In the footsteps of Saint Mary Magdalene

History tells that Mary Magdalene, a major Christian figure, came from a wealthy background. Touched by the salvation of Christ, she repented of her life of luxury and pleasure, converted to Christianity and became a faithful disciple of Jesus. After witnessing the resurrection, she fled the persecutions in Palestine and came ashore in Saintes-Maries-de-la-Mer with Lazarus, Martha, Maximin, Mary Jacobe and Mary Salome, who went on to become the great saints of Provence. The bones discovered in 1448 in the Romanesque church of Notre-Dame-de-la-Mer, in the town’s historic quarter, were recognized by the Catholic Church as those of Mary Jacobe, Mary Salome and Sarah, Patron Saint of the gypsies. The church’s rooftop walkway offers sweeping views over the Camargue Regional Nature Reserve and its patchwork of marshes, rice fields and beaches. Tucked between the Rhône River and Mediterranean Sea, these breathtaking landscapes, where horses and pink flamingos roam, harbour a rare wealth of biodiversity.

Camargue’s flat horizons and clay soil offer Ideal conditions for the extraction of sea salt. Salt is harvested and stored throughout the year at the Salin-de-Giraud saltmarshes, forming a sought-after habitat for the 240 bird species that nest there. Crisscrossed with canals and aptly nicknamed the “Venice of Provence”, Martigues boasts a rich religious heritage. You can enjoy hiking to the town on the GR 2013 Marseille-Provence Métropole long-distance trail. Standing proudly in the Île quarter, Sainte-Marie-Madeleine church – the town’s most impressive religious edifice – is a prime example of Provençal Baroque architecture. Erected on a hilltop, gazing out over the town and Étang de Berre lagoon, Notre-Dame-des-Marins chapel is festooned with many votive offerings. On Plage Sainte-Croix, a little chapel of the same name stands guard over the sea.

Stretching from Martigues to Marseille, the Côte Bleue, or Blue Coast, unveils idyllic seascapes of beaches, coves and untouched little ports. This protected stretch of coastline has been part of the Côte Bleue Marine Park since 1983; its waters harbour numerous rare species including the dusky grouper, brown meagre and fin whale. The little fishing port of Carry-le-Rouet, now a family-friendly seaside resort, is home to such treasures as the Chapelle du Rouet, overlooking the Bay of Marseille. Reduced to ruins during World War II, the chapel owes its restoration to dedicated local inhabitants. Lying to the north of Marseille, the picturesque quarter of L’Estaque, a favourite late 19th-century haunt for artists including Cezanne, has remained wonderfully authentic.

On her arrival in Marseille, home to her brother Lazarus, the city’s bishop, Mary Magdalene found shelter in a cave before preaching on the city’s Old Port. A treasure of the early Christian era, Saint-Victor Abbey, standing guard over the port, was founded in the 5th century by a monk named John Cassian. The abbey crypt leads to the Chapelle Saint-Lazare, showcasing a bas-relief dedicated to Mary Magdalene. Perched on a hilltop, at an altitude of 162 metres – the city’s highest point -, the legendary Notre-Dame-de-la-Garde watches over the Ancient Greek city: the Basilica’s stunning views over Marseille and the Mediterranean Sea are truly a sight to behold. Rising up from the top of La Canebière, the neo-Gothic Eglise des Réformés is as tall as Notre-Dame Cathedral in Paris… The character-filled Provençal village of Gémenos is home to the lush green Parc de Saint-Pons, unveiling a 13th-century Cistercian abbey inhabited by a community of women until the mid-15th century.

Mary Magdalene retreated to the Sainte-Baume cave, in the heart of the Plan d’Aups Sainte-Baume forest, for over 30 years. Her days were paced with prayer and contemplation until her death. Steeped in spirituality, the cave became a major Christian pilgrimage site over the centuries, where French kings and humble inhabitants alike came to pray. Reopened to the public after restoration work in 2021, the cave is tucked away in the Sainte-Baume Regional Nature Reserve, particularly renowned for its exceptional and very ancient forest ecosystem awarded the Forêt d’Exception® (Exceptional Forest) label. The Romanesque church of Saint-Jaume in Plan d’Aups is one of the oldest Christian monuments in Provence.

The relics of Saint Mary Magdalene, including her skull, lie in the crypt of the Sainte-Marie-Madeleine Basilica in the town of Saint-Maximin-la-Sainte-Baume, the third tomb of Christianity. Completed in the 15th century and measuring an impressive 73 metres in length, 43 metres in width and 29 metres in height, the Basilica is Provence’s largest Gothic religious building. Saint-Maximin-la-Sainte-Baume pays homage to its Patron Saint every year on July 22nd with a procession and solemn mass, followed by fireworks and a festive banquet paying homage to this landmark Christian figure, an intrinsic part of the history of Provence.