Les Baux and Carrières des Lumières

A Breathtaking Art Show and a Charming Hilltop Village:

See a remarkable multimedia art installation in a former quarry, then ascend to the rock-hewn hamlet of Les Baux. Drive to the spectacular Carrières des Lumières, an art installation space carved into an old quarry. The white limestone from this cave was used to build parts of Les Baux and other surrounding villages. Today, it is a stunning venue for an immersive audiovisual art experience that celebrates some of the world’s most recognized paintings. Continue to Les Baux to explore its hilly, dramatic cobblestone lanes. Here, you will take a guided walk through the picturesque village, a fortified site painstakingly restored, nestled in limestone and crowned by castle ruins. Throughout this rewarding excursion you will traverse the bucolic Provençal countryside, viewing its olive groves and rice fields. 

While we were at lunch, two of our fellow diners were scolded by our server and informed that they should have advised her that they were taking the earlier afternoon tour. The conversation was actually rather amusing, but we did learn that certain food items can be prepared rather quickly while others would take too long. We’ll remember that for next time, so we don’t get in trouble!

I returned to our room to get ready for our optional shore excursion, which is described above, but Tim never showed up. I finally went back to the restaurant, and he was sitting there, still talking to the others. Uh, Tim, we’re going to be late for the tour! He quickly got up, and we managed to get to the bus before it left.

We started our excursion with a walking tour of Les Baux-de-Provence, a beautiful hilltop village crowned with a medieval castle. Today was Victory in Europe (VE) day in France, and the town was packed with visitors. Our guide dodged the crowds to lead us through the lower town, pointing out significant buildings and architectural elements along the way.

The Hilltop Village of Les Baux

Sights Along the Streets of Les Baux

We visited the Chapel of Penitents with its elaborate fresco of the Nativity scene painted by Yves Brayer; the twelfth century St. Vincent Church with its modern stained-glass windows by Max Ingrand, a gift from Prince Rainier III of Monaco; and St. Blaise Chapel, built by the guild of weavers and wool carders.

Chapel of Penitents

St. Vincent Church

St. Blaise Chapel

Tim and I elected not to visit the castle during our free time. Instead, we continued our walk around the town. One member of our group was using a walker, and the rough cobblestones made maneuvering it quite difficult. She reminded me of my mother and her determination, and I had to give her credit for her perseverance.

Because of the VE day crowds, our bus was not allowed to drop us off at our next stop, the Carrières des Lumières, and we had to walk down a steep set of stairs and a long hill to get there. I was unsure how my knee would behave on the steps, but I did surprisingly well. The husband of the women with a walker actually carried her walker down the stairs.

I was not sure what to expect at Carrières des Lumières, but Tim and I were blown away with this amazing experience. As we wandered through this former quarry, our senses were bombarded with a multimedia show that projected images of famous paintings onto multiple quarry walls, floors, and even fellow visitors. All of this was set to music.

We were able to enjoy two different exhibitions, From Vermeer to Van Gogh, The Dutch Masters and Mondrian, Architect of Colors. Both were incredibly well done, and it was mesmerizing to watch as the paintings unfolded in front of our eyes. Here, we could completely immerse ourselves in art. One of the included Van Gogh paintings was Café Terrace at Night, the subject of which we had just seen in Arles. The Starry Night painting, however, was not the one over the Rhône.

From Vermeer to Van Gogh, The Dutch Masters

From Vermeer to Van Gogh, The Dutch Masters

Mondrian, Architect of Colors

We returned to the ship and soon joined everyone in the Lounge for “A Toast to Our Guests,” where we were officially welcomed on board by the captain and department heads. Tonight, we sat with a different group for dinner, and they were a delight. All were from Augusta, Georgia, and were part of a groups of 38 people. I think I’m beginning to enjoy the socializing part of this cruise.

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