
Moustiers-Sainte-Marie
Everyone loves Moustiers-Sainte-Marie, a village situated at the intersection of the spectacular Gorges du Verdon and the Route de la Lavande.
Moustiers-Sainte-Marie Village of art and ceramics
Everyone loves Moustiers-Sainte-Marie, a village situated at the intersection of the spectacular Gorges du Verdon and the Route de la Lavande (Lavender Trail) which crosses the Plateau de Valensole, at the edge of the Grand Canyon and the vast Lac de Sainte-Croix. Moustiers-Sainte-Marie, perched on the side of a cliff, is often said to resemble a nativity scene. Classified as one of the ‘Loveliest Villages in France’ and a ‘Cité de Caractère’, the village has a long history dating back to 30 000 B.C., shown by hunting mementos carved in the rock on the Plateau de Ségriès.
From the 5th century onwards, local tufa stone caves provided shelter for monks from the Abbey de Lérins who later built the monastery from which Moustiers takes its name. An important pilgrimage centre in the 13th century, the village specialised in pottery during the 17th century and had its heyday in the 19th century when the population reached 5,000 : 17 mills downstream from the source of the River Adou bear witness to major industrial activity during this period.
Nowadays, pottery still plays a leading role in Moustiers in the wake of Pierre Clerissy, founder of the pottery and custodian of its secrets. During the course of his reign, Louis XIV ordered three sumptuary edicts to replenish the state coffers and finance his wars. He had all the gold, silver and bronze tableware in the kingdom melted down and replaced with Moustiers china. The « finest china produced in the kingdom » continued to develop until the beginning of the 19th century before gradually declining. But production was revived in 1927 thanks to the efforts of Marcel Provence and the tradition lives on today in around twenty local workshops.
from Manosque (railway station)."

Moustiers – its lucky star and gourmet food
The other symbol of Moustiers-Sainte-Marie is a star which originates in a legend adapted by Frédéric Mistral. During the 10th century invasions by the Saracens, the Chevalier de Blacas was captured and imprisoned in the East. During his captivity, he prayed to be able to return safe and sound to his native village vowing that, once there, he would hang an ex voto (in thanks to the Virgin Mary) between the two rocks overlooking the village.
The star which shines in the Moustiers sky today is fifty years old and owes its gold coating to an unfortunate fall ten years ago : worn by the elements, the chain suddenly broke and, several hours later, the star was found misshapen but intact at the bottom of a ravine. It was gilded with 24-carat gold and re-hung a month later amid much celebration.
20,000 olive trees give a green or silver look to the countryside around Moustiers-Sainte-Marie, depending on the time of year. The village is home to the ‘Maison du Parc Naturel Régional du Verdon’ on the banks of the Sainte-Croix Reservoir, completed in 1973, the second largest man-made reservoir in France covering 2,200 hectares. Along with the other artificial ‘Lacs du Verdon’, it has three functions : to produce electricity, to provide water for drinking and agricultural use and to cater for the many holidaymakers attracted by its blue waters and numerous watersports. A signposted footpath-mountain bike track leads to the first beaches beside the turquoise lake, just a stone’s throw from the village. Nowadays, Moustiers-Sainte-Marie is synonymous with a relaxed way of life and it is not surprising that the great Michelin-starred chef, Alain Ducasse, chose this unspoilt area to open one of his best-known restaurants, La Bastide de Moustiers, drawn by the wealth of speciality foods, truffles, olive oil and lavender honey of Alpes de Haute-Provence…
"" What I love doing at Moustiers-Sainte-Marie, is watching the sun set over the lake from the Chapelle Notre-Dame de Beauvoir, perched on a little ledge above the village "". A visitor.
How to get to Moustiers-Sainte-Marie :
By road : autoroute A51 to Manosque then RD952.
By bus : regular services
Our selection of accommodations
Lodging
La Maisonnette
in MOUSTIERS SAINTE MARIE - Alpes-de-Haute-Provence
Insolite
Mon petit nid
in LA PALUD SUR VERDON - Alpes-de-Haute-Provence
Our new accommodations
Guest house
La Ferme d'enchastre
in LA PALUD SUR VERDON - Alpes-de-Haute-Provence
Lodging
Villa Marguerite
in MOUSTIERS SAINTE MARIE - Alpes-de-Haute-Provence
Lodging
Les Romarins
in PALUD-SUR-VERDON (LA) - Alpes-de-Haute-Provence