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Saintes-Maries, pilgrimage and traditions

In the heart of the village: the church of the Holy Marys, the bullring and the sea, settings of the Gypsy pilgrimage.

Distance
800 m
Walking
11 min on foot
Stops
4
12Notre-Dame-de-la-Mer34
Map : © OpenStreetMap contributors, tuiles OpenFreeMap

Stops

  1. The tourist office

    Welcome to Saintes-Maries-de-la-Mer, often called the capital of the Camargue. The place is mentioned as early as the 4th century as oppidum priscum Ra; it took its present name in 1838.

  2. The bullring

    Facing the sea is the bullring. In June the village festival fills the streets with abrivados, bandidos and Camargue bull games.

  3. Notre-Dame-de-la-Mer

    Here is the fortified church of Notre-Dame-de-la-Mer, a historic monument since 1840. Legend says Mary Jacobe, Mary Salome and their servant Sara landed here by boat. Every year on 24 and 25 May, Gypsies from all over Europe come to venerate Sara; the procession of Sara to the sea was introduced by the Marquis Folco de Baroncelli in 1935.

  4. The Saintes-Maries museum

    A municipal museum presents the history of the village. In October, on the weekend closest to the 22nd, a second pilgrimage honours Mary Salome, with a procession of the boat and a blessing of the sea.

Sources