Every morning when I visit Saint-Rémy-de-Provence – which I do a few times a year to visit my parents, who retired here almost a decade ago – I roll out of bed before 7am, often feeling the effects of the rosé from the night before, and walk with my dad into town while the streets are still waking up. This is partly because it gets so hot here in the South of France, and partly because my dad is a creature of habit. The morning routine goes a little like this: a brisk stroll up the road to the Bar Tabac des Alpilles, where the owner Patrick brings out coffees (café express for my dad, café creme for me) and one of the other early morning regulars hands us a newspaper to thumb through.
From there, we head through the arches into the old, walled part of Saint-Rémy. In the day, there are hardly any cars in the centre of town – the streets are too windy and narrow and full of holiday makers and locals to bother – but in the morning there will often be vans delivering supplies to the bakeries and restaurants who are beginning to raise their shutters. The light in this part of Provence is always wonderful – dappled through trees, reflecting off the honey-hued stone of the old buildings – but in the morning it seems transcendental. So I insist we stop at Place Favier, the prettiest square here with its cluster of restaurants fronted by brightly coloured umbrellas and a little burbling fountain. From there, we pass by one of the bakeries for just-made croissants and still-warm baguette to take home to my mother.
It's an idyllic idea of French village life, but towns like Saint-Rémy inspire this kind of stereotypically Provençal routine. Whether you're a local, a transplant like my parents, or a tourist like me, it's easy to fall into the old-school rhythm here. Saint-Rémy-de-Provence is backed by the Alpilles mountain range, which it sits just north of, and surrounded by other equally charming villages that read like a roll-call of the perfect Provençal road trip: Eygalières, L’Isle sur la Sorgue, Les Baux-de-Provence.
Saint-Rémy is, like a lot of the towns around here, very old and very beautiful. The ruins of the Roman city of Glanum are found on the outskirts. And this, of course, is where Vincent van Gogh was a patient at the Saint-Paul Asylum, and where he did some of his best-known works. The Starry Night was painted from the window of his room, and you can still visit the monastery, fringed by lavender, and see the room where van Gogh would have stayed.
These days, Saint-Rémy is a popular pitstop on a trip to Provence, with a clutch of smart hotels, a couple of Michelin-starred restaurants, gorgeous shops and some excellent bars and bistros. It's no undiscovered hamlet, but many visitors to this part of France still overlook it in favour of places like Gordes or Lourmarin, or towns on the coast like Cassis. But this year, Marcus Wareing's 15-part BBC series Simply Provence put the spotlight back on Saint-Rémy. The British chef was based out of a little house in the backstreets (one my dad pointed out to me on one of our sunrise strolls) and visited businesses around town on screen (including popping in to see Patrick at Bar Tabac des Alpilles). Below, you'll find our guide to visiting one of the prettiest towns in Provence – from where to stay and to what to do, to where to eat.
What to do
Markets
Every Wednesday, Saint-Rémy comes alive as the market rolls into town. This is by-far the busiest day to visit, but it's worth it to see the streets taken over by stalls selling everything from freshly harvested lavender to local cheese to handcrafted bags and clothes. Go early – by 8.30, most stalls are set up and the town is yet to heave with shoppers. Most of the action is centred around the many squares – on Place Favier you'll find clothes and accessories, on Place Jules Pellissier there's fruit and vegetable stands, as well as my favourite stall which sells olives and tapenades piled high in enormous bowls. On Tuesday evenings during the summer, a craft market where makers sell jewellery and paintings runs until late.
Saint Paul de Mausole
The institution where Vincent van Gogh spent a (very productive, if troubled) year in the late 19th century is a beautiful Romanesque structure with manicured gardens and arched walkways. You can visit the public areas of the monastery where van Gogh painted 143 oil paintings and sketched more than 100 drawings.
Site Archéologique de Glanum
Glanum, the ancient city about a kilometre from the centre of town, is a place of fascinating history. Between the 4th and 2nd centuries BC, ramparts were built here by Celto-Ligurian tribes. Those structures were destroyed in wars, but in 49 BC, after Julius Caesar captured Marseille, the Romanisation of the area began. Much of the city was, again, destroyed in conflict – and it's inhabitants formed what is now Saint-Rémy-de-Provence – but a remarkable amount of structures remain and have been excavated and preserved for visitors to marvel at.
Exhibitions and galleries
The art scene here remains strong, and there's a number of galleries and exhibition spaces around town to both view artworks and potentially take some home with you. Espace Hôtel de Lagoy is one such gallery: set in a 17th-century townhouse, the team curates exhibitions on figures such as Pablo Picasso, Marilyn Monroe and Jackie Kennedy.
Festivals
The festival calendar here is packed year-round. The Transhumance, which takes place on Whit Monday each year, sees thousands of ewes paraded through the town centre. There's bull running held in the village in the summer, often around mid-August. Plus you might spot parades through town of people dressed in traditional get-up to celebrate a number of other French holidays.
Lavender fields
One of the biggest draws for visitors to Provence in the summer is the call of the lavender fields. The landscape turns brightest purple from mid-June to early August, peaking in July. While you will spot lavender dotted around the fields immediately surrounding Saint-Rémy, for the best views, consider a road trip to find the very best fields such as at the Valensole Plateau.
More Provençal villages
More than just a beautiful place to visit for the weekend or even the day, Saint-Rémy is a wonderful jumping-off point for the equally-as-lovely surrounding towns and villages. A 15-minute drive away, you'll reach Eygalières with its pretty stone cafés and wonderful views from the top of the hill it perches at the bottom of. Another gorgeous hill town is Les Baux-de-Provence, set on a craggy plateau with widescreen views of the surrounding countryside. A little further away is Arles, one of the artiest towns in the region, and Avignon, where Festival d'Avignon (kind of like a French Fringe Festival) takes place each summer.
Where to eat and drink
Bar Tabac des Alpilles
Provençal village life revolves around its Bar Tabac, and Saint-Rémy is no different. In the mornings, a contingency of locals pile in with newspapers to chew the fat over espresso and croissants. By mid-morning, the sunbaked terrace is flooded with tourists and townspeople drinking palest rosé before lunch service begins in earnest. In the evening, there's often excellent fish on the menu, but we have to recommend the gigot d'agneau (lamb, with creamy potatoes and a green salad that's pungently garlicky) which is carved from the bone right in front of you.
Creperie Lou Planet
This traditional creperie, with its candy-hued lilac and orange colour scheme, has a roaring fire inside for days when the bitter Mistral wind blows heavily, and a shady terrace on Place Favier for the more common sun-drenched days. Order savoury or sweet crepes and pichets of cider and watch the world go by.
Fine dining
There are two Michelin starred restaurants in Saint-Rémy: the Art Deco Restaurant de Tourrel, which focusses on elevated regional cuisine, and L'Auberge de Saint-Rémy, which is especially noted for its exquisite desserts.
Where to stay
Hôtel de Tourrel
This 17th-century hotel is set discreetly behind a buttery façade, and we named it one of the best hotels in Provence. German owners Ralph Huesgen and architect Margot Staengle have restored the building handsomely – seven bedrooms are filled with antique furniture, there's a rooftop pool and bar, and a wine shop next door selling all sorts of thoughtfully curated bottles.
Domaine de Ronsard
This farmhouse on the outskirts of Saint-Rémy is yours to take over for your very own A Year in Provence fantasies. It sleeps up to 16, with eight bedrooms and a gorgeous garden for long lunches followed by snoozes by the pool.
L’Auberge De Saint-Rémy
There are 10 rooms at L’Auberge De Saint-Rémy, which is perhaps better known for its restaurant. The hotel is right in the centre of town, so perfect as a base from which to explore (and ideal for rolling into bed after a meal downstairs).