Saintes Maries de la mer

Saintes Maries de la Mer is a small town located in the Camargue on the Mediterranean coast, near the mouth of the Petit Rhône. This is a very famous place of pilgrimage, on May 24, Roma pilgrims from around the world come to honour Saint Sara, the "Black Virgin." It is also a seaside resort : many vacationers come to enjoy the sun and large sandy beaches.

The development of Saintes-Maries-de-la-Mer as a seaside resort is relatively recent; the place has been occupied since at least Roman times. The village, lost at the end of the Rhone delta did not offer easy living conditions, located at the moving boundary between land and water, built on an island facing the sea, surrounded by marshy ponds.

This outpost was on the front line against invaders from the sea: the Vikings stayed there in winter 859-60, and in 869 the Saracens kidnapped Rotland the bishop of Arles. Despite the payment of a ransom, the inhabitants of Arles recovered only his body.

The old village of Saintes Maries de la Mer clusters around its fortified church, built in the 12th century on the site of an older chapel, itself probably built on the site of a Roman temple. The building is austere, thick walls are pierced with loopholes and are crowned with machicolations. Inside the church a well provides a water supply.

The place is ideal for tales and legends, the Saintes Maries are Marie-Jacobe, sister of the Virgin Mary and Mary Salome, mother of the apostles John and James, accompanied by their maid Sarah. According to legend, driven from Palestine by persecution, they landed here with Mary Magdalene, Lazarus, Martha and Maximin, the saints who evangelised Provence. In 1448 King René discovered the relics of Saints who give their name to the village (official name since 1838). They are still kept in the church.

Saintes-Maries-de-la-Mer holds an important place in Provençal culture. Frédéric Mistral set the ending of Mireille here. The Marquis Folco de Baroncelli, founder of the "Nacioun Gardiano", friend of félibres Mistral and Roumanille was the great defender of the culture and traditions of the Camargue. He is buried near the town of Saintes-Maries.

The painter Vincent Van Gogh spent a few days at Saintes-Maries in June 1888. He painted the village of fishermen, and the boats beached on the shore. "Port Gardian" the marina is a development dating from the 1960s marking the transformation of the village into a seaside resort. Developments of holiday homes have emerged from the sandy soil around the city to host the influx of summer visitors. However, you only need to leave the town to discover the remarkable natural landscapes of the Camargue.

Les Saintes-Maries-de-la-mer in photos : slideshow

Information and accommodation in Saintes-Maries-de-la-Mer and nearby

 

Large choice of b&b near Saintes Maries de la mer in Camargue on the site of b&b in Provence.

Tourist office web site : www.saintesmaries.com

Coming to Saintes-Maries-de-la-mer

GPS coordinates N 43°27'11'' - E 4°25'44''

The town of Les Saintes-Maries-de-la-Mer is located in the department of Bouches-du-Rhône, in the Regional Natural Park of Camargue.

Saintes-Maries-de-la-mer location : altitude 2 metres, 2300 inhabitants, 17 miles from Aigues Mortes, 18 miles from La Grande Motte, 19 miles from Salins de Giraud, 21 miles from le Grau du Roi, 22 miles from Arles, 47 miles from Avignon.