Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
plores the gorges' natural history and archaeological treasures. From March to October, it
organises monthly expeditions to Grotte de la Baume Bonne, a prehistoric cave.
Nearby,
Allemagne-en-Provence
is named for the Roman goddess of fertility Alem-
ona. Her likeness appears on the village's focal point, the turret-topped 12th- to 16th-cen-
tury
Château d'Allemagne
( 04 92 77 46 78;
www.chateau-allemagne-en-
provence.com
;
guided tours adult/child €7/free; tours 4pm & 5pm Tue-Sun Jul-mid-
Sep, Sat & Sun only Easter-Jun & mid-Sep-Oct)
- straight from a fairy tale.
Moustiers Ste-Marie & Around
POP 710 / ELEV 634M
Dubbed 'Étoile de Provence' (Star of Provence), jewel-box Moustiers Ste-Marie crowns
towering limestone cliffs, which mark the beginning of the Alps and the end of Haute-
Provence's rolling prairies. A 227m-long chain, bearing a shining gold star, is stretched
high above the village - a tradition, legend has it, by the Knight of Blacas, who was grate-
ful to have returned safely from the Crusades. Twice a century, the weathered chain snaps,
and the star gets replaced, as happened in 1996. In summer, it's clear that Moustiers'
charms are no secret.
