Saint-Rémy-de-Provence
The market town of the Alpilles, where Van Gogh painted for a year in the asylum and a Roman town lies at the edge of the olive groves.
The short version
- Saint-Rémy is 20 kilometers south of Avignon at the foot of the Alpilles, about 25 minutes by car. The Zou! 707 bus takes about 50 minutes from the bus station next to Avignon Centre.
- Our One Night in Provence comes here on its Van Gogh day, with Arles and Les Baux, before the afternoon train from Avignon. Our Best of Provence in Three Days stops at the Roman monuments on its six-stop day.
- Saint-Paul-de-Mausole, the asylum where Van Gogh lived from May 1889 to May 1890, is still a working clinic. Visitors see the room set up as his, the Romanesque cloister and the garden, for €10 in cash only.
- Les Antiques, a Roman triumphal arch and mausoleum, stand free by the road across from Saint-Paul. Glanum, the excavated Greek and Roman town behind them, costs €9 and closes on Monday from October to March.
- The Wednesday market fills Place de la République and the lanes around it from 8:00 to 13:00. Nostradamus was born in the town in 1503.
What to see
Van Gogh asked to be admitted to Saint-Paul-de-Mausole after his breakdown in Arles, and he painted about 150 canvases here in a year, among them The Starry Night in June 1889. Walk through the cloister to the room set up as his, then out to the garden and the field he painted from his window. Signs along the road from the town center mark the spots where he set up his easel.
Saint-Paul opens 9:30 to 19:00 from April and keeps shorter hours with a lunch closing in winter. It takes cash only, so bring euros.
Les Antiques, a Roman triumphal arch and mausoleum, stand on the plateau at the edge of the olive groves, free and open at all hours. Glanum, behind them, is the excavated town built around a sacred spring, with its forum, baths and houses. Allow an hour, and park opposite the gate for €4.
In town, the Musée Estrine holds the Centre Van Gogh, which tells his story without original canvases and closes on Monday. The old center is a ring of plane-shaded boulevards around narrow lanes of shops, cafés and galleries.
Getting there and around
Zou! line 707 leaves the bus station next to Avignon Centre and reaches Saint-Rémy in 45 to 50 minutes, roughly every hour in summer from early morning to early evening. Some runs continue to Les Baux, about 10 minutes on. Line 704 links Saint-Rémy and Arles in about an hour, Monday to Saturday.
By car, Saint-Rémy is about 25 minutes from Avignon and 30 from Arles. Saint-Paul and Glanum are a 15-minute walk south of the center on the road to Les Baux.
Our Van Gogh day picks you up at your Avignon hotel at 9:00 and covers Arles, Les Baux and Saint-Rémy with a driver-guide, eight guests at most. The Five Days in Provence comes here after the cooking class, and Legendary Art and Provence spends a full day on Saint-Paul, Les Baux and the Carrières des Lumières.
When to go
April to June and September to October are the best months, warm and clear. July and August are hot, and the Wednesday market is at its busiest.
On Whit Monday the Fête de la Transhumance brings flocks of sheep and their shepherds through the town center; in 2027 that falls on May 17.
From October to March, Glanum closes on Monday and at 17:00, and Saint-Paul closes at 17:15 with a lunch break. Saint-Paul has posted no hours for early January to early February, so check before you go.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can you visit Van Gogh’s room in Saint-Rémy?
Yes. Saint-Paul-de-Mausole is still a working clinic, and the visit covers the room set up as his, the cloister and the garden. Entry is €10, cash only.
How do you get to Saint-Rémy from Avignon?
Take Zou! bus 707 from the bus station next to Avignon Centre, about 50 minutes and roughly hourly in summer. By car it takes about 25 minutes.
Can I see Saint-Rémy, Les Baux and Arles on my own?
With a car, yes, in a day. By bus you can reach Saint-Rémy easily, but only two buses a day go on through Les Baux outside summer. On your own you plan the day around the bus; our Van Gogh day covers all three towns between 9:00 and the afternoon train from Avignon.
How much time do you need in Saint-Rémy?
Half a day covers Saint-Paul, Les Antiques and Glanum. Add the Wednesday market or lunch in town for a full day.
Is there a tour from Paris?
Yes. Our One Night in Provence, $775, spends its second day in Arles, Les Baux and Saint-Rémy. Our Best of Provence in Three Days, $1,925, stops at Les Antiques on the six-stop day, and Legendary Art and Provence includes Saint-Paul-de-Mausole. All meet your train in Provence, and we can book it once your dates are set.
