Saintes Maries de la Mer

Saintes Maries de la Mer, village of sanctuary, tradition and pilgrimage, was built between sea and sky, where the River Rhône meets the Mediterranean Sea.
According to legend, at the dawn of Christianity, three Christian women who had been persecuted, Marie Jacobé, Marie Salomé and their servant Sara, fled Palestine aboard a boat with no rudder and were washed up on the shore.
To the visitor, the village presents the image of its stately, protective church, promising a visit rich in emotion in constantly changing light.
Stroll through the narrow cobbled streets in the footsteps of pilgrims in the shadow of the Romanesque bell-tower. Admire the view from the roof of the church, marvel at the amazing wide-open spaces where ‘manadiers’ on horseback herd bulls with a promising future at ferias onto pastureland. Take time to go and meet these men and women who are always delighted to share their passion for life on a ‘manade’ with visitors.