Salon-de-Provence
What to do in Salon-de-Provence: 10 ideas within walking distance
Published on 12 August 2026 · 2 min read
Château de l'Empéri, Nostradamus's house, markets and mossy fountains: the best of the old town in a single day.
Salon-de-Provence is a walking town. Everything below is less than fifteen minutes on foot from La Réserve.
The historic centre
- Château de l'Empéri, a 10th-century fortress housing one of France's richest museums of military art and history.
- The house of Nostradamus, where the astrologer wrote his Prophecies and spent his final years.
- Fontaine Moussue, the moss-covered fountain that is the emblem of place Crousillat.
- Saint-Laurent collegiate church, Provençal Gothic, home to Nostradamus's tomb.
- Porte de l'Horloge and the lanes of the old town, at their best in late afternoon.
Markets and terraces
The Wednesday morning market runs from cours Gimon to the allées de Craponne: olives, goat cheese, local olive oil, Marseille soap. A smaller market takes over the centre on Sunday. In the evening, the terraces on place Morgan and along the allées are where to have a drink.
A little further
- The Marseille Soap Museum, for the town's industrial story.
- Domaine du Merle and the Crau plains, best explored by bike.
- The orchards and vineyards of the Coteaux d'Aix, a few minutes away by car.
