LES BAUX DE PROVENCE - Le Val d'Enfer

The Baux-de-Provence valleys have been coveted by the man, in search of shelter. The limestone rock easy to dig, called "molasse", allowed the construction of many caves serving as habitats from the Neolithic era. On the land registries of the sixteenth century. you could find a whole neighbourhood of troglodyte houses, named "La Balm de Roucas" (Provencal "balm" meaning cave and "roucas" rock). Today, the troglodyte habitat is still present in the village.

First known as the Grands Fonts quarry, this stone quarry site ceased operations in 1935. In 1959, the place is reinvested by Jean Cocteau who turns there "The Testament of Orpheus". Then, from 1977, the old quarry was rehabilitated as a cultural center, offering innovative sounds and lights on the rock walls.. This exceptional site, now called "Carrières de Lumières", offers an immersion in the heart of the works of renowned painters.

Opened a century and a half ago, Sarragan's quarry is today the last operating site in the Alpilles massif gallery and the only underground mining quarry in the region. It is distinguished by its columns from 20 to 25 meters high, monoliths of 800 tons which carve the hill. The white limestone rock of Les Baux-de-Provence is extracted and worked on site to create different interior and exterior decoration elements (staircase, fireplace, bench, etc.).

Here, many reliefs of the Alpilles are distinguished, including Opies, the highest point of the massif with its 498 m altitude. Dating from the Jurassic, the Opies are part of the oldest rock formations of the Alpilles. From the tower that symbolizes the summit, it is possible to see up to the alpine massifs. ;This tower was a lookout built at the dawn of the twentieth century. to prevent fire risk in the massif. It is now used to house the Mistral adventurers who have reached the summit.

Here is a superb panorama at 360 ° C, which offers a breathtaking view of the Baux-de-Provence and their castle. Built in the 11th century under the orders of the lords of Les Baux, this castle was subsequently destroyed several times during the conflicts affecting Provence. The semi-troglodyte specificity of this fortress is that we still found today part of the dungeon relatively well preserved and seen very well from afar, from the surrounding lowlands.

The erosion eye is a rock, on the heights of Baumayrane, offering a fine example of taffoni;(word of Corsican origin meaning "hole"), common phenomenon around the Baux-de-Provence. Its cavities dug by erosion can have very different shapes and sizes, depending on the structure of the rock and its ability to absorb water. Here, the erosion eye is pierced through, allowing to see through.

The Val d'Enfer is a valley famous for its rocks with strange shapes, sculpted by erosion. There are also impressive openings in the rock along the road and traces left by limestone quarries. at nightfall, many thought they recognized the rocks and caves of "The Hell" from Dante. ;Jean Cocteau, another great writer turned filmmaker, shot his "Testament d'Orphée" in 1959, in the natural setting of Val d'Enfer.

Les Baux-de-Provence, which has the label most beautiful villages in France, is the only village located in the heart of massive, atop a rocky outcrop. Les Baux-de-Provence are characterized primarily for the castle there, witness the power of the family of Baux. Feel free to wander the narrow cobbled streets of the village and discover the history of this place where the occupations of men have followed.