Gardanne: Holiday Apartments and Holiday Homes

Culture

The “Visite de la vieille ville” is a one-hour-and-30-minute tour through the Castrum of Gardanne and its narrow streets. The “Cézanne et le paysage” tour leads through the old town and over the Colline des Frères, which the famous painter Cézanne visited to paint some of his most significant works.

The Musée Gardanne Autrefois presents traditional scenes of everyday life, including a kitchen, dining area, bedroom, classroom, old crafts, toys and wartime memorabilia, in two village houses dating from between 1850 and 1950 and in the former chapel of the White Penitents.

At the Tuilerie Bossy, visitors can meet artisans and discover their techniques and creations in the fields of sculpture, mosaic, furniture making, clockmaking, pottery and blacksmithing. Southwest of Gardanne lies the Puits Yvon Morandat, which contributed to the cultural and social character of the mining basin.

The Circuit des Crêtes leads to historic remains, including the “Bastide Nouveau” ruins, which were acquired by the town of Gardanne. At the Sentier du Mur de Gueidan stands a stone wall built in 1692 to protect livestock from wolves, feral dogs and theft.

Nature

The Ecomusée de la Forêt Méditerranéenne offers exhibitions on three levels covering 1,000 m², where it playfully and interactively conveys the diversity, history and vulnerability of Mediterranean forest ecosystems, the secrets of the soil and the different habitats. This educational experience also continues along a landscaped path through a 13-hectare forest park; the park includes an approximately 1.5-kilometre adventure trail with puzzles, a maze and word puzzles.

The Circuit de La Luynes follows the Luynes River for a considerable section and takes in its riverside vegetation, a waterfall and centuries-old plane trees around the Pavillon of King René.

The Sentier du Bois du Verdillon is equipped with wooden botanical signs providing information about the region’s plants. An orientation board stands at the highest point of the Sentier du Bois du Verdillon.

The Circuit des Vallons crosses the Canal de Provence and joins the GRP Mines d’Énergie.

During the hike, the Circuit des Crêtes offers various viewpoints of the Massifs de l’Étoile, de Sainte-Victoire and du Ventoux. The hike on the Circuit des Crêtes explores the inland limestone hills of Basse-Provence, with typical flora that includes endemic and rare species.

Activities

“À la découverte de Gardanne à vélo” is a cycling tour with 15 stages. It is rated as easy and covers 19.9 kilometres.

Those who choose Gardanne as their destination can opt to rent a holiday apartment.

Events

The traditional Arts & Festin du Monde attracts almost 15,000 people over an entire weekend.

More local pages: Entressen, La Destrousse, Luynes, Charleval, Bouc-Bel-Air, Simiane-Collongue, Septèmes-Les-Vallons, Aureille.

To the higher-level travel overview: Bouches Du Rhone.