Fontvieille

Visit Fontvieille, Provence

Fontvieille is found in the Alpilles between Arles and Les Baux-de-Provence in the Bouches-du-Rhone department of Provence. Although without a great deal of fascinating monuments or notable sights of its own, Fontvieille is a very pleasant town and would be a good base for exploring the region.

Explore Fontvieille

Quick and easy to explore Fontvielle has a pleasant main street and square, on which you will find a church and a cafe with a shady terrace on its edges.

After having lunch in the cafe I noticed that just off the car park behind the town-hall there was a small monument to three partisans shot at that spot during the Second World War. The monument was unexceptional, although pretty when I visited because it happened to be surrounded by poppies in flower. While there are very many war memorials in France, they are usually to those who died far away, and to be stood in the actual spot where people had been shot for defending their country was very moving.

(I also enjoyed lunch so much I completely forgot to take any photos of Fontvieille, sorry!)

Continuing up the hill behind the monument a walk is available to enable you to enjoy the countryside and discover the 19th century Provencal writer called Daudet.

The 19th century Moulin d'Alphonse Daudet is on a hill above the village and was the inspiration for Daudet when he wrote 'Letters from my Windmill' - a sort of 19th century 'Year in Provence' look at the lives of everyday people in the region. There is also a small museum here that provides information about Daudet. The walk continues past several other mills and the Chateau Montauban, where the writer lived for several years.

Attractions nearby

At the aquaduct and mills at Barbegal close to Fontvieille you can see the ruins of two aquaducts and a mill dating from the roman era.

The substantial ruins of 10th century Montmajour Abbey are in a pretty location along the road to Arles, and have cloisters and a crypt to enjoy, as well as the possibility to climb the keep for some excellent views.

Arles is to the south-west and Les-Baux-de-Provence to the north-east of Fontvieille, and there are many other of the well known sites of western Provence close by including Nimes, Pont du Gard and Avignon.

Suggested places to visit near Fontvieille, France

Distances shown are direct, driving distances will be greater.

More suggestions: Beaucaire 10km; Glanum 11km; Saint-Remy-de-Provence 12km; Avignon 26km; Villeneuve-les-Avignon 28km; Fort Saint-Andre 28km; Pont du Gard 28km; Nimes 31km; Salon-de-Provence 33km; Camargue 35km; Saintes-Maries-de-la-Mer 38km; Oppede-le-Vieux 39km; Uzes 39km; Fontaine-de-Vaucluse 40km; Pernes-les-Fontaines 41km; Menerbes 41km;

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

Fontvieille tourism: sights and attractions nearby

Alpilles - regional natural parc (8km) : Eglise et cloitres de Saint Trophime, Eglise de Saint-Honorat des Alycamps (Arles) - religious monument (9km) : Jardin aquatique « Aux fleurs de l'eau - remarkable garden (15km) : Abbaye Notre Dame de Montmajour (Arles) - religious monument (20km) : Jardin de l'Alchimiste - remarkable garden (20km) : Abbaye de Saint-Gilles (Saint-Gilles) - religious monument (23km) : Notre-Dame-de-Bon-Repos de Montfavet (Avignon) - religious monument (26km) : Etang de Scamandre - site of natural beauty (31km) :

French version: see Fontvieille (Francais)