Travel bucket list idea:
Ancient Glanum
Saint-Remy-de-Provence, Provence, France
Last updated: 19 July, 2024
Just south along the road from Saint-Remy, towards the Alpilles are two remarkable Roman monuments known as ‘Les Antiques: a Triumphal Arch’, and the strikingly well-preserved ‘Mausoleum’ that stands as a memorial dedicated to Julius Caesar and Augustus.
Beyond those lie the extensive and impressive ruins of the ancient city of Glanum, which – amazingly – were only rediscovered in the 1900s. Ancient Glanum was a Gaulish fortified town founded around a sacred spring in the 6th century BC. It became an official Roman city in 27BC, in the wake of Julius Caesar’s conquest of the region.
The surrounding landscapes of olives and cypresses here are pure Van Gogh: he painted many of his best-known works in these parts.
Logistics
Price from: £7
Minimum age: 0
Age suitable: 18+
When: All year around
Getting there & doing it
If you’re not driving, Les Antiques and Glanum are an easy 15-minute walk from Saint-Remy, along the D5. There are also taxis, and bikes to hire next to Saint-Remy’s train station.
There is a downloadable booklet in English, with a map, on the official website.
When to do it
The sites are open all year round, seven days a week – though it closes on Monday from October through March.
Wednesday is market day in nearby Saint-Remy, which can make parking difficult – but it’s fun to visit the market first, and then head over to Glanum after.
