Moustiers-Sainte-Marie
Located west of the Verdon gorges, near lake St Croix (« Holy cross »), the site of Moustiers-Sainte-Marie is impressive. The village, which is hung to the mountain, covers both banks of a river that can be very violent during heavy rains. Here is a proof : it dug the two cliffs standing above it.
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A staircase on the left-hand cliff leads to Notre-Dame-de-Beauvoir’s chapel. The point of interest is not the chapel itself but the view on the roofs and the landscape beneath. If you raise your eyes, you’ll see an iron chain (227 meters long) which joins the two cliffs with a star in the middle. This amazing chain is said to have been tightened by a crusader after its release in the XIII century.
The village was built in 433 by monks coming from the Lerins Islands in front of Cannes. Hanging houses seem to stand as a proof of a miracle around the green pit of the river, which is covered with cute monkey-back-shaped bridges. A roman church and particularly the soft colors of the houses’ walls make its visit a delight. The town is also very famous for its blue earthenware. |
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