Moustiers-Sainte-Marie, the Faïence Borgo Suspended Between the Verdon Cliffs

A star hanging between two mountains

There is a golden star that shines between the two white limestone cliffs embracing Moustiers-Sainte-Marie. Hung from an iron chain 227 metres long, suspended in the void at over two hundred metres of altitude, it has been the symbol of the village for centuries. Legend has it that a knight returning from the Crusades hung it there as a vow to the Madonna. The reality is less romantic but no less impressive: the star is periodically replaced, and the most recent was hoisted in 1957 in a mountaineering operation.

Moustiers is the most spectacular village of upper Provence, nestled in a natural fault at the gateway to the Gorges du Verdon, the deepest canyon in Europe. But it is also a place of vivid craftsmanship, world-famous for its faïence — the glazed ceramic ware that has been produced here since the seventeenth century.

The faïence of Moustiers

The ceramic tradition of Moustiers dates to 1679, when an Italian monk brought the secret of tin-glazed enamel. The village workshops still produce today plates, pitchers and tiles decorated by hand with traditional motifs: hunting scenes, grotesques, stylised flowers in cobalt blue or polychrome.

The Musée de la Faïence

The ceramics museum, housed in a twelfth-century crypt beneath the church, displays pieces from the seventeenth to the nineteenth century documenting the evolution of styles and techniques. The collection is modest in size but exceptional in quality. After the visit, the dozen or so workshop-boutiques lining the Grand-Rue allow you to watch craftspeople at work and purchase unique pieces.

The village between the cliffs

Moustiers develops at the foot of and between the two cliffs, with a stream — the Rioul — running through it and forming small cascades. The pale stone houses with Roman-tiled roofs stack up in a natural amphitheatre of great harmony. The ascending lanes, the little bridges over the stream and the shaded squares create a journey of constant discovery.

The Chapelle Notre-Dame de Beauvoir

The climb to the chapel, up a stepped path that scales the cliff face, is a pilgrimage that rewards with an incomparable view. The Romanesque-Gothic chapel, clinging to the rock, has been a place of popular devotion for centuries. The panorama from the forecourt takes in the village, the plateau of Valensole and, on clear days, the Alps.

The Verdon and the Lac de Sainte-Croix

Moustiers is the gateway to the Gorges du Verdon, where the river has carved a canyon up to 700 metres deep with walls of white limestone and turquoise waters. The Route des Crêtes offers vertiginous views. The Lac de Sainte-Croix, at the foot of the gorges, is a reservoir of emerald-green water where you can hire pedal boats, kayaks and electric boats to explore the mouth of the canyon.

The plateau of Valensole

South of Moustiers stretches the plateau of Valensole, the largest expanse of lavender in Provence. From mid-June to late July, the violet fields stretch as far as the eye can see, with almond trees and golden grains as a chromatic counterpoint. The village of Valensole deserves a stop for its honey and lavender market.

What to eat

• Pieds et paquets: braised lamb trotters and tripe parcels Provençal style, a dish of long tradition
• Daube provençale: beef stew marinated in red wine with black olives and herbs of Provence
• Miel de lavande: lavender honey from the plateau of Valensole, fragrant and delicate
• Amandes de Valensole: local almonds, used in nougat, calissons and traditional pastries
• Pierrevert and Manosque wines: light rosés and fruity reds from upper Provence

How to get there

The nearest TGV station is Aix-en-Provence (90 km) or Manosque (45 km, local line). From Aix or Marseille continue by car on the A51 then the D952. Marseille-Provence airport is 130 km away. A car is essential for exploring the Verdon. The village is pedestrianised; car parks are at the entrance.

When to go

From April to October. June-July for lavender in bloom. September for the Verdon gorges without crowds. Spring is ideal for hiking. Summer is hot but the gorges offer coolness. The Fête de la Faïence takes place on the first weekend of August.