ancient flour based breads.
Les Cailloux en Provence is a farm shop near Rognonas (10 mins drive) that is worth a visit.
Activities
Local towns
St Remy de Provence itself is a charming place for a stroll although it can get very busy in high summer, close by you’ll also find the hospital of St Paul de Mausole where Van Gogh was a patient. We also recommend Les Baux de Provence and Les Carrieres de Lumieres. The Palais des Papes in Avignon, the antiques dealers in L’Isle sur la Sorgue and the olive mills of Mouries are all well worth a visit.
Roman Provence
For those interested in history the house is a great base to explore Roman Provence Glanum in St-Rémy de Provence is just a 10-min drive from the house. It is very peaceful off season when it is not rare to have the site for yourself. Other beautiful sites such as Arles, Nimes, Orange, Carpentras or Vaison-la-Romaine are all within 30 mins to 1 hour drive.
Wine tasting
We recommend a stroll around the vineyards of Le Mas de la Dame with its beautiful views of the Alpilles. You can finish (or start) your walk with a wine tasting, and they can also arrange a picnic with local produce. There are many other vineyards in and around The Alpilles that can be visited. Most have a beautiful backdrop and wine tastings can also be arranged: Domaine de Lagoy, Domaine de Valdition, Mas de Gourgonnier, Domaine Milan, Domaine Fontchêne, Chateau Romanin, Chateau d’Estoublon, Domaine de la Vallongue, Domaine Trevallon… to name a few. Chateauneuf-du-Pape is also only a 30-min drive away.
Hiking and other outdoor activities
There are many hiking trails in and around the Alpilles, starting from St Rémy. You’ll be able to appreciate beautiful views and the amazing fragrance of wild thyme and other regional wild plants. On these hiking trails there are fantastic viewpoints from which to watch the sunset.
One of our favourite things to do is canoeing down to the Pont du Gard on the Gardon river, this is suitable for families with older children also. You may also choose to paddle upstream for a quieter experience. There are tennis courts in both Graveson and Maillane, please contact their local tourist office for more information or visit their website. Tennis coaching can be arranged at the tennis club in Maillane, please contact Virginie Barreme on 00 33 (0) 6 29 91 25 19.
There is also a riding club called Equina very close to the house Equina Poneyclub
The closest beach is Saintes-Maries-de-la-Mer and is around 45 minutes drive away. Beware of the average speed cameras on the way there as you drive across Camargue.
Special experiences
We also recommend touring the area in a vintage car which can be arranged with Yes Provence. If you are looking for some relaxation Florame in St Rémy-de-Provence is our preferred spa. Our concierge can also organize treatments at the house.
The tourist office in St Remy de Provence will have details of all the latest events and you can find lots of local information on alpillesenprovence.com and myterredeprovence.fr
Shopping and market days
Local markets are held on the following days:
St Remy de Provence – Wednesday
Maillane – Thursday
Eyragues – Friday morning
Graveson – Friday morning and Friday afternoon (Marche Paysan)
Chateaurenard – Sunday
Over the summer, and arts and crafts market is also held every Tuesday from 7pm in St Remy.
You will find bakeries in Maillane, Eyragues and Graveson. In Graveson, Le Moulin de Nicolas is also an excellent patisserie and we recommend you try their gateaux de soiree, available every weekend.
The closest supermarkets are “Super U” in Graveson (which is conveniently open on Sunday morning) and Utile in Maillane, where there is also a petrol station. The Intermarche in St Remy de Provence has a wide selection of good products.
Chateaurenard has three supermarkets which tend to be a little less crowded: Carrefour market, Intermarche and Super U.
Please note that in France many shops close on Mondays, although this does not apply to supermarkets.