Our city

Before anything else, Saint‐Rémy de Provence is mainly your typical, authentic small Provencal town, with its boulevards kept from the sun by plane trees, where it is delightful to wander about and rest at the terraces of the many charming cafes and restaurants. One can find all kinds of cute and surprising shops, many art galleries, numerous craft shops, and culinary delights in the ancient centre built in lovely narrow streets, and adorable plazas brought to life by typically Provencal fountains.

The ambiance is a happy one, particularly on market days and on the many party days, which take place all through the year. The city is located just below the magical landscapes of the massif des Alpilles, made the ‘atural Regional Park of the Alpilles’which’ particular light seduced numerous great painters among whom Vincent Van Gogh, who painted around 150 paintings during his stay here. The Park of the Alpilles offers many possibilities of walks and hikes.

This charming city will also give you the chance to discover its rich historical past. :

‐ The antique city of Glanum, 2500 years old, and its Roman monuments

‐ The Saint‐Paul Roman Cloister, where Van Gogh lived

‐ The historical centre where Nostradamus was born, with mansions as old as the

Renaissance and the XVIIIth Century.

Saint‐Rémy is ideally located at the heart of the Provence to visit the rest of the region. In this magical place, ideal to make a positive and peaceful break, where the sun shines more than 300 days in the year, a healthy way of life is an institution. You’l understand why so many personalities are attached to this city.

Saint‐Rémy, city of Art

Vincent van Gogh is without a doubt the most famous of the artists having spent some time in Saint‐Remy‐de‐Provence. But after him, many others were seduced by the intensity of the light; the power and beauty of the landscapes of the Alpilles.

Vincent van Gogh arrived in Saint‐Remy‐de‐Provence in 1889 in order to be ‘ocked‐up’ on his own will, at the Saint‐Paul‐de‐Mausole Asylum. Fascinated by the quality of the light and the beauty of the landscapes he discovers in Saint‐Rémy, he’l paint nearly 150 paintings as well as numerous drawings within a year. The period he spent in Saint‐Rémy is considered a major one in the life of Vincent‐van Gogh. He’l leave Saint‐Rémy in May of 1890 for the village of Auvers‐sur‐oise.

Internationally famous artist Albert Gleizes also lived in Saint‐Rémy between 1939 and his death, in 1953. Theorist of the cubism, his work is now present in the biggest museums worldwide.

Mario Prassionos was born in 1916. He spent his life around artistic and literary circles, and moved to Eygalières in 1951, where he died in 1985. His very singular work uses among other techniques, dripping and aspersion. The donation ensures the continuation of the collection’ exhibition in place at the Notre Dame de Pitié Chapel. The series of the ‘orment’constitutes the permanent decoration of the chapel.

The carriages

It is a tradition proper to the North of the Arles Region. We can trace these celebrations all the way back to the XVIIth Century. Each carriage, or ‘arreto Ramado’represents a farmers’brotherhood. The ‘arreto Ramado’are large carriages wonderfully decorated with leaves and products from the region, which cross the many villages on the occasion of the celebrations of the brotherhoods, like the Saint‐Éloi. These carriages are lead by horses which are attached ‘n flèche’(understand one after the other). The number of horses varies between twenty and fifty. These horses are also wonderfully harnessed ‘la sarazine’ the bridle and collar are decorated with wool tassels, rubans and feathers, small mirrors and bels. Each horse is held by a ‘harretier’wearing a traditional costume, often accompanied by women and girls dressed in their traditional Arles costumes.

The Camargaise race: takes place in the arenas. Raseteurs (young men) dressed in white

and equipped with a special kind of hook must take special attributes (cocarde, glands, ficelles) attached between a bull’ horns. These races are often quite spectacular!

Traditions around Bulls, La ‘ouvine’Originally, these traditions were a resurgence of the antique roman circus games, and took place in the region of the ‘aurin games’ fights between bulls, farmers, and other farm animals.

It’ only at the end of the XIXth Century that the ranchers in the camargue realized the importance of the breed of bulls known as ‘amargue’ predisposed for the races and other games because of their morphology and high temper.

At the beginning of the XXth Century in the Languedoc Region, and in the Est of the Bouches du Rhone region, the ‘ourse Camargaise’really gained in popularity and became the main attraction of the summer celebrations.

Around these races in the arenas, other bull‐related manifestations animate the cities and vilages in the region. For its follower, the ‘ouvine’is an absolute way of life. Encierro: The bulls are left free to run in the streets. Abrivado: Arrival of bulls surrounded by gardians (cowboys) ending in the arenas. Bandido: The return of the bulls leaving the arenas surrounded by gardians.

Celebrations and cultural manifestations

Big fair for flee markets and horses, parade of ‘La Carreto dis Ase’. Carriage of the donkey: May the 1st.

Celebration for Saint‐Éloi: parade of carriages

Celebration of the Transhumance, parade of over 3000 goats with the shepherds:Monday Pentecost.

Celebration for the artists. Over 200 painters and sculptors exhibit and sell their art in the city’ ancient centre: a full Sunday in May, June, September and October.

Market of creators, on the ‘lace de la Mairie’and in the old centre of town. This is a market of crafts people and creators of all kinds. From July the 1st until September the 15th, every Tuesday evening.

Organa Festival, every Saturday, concert on the great organ of the Saint‐Martin Church by the greatest organists worldwide: July, August and September.

Wine and craftsmen fair: last weekend of July

Feria of Saint‐Rémy, 4 days of celebration and bull‐related manifestations: around august 15th. Parade of the ‘Carreto Ramado’ on August the 15th.

Traditional village celebrations. During 5 days, Bull shows, parades, pétanque contests and fireworks: end of September.

Provencal Christmas: Small market and big meal: on the week‐end before Christmas, food market, the 13 deserts, craftsmen market and fair of the ‘antons’ Representation of the Pastorale (traditional theatre play).

Show of the Respelido.

Many other cultural manifestations take place along the year, particularly during the summer: exhibits, conferences, concerts, shows, theatre plays, fairs, animations, Camargueaise races in the arenas, sports events.

Have a look at the Tourism office on the website: www.saintremydeprovence.com