Monastery of Saint-Paul de Mausole

Monastery of Saint-Paul de Mausole tickets: which one to buy

The Monastery of Saint-Paul de Mausole stands on the southern edge of Saint-Remy-de-Provence, a short walk from the town centre, and it is ticketed. It is famous as the asylum where Vincent van Gogh lived for a year, and most visitors come for that reason. The ticket covers the cloister, the church, a reconstruction of Van Gogh's room, the gardens and an exhibition. Walking the Van Gogh trail, marked by panels with reproductions of his paintings placed where he painted them, from the town centre to the monastery, is a rewarding way to arrive.

The Roman site of Glanum and the monuments known as Les Antiques, a triumphal arch and mausoleum, are just across the road and can be combined with the visit. Saint-Remy is about twenty-five minutes from Avignon and Arles, and tours of Provence often include it with Les Baux-de-Provence. Audio guides and printed plans in several languages are available at the ticket desk.

Visiting Monastery of Saint-Paul de Mausole: what to see

The monastery was founded in the eleventh century by Augustinian canons, and the church and cloister are Romanesque, with a square bell tower and a charming small cloister whose columns have carved capitals with animals and plants. In the nineteenth century the buildings became a private psychiatric clinic, and it still functions as a psychiatric centre today, in a separate part of the property. Vincent van Gogh admitted himself here in May 1889, after the crisis in Arles in which he cut his ear, and he stayed until May 1890.

During that year he painted about one hundred and fifty paintings, including The Starry Night, the irises of the garden, the olive groves, the cypresses and the wheat fields around the monastery. A reconstruction of his room with a view over the fields can be seen, and the gardens are planted with lavender and irises. Reproductions of Van Gogh's paintings are placed around the garden at the spots where he painted them, allowing visitors to compare the views. The exhibition rooms show works by patients of the modern clinic, continuing a tradition of art therapy. The cloister, with its well and flower beds, is a peaceful place to sit.

Monastery of Saint-Paul de Mausole opening hours and the best time to go

The monastery is open daily from spring to autumn and with reduced hours or on selected days in winter. The lavender fields around the monastery bloom from late June to July, and the irises in the garden flower in May, both popular times for photographs. Summer in Provence is hot and busy, and mornings are the best time to visit. Saint-Remy's Wednesday market is one of the most colourful in Provence. Autumn is pleasant, with harvests and fewer visitors. Allow about an hour for the monastery and gardens, and another hour for Glanum across the road. The Van Gogh trail from the tourist office to the monastery takes about twenty minutes on foot.