France
Moustiers-Sainte-Marie
A gold star on a chain between two cliffs above a village of faïence potters.
A gold star hangs on a chain between two cliff faces above the village, catching the light at different angles through the day — who hung it there and why depends on which legend you prefer. Moustiers-Sainte-Marie in France sits at the mouth of a gorge, a village of faïence potters and limestone alleys where a waterfall drops through the centre and the star swings overhead like a compass point.
Moustiers-Sainte-Marie sits at the entrance to the Gorges du Verdon at the western end of the Lac de Sainte-Croix. The gold star suspended between two cliff faces 227 metres above the village is attributed by legend to a crusader knight fulfilling a vow — the chain spans approximately 135 metres between the rock walls. Faïence pottery has been produced in Moustiers since the late 17th century, when Antoine Clérissy established the first workshop producing tin-glazed earthenware in the Italian style. The tradition continues in over a dozen ateliers lining the village's narrow streets. The waterfall running through the village centre — the Ravin de Notre-Dame — drops between the same cliffs that support the star. Moustiers serves as a gateway to the Gorges du Verdon and the Lac de Sainte-Croix, both accessible within a fifteen-minute drive.
Solo
The climb to the Chapelle Notre-Dame de Beauvoir above the village passes beneath the star and opens views across the plateau to the Verdon. The faïence workshops below offer an afternoon of browsing that doubles as an art-history lesson.
Couple
The star catches the evening light while you eat at a terrace below — daube provençale in hand-painted earthenware, the waterfall audible from the square. The Verdon gorge is fifteen minutes away, but Moustiers itself is the reason to stay.
- A gold star hangs on a chain between two cliff faces above the village — legend says a crusader knight hung it there.
- Faïence pottery workshops line the narrow streets — the painted earthenware tradition here dates to the 17th century.
- The waterfall running through the village centre drops between the cliffs and past the chapel in a single cascade.
- The Verdon canyon and Lac de Sainte-Croix are both within fifteen minutes — the village is the gateway to both.
Lavender ice cream from the artisan glacier on the main square, scooped into hand-painted faïence bowls.
Daube provençale served in earthenware pots at the village's terrace restaurants.
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