Moustiers-Sainte-Marie, Provence, France
Moustiers-Sainte-Marie is one of the prettiest villages in the south of France. It is located in the Regional Natural Park of the Verdon Canyon and it should be simply a compulsory destination, visited by the tourists who are in the surrounding area. For centuries the town was a commercial centre of ceramics (especially faience). To date, narrow streets are full of shops selling the pottery.
Parking in Moustiers-Sainte-Marie
A fairly steep road leads to a huge parking lot (P1; GPS: 43.843585, 6.221021) - although this parking lot can be full of cars in the high season! You may then try to park in another parking lot (P2; GPS: 43.846349, 6.223171) located near the Chapel of Notre Dame de Beauvoir.
The chapel of Notre Dame de Beauvoir
From the parking lot you can go to the chapel of Notre Dame de Beauvoir (A; GPS: 43.848107, 6.224084), located on the 830-meter high rock hanging over the town. To the chapel lead stone stairs with 260 steps. The terrace offers interesting views of the olive groves surrounding the village.
The old town
The old town consists of a series of narrow streets adjacent to the squares. It is worth visiting the church of Notre-Dame-de-l'Assomption (B; GPS: 43.847148, 6.222221) containing bell tower, one of the most beautiful in Provence. This tower was established in the twelfth century; it has a height of 22 m and consists of four levels.
The town is situated on an impressive rock wall with picturesque alleys along the stream, as well as a small square. Many of the alleys are only for walking. There are plenty of cafes, restaurants and shops here, which of course attracts tourist traffic, that in the season can be quite large. As in any typical Provencal town or village, the streets are decorated with fountains, that were used in the past by thirsty people to drink the water. Today they are a nice addition to the narrow streets of the town. Our suggestion is to come here in September or October. The weather will be mild and the parking spaces will not run out.
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