Moustiers Sainte Marie
Moustiers-Ste-Marie is a village in the Alpes-de-Haute-Provence in southern France. It was once a major pottery centre and now serves as a gateway to the Gorges du Verdon, sometimes called the "European Grand Canyon".
Get in
editThere are regular buses from Nice, Manosque and Aix-en-Provence in the high season (summer months). Transportation is much less regular in the off season, with weekly or bi-weekly buses. One useful option is to hitchhike from the train station in Manosque.
Get around
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You can explore Moustiers and surroundings comfortably on foot, but it is good to have a car if you want to explore the nearby Gorges du Verdon. Hitchhiking is generally safe in this area, but be prepared to spend a long time waiting for a ride during the off season, when there is little traffic.
See
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The town is set in a picturesque area between two limestone crags. The Gorges du Verdon are some 10 km away and offer stunning sights. An old Roman road runs through Moustiers and is a good choice for hikers.
- 1 Earthenware Museum (Musée de la faïence), rue du seigneur de la Clue. Apr-Jun Sep Oct: W-M 10:00-12:30 14:00-18:00; Nov Feb Mar: Sa Su 10:00-12:30 14:00-17:00; School holidays in all months: W-M 10:00-12:30 14:00-17:00; Dec 10:00-12:30 14:00-17:00; Jul Aug: W-M 10:00-12:30 14:00-19:00; Jan closed (except school holidays M-W 10:00-12:30 14:00-17:00. It is dedicated to Moustiers earthenware and presents earthenware from different periods made in the village. Full price €5, reduced price €3 (students, job seekers, people with reduced mobility, people over 65),.
- A 135-m-long chain stretches between two mountain peaks above the Chapelle-de-Notre-Dame, from which hangs the gilded star of Moustiers: a gilded five-pointed star is suspended from the chain, which weighs 150 kg. There are several legends surrounding the history of this star, one of which says that the star was dedicated to the Virgin Mary by the crusader Blacas in gratitude for his safe return to Moustiers.
- 2 Pont sur l'Adou. The remains of an aqueduct used for irrigation purposes.
- To the northwest of the town runs the second river, the Riou , which forms a waterfall a little further upstream.
- 3 Porte du Riou, On the Rue de la Clappe leading to the Riou. The city gate and remains of the city fortifications from the 15th century.
- 4 Église Notre-Dame-de-l'Assomption. The parish church dates from the 12th century and, like the mighty church tower, is built in the Romanesque style. In 1336/61, renovations in the Gothic style were begun under Prior Pierre de Pratis, but this was limited to the choir, which is not entirely in line with the rest of the building. A marble sarcophagus decorated with reliefs from the 4th century was reused as the altar.
- 5 Église Notre-Dame-de-Beauvoir (ND de la Roche). Also built in the Romanesque style in the 12th century. The choir was later rebuilt in the Gothic style, the wooden portal dates from the Renaissance. A staircase with 262 steps leads to the chapel, which is visible from far away over the town. From the terrace in front of the chapel there is a beautiful view over the town down to the Lac de Sainte-Croix.
- Grotte Sainte-Madeleine. A cave on the panoramic path above the village to the west.
- 6 Chapelle Sainte-Anne. It was built in the 16th century from reused building materials from the fortification walls, and the cemetery was later added to it.
Do
editMoustiers is a popular site for parasailing.
Water sports, swimming, paddling, sailing on the Lac de Sainte-Croix.
Climbing and canyoning in the Gorges du Verdon.
Hiking
editBuy
editThe town is full of faïence shops (a kind of painted pottery). This is also a good place to buy local specialties like honey, nougat, olive oil, and red wine.
Eat
editDrink
editSleep
editHotel accommodations are limited and tend towards the high end. Consider staying in nearby Riez. There are several well-maintained campgrounds in the area.