The photos on VRBO listing set a high bar for expectations. We spent 10 days at Mary’s property at the end of May. The property exceeds expectations.
The house has everything. Period. The views off the deck are lovely. The neighborhood is secure and quiet.
It’s a 15 min walk (along the canal gravel path) into the center of St Remy. We had petit dejuener in the town center at Le Beau Bar, Honoré, or on the house deck. Frequented the charcuteries, fromage and wine shops and boulangeries around the city. Dined at brasseries or ate in. St Remy is a never-ending feast for the eyes, the stomach and the soul.
Must sees: the Roman settlement ruins at Glanum; the hike up the Van Gogh Trail to Glanum; a drive/bike ride through the Alpilles; visit to mountaintop village Les Baux (and *** L’Oisteau de Baumaniere restaurant…); Calanques National Park east of Marseilles (1.5hr drive); the Roman ruins in and around Arles and Avignon; the market towns like Eygalieres (Fri mkt), a smaller town in the foothills of the Alpilles.
If you like biking - the “cycling” style or just riding a bike - St Remy is Heaven. Many one-lane farm roads with minimal auto traffic winding through vineyards and olive trees. Decent but assailable climbs in the Alpilles. Towns are about 10-15km apart, making for lovely rides in the Provincial sunshine.
Huge market in St Remy on Wednesdays - meats, produce, clothing, truffles, everything. With St Remy as hub, Provence is a day trip.