Aups

Visit Aups, Provence

Aups is found towards the north of the Var region, in the heart of the Upper Var and towards the northern edge of the Cotes de Provence wine region. It is a little south of the popular and scenic Gorges du Verdon.

The village is in a pretty setting on the edge of a plateau, with the remains of a medieval castle standing above the village.

Another of the (many) pretty hilltop villages to be found in Provence, Aups is a pleasure to explore with every corner in the narrow streets revealing new fountains and sundials, small squares and cafes, shady trees...

Exploring Aups

Starting your visit at the Tourist Office, the first important monument you see is the 16th century Collegiale Saint-Pancrace, now home to a small museum of religious art. Most other key sights are clustered near the small 19th century Chapel Notre Dame de la Délivrance, built on the site of a earlier castle. These include a clocktower with a campanile (of course no Provençal village would be complete without a campanile!); a gate through the medieval ramparts of the town,

There are also some interesting local and other paintings in the Simon Segal Museum - even if you don't plan to go in you should find it to admire the pretty old convent building (cistercian, dating from the 12th century).

The small statue of the virgin that is inset in a wall and marked 1574 commemorates a terrible day in the history of Aups, when the village was attacked and many of the young of the village were slaughtered by having their throats cut in this location (hence the statue is called the Vierge du Massacre).

Aups markets

Whatever time of year you visit Provence, try and visit Aups on one of its market days:

• weekly markets, held on wednesday and saturday mornings; or
• the winter truffle markets held in the town on thursdays from November to February

Suggested places to visit near Aups, France

Distances shown are direct, driving distances will be greater.

More suggestions: Lorgues 18km; Thoronet Abbey 19km; Barjols 19km; Draguignan 22km; Riez 24km; Moustiers 24km; Les-Arcs-sur-Argens 27km; Gorges du Verdon 28km; Bargeme 30km; Valensole 30km; Greoux-les-Bains 31km; Castellane 34km; Seillans 34km; Saint-Maximin-la-Sainte-Baume 35km; Fayence 38km; Tourrettes 38km;

See these places and more on a map at places near Aups

Aups tourism: sights and attractions nearby

Lac de Sainte-Croix - site of natural beauty (15km) : Verdon - regional natural parc (16km) : Abbaye du Thoronet (Le Thoronet) - religious monument (21km) : Clos de Villeneuve - remarkable garden (30km) : Lac de Castillon - site of natural beauty (37km) : Jardin d’Elie Alexis - remarkable garden (38km) : Grottes de Saint-Cezaire - site of natural beauty (47km) : Cathédrale Saint Léonce (Frejus) - religious monument (47km) :

French version: see Aups (Francais)