Discover the Provencal Village That Inspired Van Gogh’s Masterpieces
Saint-Rémy-de-Provence is the quintessential Provencal village, with the perfect blend of beautiful landscapes and the prettiest little buildings and scenes in town. I adored it.
Located just south of Avignon, this town is best known for inspiring Vincent Van Gogh, the renowned Dutch Post-Impressionist painter. He lived here for the last year of his life, creating some of his most famous works during his stay, including Starry Night.
And it’s really not hard to see why he was so inspired, as you walk through the charming town and idyllic countryside – visiting Saint-Rémy truly feels like stepping into a Van Gogh painting.
The village embraces its connection to the artist, making it easy for visitors to walk in his footsteps and experience the magic that inspired his work. These are 10 things you can’t miss during your visit to Saint-Rémy.
10 Charming Things to Do in Saint-Rémy-de-Provence
Start your visit to Saint-Rémy by exploring the Old Town itself before venturing to the sites just outside of town. The city center is absolutely adorable, full of oak trees, stone buildings, pastel shutters, and quaint corners and little squares.
Large oaks line the main streets, creating a beautiful, shaded canopy, while café tables spill out onto the sidewalks, adding to the charm.
Be sure to walk through the Porte Saint-Paul, a picturesque entrance to the old city center.
The city center is tiny and you can easily walk up and down the streets with an hour or two.
Here are a few spots you can’t miss in the Old Town:
1. Place Jules Pelissier
This charming square, shaded by oak trees and lined with inviting cafés, is home to La Fontaine des Dauphins (Dolphin Fountain) at its center. The square also houses the City Hall, which was once the site of an old Augustine convent.
Come Wednesday morning to peruse the large Provencal produce and goods market that is held on this square!
2. Fontaine Nostradamus
Nostradamus was born in Saint-Rémy and lived here for his early life. He was a famous doctor and astrologer who made predictions that attracted a cult following believing him to be a seer.
This fountain at the intersection of Rue Nostradamus and Rue Carnot is dedicated to this controversial yet influential man.
3. Place Favier
Place Favier is a picturesque square featuring a large fountain surrounded by lush flowers and greeny, charming buildings, and a war memorial.
4. Paroisse Saint Martin
The main church in Saint-Rémy, the Paroisse Saint Martin is impressively large and grand, built in the Neoclassical style with a prominent dome and decorated archways.
The Chapelle Jean de Renaud, featuring a flamboyant Gothic style and a church tower, is located at the back of the church and is the last remaining part of the original Medieval structure.
5. Musée Estrine
The Estrine Museum is a contemporary art museum housed in an 18th-century mansion with exhibits dedicated to Van Gogh’s life and work.
While Saint-Rémy doesn’t hold any of Van Gogh’s original works (nor does nearby Arles, where Van Gogh also lived for several years), the museum serves more as an interpretive center for learning about the artist.
There’s an informative exhibit about Van Gogh’s life, covering his birthplace, early struggles, and how he transitioned to painting from other professions. The exhibit includes letters written by Van Gogh, discussions about his work, and reproductions of some of his famous pieces, which are analyzed in the context of his life.
Beyond Van Gogh, the museum features several rotating modern art exhibits. If you don’t care about art or Van Gogh, this museum might not be for you, but for those who love Van Gogh or art in general, you’ll enjoy the exhibits.
- Cost: 7€
- Hours: Closed Monday and January
6. Musée des Alpilles
The Alpilles Museum is an ethnological museum that delves into the history, culture, and traditions of the Alpilles region—the mountainous area surrounding St. Rémy.
Located on Place Favier, the museum is housed in a stunning 16th-century mansion with an incredible inner courtyard, making it as charming as it is informative.
Cost: €5
7. Van Gogh Route
Truly, the top thing to do in Saint-Rémy is follow in the footsteps of Van Gogh, and the best way to do this is following the Van Gogh Route. This walking route takes you through the town, into the countryside, and to the mental hospital where Van Gogh resided.
How did Van Gogh come to be in Saint-Rémy? Van Gogh had been living in Arles, but after struggling with mental health issues—including the infamous incident where he cut off his ear—he was voluntarily committed to the mental hospital just outside of Saint-Rémy.
He created nearly 900 paintings in his lifetime, and remarkably, around 150 of them were painted during his year in Saint-Rémy—an extraordinary output in such a short time.
The Van Gogh Route: The Van Gogh Route features a series of placards showcasing some of Van Gogh’s most famous works painted in or near Saint-Rémy. Each stop includes a reproduction of the painting along with a quote from Van Gogh, often taken from letters he wrote during his time here.
It’s almost surreal to look at these placards with its beautiful Van Gogh picture on it, and then look up and see that exact spot in real life right in front of you.
Stop in at the tourist office for a numbered map of the Van Gogh trail; its very easy to follow. The first four stops are in the city center, and the next 12 stops are on Avenue Vincent Van Gogh and Allée Saint Paul, the two streets leading from Saint-Rémy to the St Paul Monastery Hospital.
You should definitely walk down to the Monastery (not drive, if possible), so you can appreciate the stops and the landscapes. It’s an easy 1 km (0.6 mile) walk on a paved sidewalk alongside the road.
The first few stops along the road have a simple stone wall as a backdrop, but as you continue, you’ll reach the olive groves and mountain scenery that appear in Van Gogh’s paintings—these spots are truly lovely.
8. St Paul de Mausole Monastery
The Monastère St. Paul de Mausole is a peaceful and historic monastery that operated as a mental health hospital, where a dedicated doctor and nun cared for patients—including Vincent van Gogh. Walking through the monastery and grounds, it’s easy to see how the idyllic setting inspired many of his most famous works.
You’ll approach the monastery as you finish the Route of Van Gogh, walking the lovely Allée Saint Paul lined with flowers, cypress trees, and olive trees.
Stone gates mark the entrance to the monastery grounds – notice the sculpture of Van Gogh holding sunflowers, titled Sunflower Thief, standing near the entrance to the historic buildings.
Inside, the monastery’s rooms are decorated to represent what it looked like during Van Gogh’s stay here. Unlike other patients who lived in dormitories, Van Gogh had his own room, which offered views of the gardens and surrounding fields.
Today, the gardens are filled with olive trees, sunflowers, irises, and lavender, a living reminder of the pastoral beauty that inspired his artwork.
This sanctuary offered Van Gogh a nurturing environment to continue creating, thanks to the care and encouragement of the doctor and nun who ran the hospital.
Interestingly, while the historic rooms where Van Gogh stayed is a tourist attraction today, the buildings next door are still a working mental health hospital.
9. Les Antiques
Les Antiques are two incredibly well-preserved Roman-era monuments that are some of the finest examples of Roman architecture in Provence. If you’re walking from Saint-Rémy to the Monastery, you’ll pass right by them, but there’s also a parking lot just next door if you’re driving in.
The Mausoleum of the Julii, built around 30 BC, is a stunningly intricate funerary monument dedicated to a prominent Roman family.
Beside it stands the Arch of Triumph, dating back to 20 AD. This triumphal arch celebrated Roman victories and served as a gateway marking the entrance to the ancient city of Glanum.
10. Glanum Archeological Site
Glanum is the name of an ancient Roman city now in ruins, beautifully set among olive and cypress trees. This city was initially established by the Gauls and later became a Roman colony around 50 BC.
It expanded rapidly, with monumental architecture and impressive buildings constructed in a short time. The city was inhabited until about 260 AD when residents relocated to a more secure location due to invasions.
Glanum was one of the cities on the Via Domitia, an ancient route connecting Rome to Spain that passed through many French towns including Saint-Rémy-de-Provence, Nîmes, Béziers, Narbonne, and Apt.
Although Glanum is in extensive ruins today, you can still see the remains of dozens of structures, including a Roman forum (public square), a temple, basilica, thermal baths, ramparts, and other buildings and streets. It’s a beautiful site and fascinating to explore.
- Cost: 9€
- Hours: April to September: 9:30am-6pm; October to March: 10am-5pm & closed Monday
How Long Do You Need in Saint-Rémy?
You can see all the sights and attractions in town with one dedicated day. If you have less time, you’ll have to skip some things – the museums would be my first recommendation to drop. The best spot in town is the Monastery Hospital – if you only have time for one thing, go there.
Where Else to Visit?
Saint-Rémy is nestled in the heart of Provence, surrounded by dozens of lovely towns and cities to explore. My absolute favorite city is Aix-en-Provence, full of beautiful fountains, squares, and markets. Make sure you stop by Arles, Nimes, and Orange for more Roman history sites.
Avignon is a must visit to marvel at the UNESCO designated Pope’s Palace. Don’t miss Provence’s most charming perched villages, like Les Baux, Gordes, or Roussillon. And the market in Isle-sur-la-Sorgue is one of the biggest and best in France.
When to Visit?
Saint-Rémy is popular and there can be a lot of vistiors in summer, but fall was blissfully uncrowded. There are two extremely large parking lots on the outskirts of town, both are free.
