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Fontvieille, Alpilles

In the heart of the Alpilles regional natural park, nestled in the hollow of its white stone quarries, this lively and festive village remains very attached to the preservation of its Provençal traditions and its cultural heritage. But above all, Fontvieille is a land of mills and a place where people like to eat well!

What makes this village special?

Fontvieille is a picturesque village thanks to its pretty old houses built with this white limestone with blond reflections, which is called the stone of Provence, extracted from the quarries on site since Roman times, but which gained consideration in the 15th th century, with the construction of the castle of Tarascon. It is this stone that was chosen for the arenas of Arles and Nîmes, the Longchamps palace and the Stock Exchange in Marseille.

The village is best known because Alphonse Daudet wrote the Lettres de mon moulin there, a classic of French literature. From the summer of 1860, the famous writer, then a young Parisian journalist of Nîmes origin, fell in love with the area and came regularly to Fontvieille for thirty years. The Saint-Pierre mill, or Ribert mill, is more commonly called Alphonse Daudet's mill because he came here to seek inspiration. The building, listed as a historical monument, dates from 1814. Recently renovated, and equipped with a small museum, it is open to visitors. The castle of Montauban, holiday resort of the writer can also be visited.

In addition to these famous buildings, Fontvieille is full of mills. "The path of the mills", a walk of about an hour will allow you to discover the four main mills of the village, the castle of Montauban and to return through the center of the village. All while admiring sumptuous panoramas of the Alpilles.

Don't miss the Fontvieille market on Monday and Friday mornings, to stock up on colours, smells and good humour!

Location

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