Photo : Henri Bergius / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 2.0)
Les Baux-de-Provence
Les Baux-de-Provence is a village in the Alpilles, in the Bouches-du-Rhône, built on a rocky spur at the edge of a precipice. In the Middle Ages, it was a powerful lordly stronghold whose masters controlled dozens of places in the surrounding area. The Baux family claimed descent from the Magus king Balthazar and had made a star the emblem of its arms.
The present village is listed among the "Most Beautiful Villages of France". The ruins of the castle, covering about seven hectares, almost blend into the rock. The upper part is now almost deserted, while the lower village keeps cobbled streets and old houses. The name is said to come from the Provençal "baou", meaning a rocky peak.
In 1822, the discovery of bauxite ore, which owes its name to the village, led to intensive mining until the deposit was exhausted. Today tourism dominates, with notably the Carrières de Lumières, where images are projected in former underground quarries.
