Page 153 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - Provence & The Côte d'Azur

ARLES  151

uMartigues

Road map B4. * 48,200. £ @
n Rond-Point de l’Hôtel de Ville
(04 42 42 31 10). ( Thu & Sun.
∑ martigues-tourisme.com
The Etang de Berre, situated
between Marseille and the
Camargue, has the largest
petroleum refinery industry in
France, which dominates the
landscape. However, on the
inland side of the Canal de
Caronte is the former fishing
port and artists’ colony of
Martigues, which still attracts
a holiday crowd.
Martigues lies on both banks
of the canal and on the island
of Brescon, where the Pont San
Sébastien is a popular place for
artists to set up their easels. Félix
Ziem (1821–1911) was the most
ardent admirer of this “little The 12th-century Cistercian Abbaye de Silvacane
Venice” (see p30); his paintings
and works by contemporary of Arles, this now contains the oAbbaye de
artists can be viewed in the Musée de l’Empéri, which has a Silvacane
Musée Ziem. large collection of militaria from
Louis XIV to World War I. Road map C3. Tel 04 42 50 41 69.
E Musée Ziem The military tradition in the Open Jun–Sep: daily; Oct–May: Tue–
Blvd du 14 Juillet. Tel 04 42 41 39 60. town is upheld by the French Sun. Closed 1 Jan, 1 May, 25 Dec. &
Open Wed–Sun pm (Jul–Aug: Wed– Air Force officers’ college, La = ∑ abbaye-silvacane.com
Mon). Closed public hols. Patrouille Aérienne de France. Like her two Cistercian sisters,
Near the château is the 13th- Silvacane is a harmonious
century Eglise de St-Michel and 12th-century monastery
in the north of the old town is tucked away in the country-
the Gothic St-Laurent, where side. A bus from Aix-en-
the French physician and astro- Provence runs regularly to
loger Nostradamus, Salon’s most Roque-d’Anthéron, the nearest
famous citizen, is buried. Here, in village. The abbey was founded
his adopted home, he wrote Les on the site of a Benedictine
Centuries, his book of predictions, monastery, in a clearing of a
published in 1555. It was “forest of reeds” (silva
banned by the Vatican, canorum). It adheres
as it foretold the to the austere
diminishing power Cistercian style,
of the papacy. But with no decoration.
Canal San Sébastien in Martigues, known his renown was The church, with
as the Birds’ Looking-Glass widespread and in nave, two aisles
1560 he was made and a high, vaulted
iSalon-de- Charles IX’s physician. transept, is solid,
Salon hosts a 10-
bare and echoing.
Provence day classical music The cloisters,
festival, from late Nostradamus, astrologer and arcaded like a
Road map B3. * 44,500. £
@ n 249 pl Morgan (04 90 July to August, with citizen of Salon pigeon loft, are
56 27 60). ( Wed & Sun. concerts in the 13th century and
∑ visitsalondeprovence.com château, Eglise de St-Michel, the refectory 14th century.
Abbaye de Sainte-Croix and the Shortly after the refectory was
Known for its olives (the olive town’s theatre. built, all the monks left and the
oil industry was established in church served the parish. After
the 1400s) and soap, Salon-de- + Château de l’Empéri the Revolution, it was sold as
Provence is dominated by the Montée du Puech. Tel 04 90 44 72 80. state property and became a
castellated Château de l’Empéri. Open Tue–Sun pm. Closed 1 Jan, 1 farm until transformed back
Once home of the archbishops May, 1 Nov, 24–25 Dec, 31 Dec. & into an abbey.