Just Opened: Picasso and Kahlo at Carrières des Lumières

The Carrières des Lumières (Quarries of Light) is a magical space in a vast cave-like quarry at the base of the hilltop village of Les Baux de Provence. There in the cool darkness, 100 video projectors splash 2,000 still and moving images over an area of more than 75,000 square feet, onto the 45-foot-high walls and onto the stone floor, while 74 speakers provide the perfectly choreographed soundtrack. The sound-and-light show changes once a year and is one of the most-popular, most-visited sites in Provence. 

The 2026 show opened this week and it looks sure to be a huge hit, just like the Monet and Rousseau show was last year. As always, there are two separate ‘’immersive experiences’’ and they run on a continuous loop. This year the main show (35 minutes) is "Picasso, Art in Motion" and the shorter one (15 minutes) is "Frida Kahlo: At the Very Heart.’’

Pablo Picasso was, of course, one of the most influential artists of the 20^th century. In addition to his painting and drawings, the show displays the other techniques that the Spanish artist explored such as engraving, sculpture, collage, assemblages, folding and ceramics. It’s a journey through his entire palette, from the warm hues of his native Spain to the whirlwind of colors in his paintings of Parisian cabarets and balls to his legendary melancholic blues to the delicate pinks that precede the striking grays of his monumental Guernica.

From Celestina to Les Demoiselles d'Avignon and The Supplicant, you’ll discover the faces of the women who filled his life and inspired some of the major turning points in his work.

The Frida Kahlo projection, meanwhile, explores the intimacy and creative force of the legendary Mexican artist (1907-1954) ‘’through an explosion of colors, symbols and emotions.’’ The walls are transformed to reflect the rhythm of Frida's life: from her early works marked by physical suffering and the search for self to her most assertive paintings ‘’where the power of her identity and commitment bursts forth.’’

In just a few short minutes you’ll see the evolution of an artist who ‘’transformed pain into art, fragility into strength, and the intimate into the universal.’’

As in years past, there’s an accompanying soundtrack and the playlists are available via Spotify on the Carrières website. I’ve always felt that the soundtrack plays a huge part in the impact of the show…and people around here still talk about the brilliant pairing of Salvador Dali and Pink Floyd in 2020.

The program will be on view until January, 2027. 

In addition to Picasso/Kahlo, there will be special repeat showing of The Little Prince in the Carrières on certain dates in April and May, to mark the 80th anniversary of the publication of Antoine de Saint Exupéry's masterpiece. Set to music, the words of the story come to life as Saint Exupéry's watercolors unfold around you, bringing all the characters to life. Details are on the Carrières website. 

The Carrières des Lumières sits in the Val d’Enfer, a stone's throw Les Baux itself; you can easily walk between them but on foot you have a bit of a climb up to the village itself.  These quarries produced the white limestone used for the construction of the village of Les Baux, the Château des Baux and many buildings in surrounding villages including St. Remy. Aluminum ore bauxite was discovered here in 1821 by geologist Pierre Berthier, who named it after the village. In 1935, the use of more-modern materials led to the quarries' demise.  

Dramatic and otherworldly looking, the area has inspired artists of all sorts; it provided the setting for Dante’s Divine Comedy and Gounod created his opera Mireille here. Later, Cocteau came here to film The Testament of Orpheus.  A 16-minute film tracing Cocteau’s life can be seen in the Salle Cocteau, adjacent to the main space.

The Carrières du Val d’Enfer have been awarded Natural Monument status in France. 

The first transformation of the abandoned quarries began in 1976 with the development of a project using the huge rocky walls for sound and light performances.

Formerly known as the Cathedrale des Images, the venue closed in 2011 and re-opened (after a €2 million re-do) as the Carrières des Lumières the following year. Since then, it’s been managed by Culturespaces. Founded by Bruno Monnier in 1990, Culturespaces is the leading private operator/manager of monuments, museums and art centers in France. The Culturespaces Foundation, founded in 2009, fosters access to art and culture for children affected by illness, disability or poverty. One of France’s benchmark foundations, it’s known for initiatives that blend culture, education and solidarity.

Based on the wide popularity of the Carrières des Lumières, Culturespaces went on to launch a number of similar “digital art centers” including the Atelier des Lumières, Paris (2018), the Bunker des Lumières, Jeju (2018), the Bassins des Lumières and Bordeaux (2020). More recent openings include the Hall des Lumières (New York), the Fabrique des Lumières (Amsterdam) and the Théâtre des Lumières (Seoul). To see all the locations and their programing, click here.

Heads up to first-time visitors: it’s cool inside the quarry so you might want a sweater or light jacket. The stone floors are uneven so you might want a cane or walking stick as well. There are stone benches around the perimeter of the interior and you can stay as long as you like. As you exit, there’s a small but interesting shop selling books and other items pertaining to the history of Provence, Les Baux, the Carrières and the Val d’Infer.

The Cafe des Carrières is open every day except December 25, from 10 am daily, serving drinks, sandwiches and sweets. It closes at 5 pm, 6 pm or 6:30 pm depending on the season.

As in years past, you can just show up at the Carrières and buy a ticket. But to avoid long lines in season, they suggest you book online here.  You can also buy tickets in advance at the Carrières ticket office or at all FNAC stores.

Pricing for 2026 is:  €16.50 (adults), €15.50 seniors (65 and up), €14 students and free for journalists, jobseekers, the disabled and kids under 7. On the website you’ll also see family rates and combined-visit prices (for the Carrières, the Chateau des Baux and the Musée Yves Brayer), along with background, directions and much more. 

The Carrières is open seven days a week and last entry is one hour before closing. Hours are as follows: 

March: 9:30 am - 6 pm
April, May, June, Sept & Oct: 9:30 am - 7 pm 
July & Aug: 9 am - 7:30 pm
Nov, Dec, Jan: 10 am - 6 pm 

Carrières des Lumières 

Route de Maillane  
13520 Les Baux de Provence 
Tel: +33 (0)4  90 49 20 02
carrieres-lumieres.com

Note: In addition to Picasso/Kahlo, there will be special showing of The Little Prince in the Carrières on certain dates in April and May, to mark the 80th anniversary of the publication of Antoine de Saint Exupéry's masterpiece. Set to music, the words of the story come to life as Saint Exupéry's watercolors unfold around you, bringing the characters to life. Details are on the Carrières website. 

And another note: starting July 4, 2026,  the Carrières will present *Océan*, an immersion in the underwater world, a new immersive experience dedicated to the beauty and richness of the oceans. The show will alternate with the Picasso/Kahlo show...check the schedule online for details.

Photos: (1) Poster for the new show.  (2-6) Three Picasso and two Kahlo scenes from the show. Photos courtesy of Culturespaces. (7) The old bauxite quarry in daylight; the geologist who first discovered aluminum ore here in 1821 named it after the village. (8) One section of the vast space is lit beautifully when the Carrieres hosts private parties and other events. I took this photo at the launch party for the new show a few years ago. (9) One of my favorite photos of the village of Les Baux, taken by Philippe Clairo (@craignos). (10) To celebrate the book's 80th anniversary, there will be a special repeat performance of The Little Prince, on certain dates in April and May. See the website for dates and details.

Guest Post: One Great Day in Provence

Whenever I get together with my friends Keith and Val Van Sickle, we love to share French intel. Where've you been, what'd you do? Who'd you meet, where'd you eat? The Van Sickles split their time between Provence and Northern California, spending three months each year based in St.-Rémy. Because they do lots of exploring, I asked them to suggest ''One Great Day in Provence'' for you. They chose to focus on the Alpilles (''Little Alps''), our beloved home turf, named for the 25-km-long mini-mountain range where, to the north and south, you'll find villages such as St.-Rémy, Eygalieres, Les Baux, Maussane and others. Keith and Val are both retired (Val from consulting, Keith from finance) and they travel widely. Keith is the author of An Insider’s Guide to Provence, One Sip at a Time, and Are We French Yet? He also publishes the blog Life in Provence. So read on for Keith's guest post about One Great Day!

One of the many things that Val and I love about St-Rémy is that it sits at the foot of the Alpilles Mountains, a great place to hike and bike. 

The Alpilles aren’t particularly high, with the tallest peak about 1,600 feet, which means there are plenty of hikes that aren’t too strenuous. A great day for us is to hike in the Alpilles, enjoy a leisurely lunch at a favorite restaurant, and then shop for Provençal essentials like wine and olive oil.

Hiking in the Alpilles

One favorite hike starts from a parking lot called Parking de la Caume, at the top of the road between St-Rémy and Maussane-les-Alpilles. After parking, we head to the paved trail that begins at the back of the lot. Because Provence can get hot, we usually hike in the morning and carry plenty of water.

The trail is called the Randonée de la Caume and if you follow it all the way, it will take you up to the giant communication tower that you can see for miles around. This is a nice route, but instead of following it, we turn off onto a dirt road marked as the AL 115, about ¼ mile from the start. It can be found on a helpful hiking map we use to for this and other trails in the Alpilles.

We like this route because it is never crowded and the views are great. Sometimes we see the forest and sometimes sheer rock walls rising up next to the path. From a few spots we can see a long way to the south, to near the Mediterranean coast. The one thing we have to watch out for are bikers, because they can show up suddenly if they are riding fast.

We hike as far as we want and then turn around, and at this point we are usually getting hungry. If we’ve timed it right it’s lunch time, so we head to Maussane and one of our favorite restaurants, l’Oustaloun.

L’Oustaloun

This is a family-run hotel/restaurant that has been in business for decades. The couple that runs it is very friendly—“We love our clients,” they say—and the food is always good.

The chef has been awarded the title of Maître Restauranteur, a special honor that means everything is fresh and homemade. I can’t eat gluten and the chef knows exactly what is in each dish, so he is able to guide me to safe eating.

The cuisine is authentic Provençal and I love the timbale, an eggplant confit surrounded by a tomato and red pepper coulis. The menu changes with the seasons so the dishes always use fresh ingredients, many of which are sourced locally.

On a warm day we sit at the outdoor tables on the town’s lovely central square, and if it’s cool we enjoy the cozy dining room with its arched ceiling.

The Best Olive Oil

The area around Maussane is known for olive oil, and local producers have captured several world championships. It is said that oil from here was used to anoint France’s first Christian king, Clovis, in the year 496.

Our favorite place for olive oil is Moulin Castelas, just outside of Maussane. The staff speaks English—the owners once lived in the United States—and is very friendly. They let you taste anything you’d like and sometimes you can tour the olive mill itself. Tables are arranged outside if you’d like to taste there, or just rest your feet for a few minutes.

One of Castelas’ specialties is their wide range of flavored oils, where they add ingredients like citrus, rosemary, and basil. Unlike many producers that just add flavorings to their oils, Castelas macerates their olives together with the other ingredient—thyme, for example—and then filters it at the end. The results are great for salad dressings, to put on fish, or whatever strikes your fancy. We stock up every time we arrive in Provence.

Something for the Cellar

After olive oil, another essential is wine, and one of our favorite caves is Mas Sainte Berthe, which sits in the shadow of Les Baux-de-Provence’s fortress.

Sainte Berthe is known for its rosés, but all its wines are excellent. You can try them in their friendly, English-speaking tasting room, then buy what you like. Besides wine in bottles, they also sell it in 5 or 10 liter “bag in box.” These boxed wines are quite good and a great bargain, especially if you will be entertaining a group.

Back Home

We are now tired, well fed, and well stocked. It’s a routine we often follow when we are newly arrived in St-Rémy. But it’s only the beginning, as many more hikes and meals await. And you never know when you’ll need more olive oil or another bottle of wine! 

Photos:

(1) Keith, Val and their sweet dog Mica at the Aéro-Club De Saint-Rémy, the Alpilles behind them. (2) A glorious coquelicot (poppy) field with the Alpilles in the background; photo by Barbara Tyler. (3, 4) Hiking photos by Keith. (5) L'Oustaloun, in Maussane; photo courtesy of the restaurant. (6) Timbale and (7) Moulin Castelas, photos by Keith. (8, 9) The vineyard and tasting room at Mas Sainte Berthe.

Venice in Les Baux: New Show at Carrières des Lumières

The Carrières des Lumières (Quarries of Light) is a magical space in a vast cave-like quarry at the base of the hilltop village of Les Baux de Provence. There in the cool darkness, 100 video projectors splash 2,000 still and moving images over an area of more than 75,000 square feet, onto the 45-f00t-high walls and onto the stone floor, while 74 speakers provide the perfectly choreographed soundtrack to what you’re seeing.  The sound-and-light show changes once a year and is one of the most-popular, most-visited sites in Provence. 

On March 4, the Carrières launched its new immersive exhibition for 2022. Called Venise La Sérénissime, it explores the artistic and architectural treasures of the gorgeous Italian city.  Traveling through the Grand Canal, lanes, squares, buildings and churches, you’ll be transported into the world of Venice—both holy and secular—and see all the symbols of the city’s extraordinary history. Expect to be immersed in Byzantine art and the impressive golden mosaics of Saint Mark’s Basilica, the masterpieces of Tintoretto, Bellini, and Canaletto, and the famous Mostra del Cinema, through photos of the actresses and actors of Italian neorealist films. 

The 40-minute show is set to the music of Vivaldi, Verdi, Albinoni, Handel and Paganini. I’ve always felt that the soundtrack plays a large part in the impact of show. People around here still talk about the brilliant pairing of Salvador Dali and Pink Floyd in 2020...loved it!

As in years past the 2022 program was created by Gianfranco Iannuzzi and produced by Culturespaces Digital. 

Also as in years past, there’s also a shorter, second program. This year it’s Yves Klein: Infinite Blue, focused on the work of the 20th-century, Nice-born artist (the son of two painters) who was inspired deeply throughout his career by the colors of the Mediterranean. The ten-minute Klein show is set to Mozart, Vivaldi, Thylacine and Brian Eno. (More about Klein is here and here.)

The two shows combined last about 50 minutes and run on a continuous loop. Both are on view until January 2, 2023.

The Carrières de Lumières sits in the Val d’Enfer, a stone's throw Les Baux itself; you can easily walk between them but on foot you have a bit of a climb up to the village itself.  These quarries produced the white limestone used for the construction of the village of Les Baux, the Château des Baux and many buildings in surrounding villages including St. Remy. Aluminum ore bauxite was discovered here in 1821 by geologist Pierre Berthier, who named it after the village. In 1935, the use of more-modern materials led to the quarries' demise.  

Dramatic and otherworldly looking, the area has inspired artists of all sorts; it provided the setting for Dante’s Divine Comedy and Gounod created his opera Mireille here. Later, Cocteau came here to film The Testament of Orpheus.  A 16-minute film tracing Cocteau’s life can be seen in the Salle Cocteau, adjacent to the main space.

The Carrières du Val d’Enfer have been awarded Natural Monument status in France. 

The first transformation of the abandoned quarries began in 1976 with the development of a project using the huge rocky walls for sound and light performances.

Formerly known as the Cathedrale des Images, the venue closed in 2011 and re-opened (after a €2 million re-do) as the Carrières de Lumières the following year. Since then, it’s been managed by Culturespaces. Founded by Bruno Monnier in 1990, Culturespaces is the leading private operator/manager of monuments, museums and art centers in France. The Culturespaces Foundation, founded in 2009, fosters access to art and culture for children affected by illness, disability or poverty. One of France’s benchmark foundations, it’s known for initiatives that blend culture, education and solidarity.

Based on the wide popularity of the Carrières de Lumières, Culturespaces has launched a number of similar “digital art centers” including the Atelier des Lumières, Paris (2018), the Bunker des Lumières, Jeju (2018), the Bassins des Lumières, Bordeaux (2020) and Infinity des Lumières, Dubai (2021). Three more venues are expected to open this year: The Hall des Lumières (New York), the Fabrique des Lumières (Amsterdam) and the Théâtre des Lumières (Seoul).

For a look at all the Carrieres shows since 2016, click here.

A full press kit in English is here.

If you’ve never been to the Carrieres des Lumières, you wander at leisure around the dark, cool indoor space. The stone floors are somewhat uneven so if you’re unsteady, bring a cane or walking stick. There are stone benches for those who want them and you can stay as long as you like. As you exit, there’s a small but interesting shop selling books and other items pertaining to the history of Provence, Les Baux, the Carrières and the Val d’Infer.

The Cafe des Carrières is open from 10 am daily, closing at 5:30, 6 pm or 6:30 depending on the season, serving drinks, sandwiches and sweets.

As in years past, you can just show up at the Carrières and buy a ticket. But to avoid long lines in season, they suggest you boook online here.  You can also buy tickets in advance at the Carrières ticket office or at all FNAC stores. Pricing for 2022 is: €14.50 (adults), €13.50 seniors (65 and up), €12 students and free for journalists, jobseekers, the disabled and kids under 7. On the website you’ll see family rates and combined-visit prices (for the Carrières, the Chateau des Baux and the Musée Yves Brayer), along with background, directions and much more. 

Open seven days a week; last entry is one hour before closing.  

March: 9:30 am - 6 pm. 
April, May, June, Sept & Oct: 
9:30 am - 7 pm. 
July & Aug: 9 am - 7:30 pm. 
Nov, Dec, Jan: 10 am - 6 pm. 

Carrières des Lumières 

Route de Maillane  
13520 Les Baux de Provence 
Tel: +33 (0)4  90 49 20 02
carrieres-lumieres.com

Photos: (1) Poster for the new show. (2-10) Eight images of Venice in the immersive exhibit inside the quarry. As you can imagine it's hard to convey photographically what you'll see there in the cool, rocky darkness...but these should give you a pretty good idea. (11) One image from the Yves Klein show, which follows the Venice show on a continuous loop. (12)  The old bauxite quarry in daylight; the geologist who first discovered aluminum ore here named it after the village. (13) One section of the vast space is lit beautifully when the Carrieres hosts private parties and other events. I took this photo at the launch party for the new show a few years ago. (14) One of my favorite photos of the village of Les Baux, taken by Philippe Clairo. 

Win a Copy of the 2021 French Country Diary

Every day I hear from people telling me how they can’t wait to travel again...and can’t wait to get back to France. Meanwhile, I thought the newest French Country Diary by Linda Dannenberg might take the edge off the cravings. So I dropped a note to Linda and asked if she’d like to offer me a copy or two of the 2021 edition, to give away here on my blog. In classic Linda style, she came back tres vite: “Oui, bien sur! How about three of them? And I’ll sign them, of course!” 

Linda is one of the biggest Francophiles I know, the author of 12 books on French design, lifestyle and food. She was bitten by the bug early, during a post-grad year in Paris spent working at a couture textiles firm. “I fell in love with the bistros and cafés on every corner, with the galleries on the rue de Seine, with the smell of Gauloises in the air, with the Paris Métro,” she remembers. When her Gallic escapade was over, Linda moved to New York and launched a media career, starting at CBS News and moving on to editorial jobs at Family Circle and Working Woman.

“The jobs were amazing and fulfilling,” she says, “but eventually the Lorelei call of France, and a book contract, proved impossible to resist!”

Linda returned to France to write The Paris Way of Beauty (Simon & Schuster) and more than a dozen books followed, including a quartet of iconic Pierre Deux French Country titles. Her Paris Boulangerie-Pâtisserie was nominated for a Julia Child Cookbook of the Year Award while her book with 3-star chef Alain Ducasse, Ducasse: Flavors of France, was nominated for a James Beard Award and went on to win the Versailles International Cookbook Award.

She’s also written on cuisine, design and travel for Town & Country, The New York Times, The Los Angeles Times, Travel & Leisure, House Beautiful, Harper's Bazaar, Elle and Departures.

And every year, for 33 years now, Linda has published the much-loved French Country Diary, a weekly hardcover calendar showcasing sumptuous interior design, lush gardens, extraordinary landscapes and lots of “poetic art de vivre.” Published by Abrams Books with photos by the Paris- and Brittany-based photographer Guillaume de Laubier, the latest edition takes us to a thatched-roof farmstead in Normandy’s Marais-Vernier to the majestic Château de Montgeoffroy in the Anjou (a time-capsule of 18th-century style) to a gardener's cottage in the Alpes-de-Haute-Provence. Among the amazing private collections featured are 19th-century faience in Bordeaux, Napoleonica in Paris and a home devoted to parrots (!!) near Dieppe. The Diary also notes nationally recognized holidays and observances, with ample space for notes, appointments, addresses and reminders. As in years past, the book is embellished with Provençal textiles from Olivades. It has a cloth spine, a ribbon marker and 58 gorgeous photos.

“My readers tell me they use it as much for decorating ideas and planning French travel itineraries as they do for recording important dates throughout the year,’’ Linda tells me.

Madame Dannenberg, for her part, says the thing she misses most when she can’t visit France (she hasn’t travelled more than 10 km from her home in Westchester, NY since mid March!), is definitely the bistro cooking.

“I miss the ambiance and romance of an iconic bistro such as La Fontaine de Mars in Paris or Le Bistrot du Paradou in the Alpilles,” she says. In place of the real thing, Linda reaches for books filled with evocative descriptions of memorable meals, such as A. J. Liebling's classic Between Meals: An Appetite for Paris, Amanda Hesser's The Cook and the Gardner and Martin Walker's Inspector Bruno series.

“And when I’m truly inspired and longing for Paris,” Linda continues, “I pull out one of my own early cookbooks, Paris Bistro Cooking, and prepare a family meal of classic bistro favorites: a Salade Verte au Chèvre Chaud (Wild Greens Salad with Warm Goat Cheese) from Michel Rostang's Bistrot d'à Côté; Boeuf à la Mode (Braised Beef and Carrots) from Benoît; and a Tarte au Citron (Lemon Tart) from Polidor."

Lucky family!

So speaking of luck...on to the contest! To win a signed, personalized copy of the 2021 French Country Diary, simply leave a comment below and tell us what you miss most about France when you can’t be here...and what do you do to visit virtually. Do you cook French? Lose yourself in French music, movies or books? Do you brush up your French skills with language-learning apps or an old textbook? We want to know! This contest is open to anyone in any country, including France.

To comment, click where it says COMMENTS just below. If your name comes up in the little box, choose that. If it doesn’t, choose NAME/URL from the drop down. (If you don’t have your own website or blog you can leave URL blank.) Please be sure to leave us your email or we can’t contact you if you win. If you have any problem commenting at all, drop me a note (provenceblog@aol.com) and I’ll help. Or send me your name and your thoughts and I’ll be happy to post them for you. Linda and I will choose three winners, confirm your mailing address and send your beautiful Diary right off. (I told Linda I’d be happy to help with shipping and she said “Oh don’t worry...just send me some Herbes de Provence!”)

For those of you who prefer to enter on Instagram, the contest is on my page here. (To follow Linda, her page is here.)

Bonne Chance! And if you'd like to just go ahead and buy the Diary, you'll find it on Amazon.com, Barnesandnoble.com, Calendars.com and in English on Amazon.fr.

Photos: (1) You deserve to win this more than anyone! Actually if you win and want to give the Diary as a gift, Linda will inscribe it to your giftee and ship it directly to them. (2) Linda and her photographer Guillaume de Laubier shooting a holiday meal in Paris. Photo by Françoise Hontebeyrie. (3) One of Linda's favorite Paris bistros is La Fontaine de Mars. (4) A thatched-roof farmhouse and B&B called Les Cigognes, in the Normandy countryside near Honfleur. (5) Vintage wooden sailboats, for rent at Le Grand Bassin in the Luxembourg Gardens, have been delighting Parisian children for over a century. (6) Le Perche, a bucolic region tucked into the southeastern corner of Normandy, makes a perfect destination for a weekend trip from Paris. An essential stop when you're exploring the area is the lovely hilltop village of La Perrière, where you'll find La Maison de L'Horbé, this restaurant and antiques emporium. (7) Linda writes: "At sunset, when Deauville's vast white sand beach is tinted pink in the rosy light, the large, vibrantly-hued parasols are closed and wrapped with swaths of contrasting canvas. It's a gorgeous time to be on this iconic beach." (8) Hôtel d'une île is a small rustic inn set in the deep woodland of Le Perche, near the town of Rémalard. (9) On a sun-dappled terrace, crusty breads await you at breakfast at the three-star L'Oustau de Baumanière in Les Baux. * All photos, except as mentioned above, are by @guillaumedelaubier and appear in either the 2020 or 2021 edition of the French Country Diary. 

Dali and Gaudi Show Opens in Les Baux

The Carrières de Lumières (Quarries of Light) is a magical space in a vast cave-like quarry at the base of the hilltop village of Les Baux de Provence. There in the cool darkness, 100 video projectors and 30 speakers generate the choreographed movement of 2,000 images over an area of more than 75,000 square feet, onto walls as high as 45 feet and onto the floor. The sound-and-light show changes once a year and is one of the most-popular, most-visited sites in Provence.  Since its opening in 2012, the Carrières de Lumières has attracted close to 4 million visitors.

The program features an artist or group of artists, usually--but not always--with a connection to Provence. Last year’s show, Van Gogh: Starry Night, retraced the intense life of the tormented Dutch painter Vincent Van Gogh (1853–1890), who during the last ten years of his life, painted more than 2,000 canvasses. The show ran from March 1, 2019 to January 5, 2020 and attracted 760,000 visitors.

The same show was also on view at the Atelier des Lumieres in Paris, the sister venue to the Carrières de Lumières,  which opened in 2018. The Paris venue currently has Monet, Renoir...Chagall: Journeys Around the Mediterranean, on view until January 3, 2021.

There’s also digital art venue called the Bunker de Lumières  in South Korea (who knew?). You can learn about that one here. They’re running the Van Gogh show until October 25, 2020.

A fourth venue called Bassins de Lumieres will open on April 17 month in Bordeaux, with shows featuring Gustav Klimpt and Paul Klee. The €10 million project, ongoing since 2018, comprises four basins in an old submarine base, one of five major structures built by German forces during the World War II. (The others were located at Brest, Lorient, Saint-Nazaire and La Rochelle.) The massive bunker is considered an essential part of Bordeaux’s cultural and historic landscape. For the history of the base and lots more info, click here.

Like the Carrières de Lumières in Les Baux, the Paris, South Korea and Bordeaux venues are operated by Culturespaces, which manages many of France’s leading monuments, museums and art centers.

And now after a two-month closure, the  Carrières de Lumières in Les Baux launched its new show on Friday March 5. Called Dali: The Endless Enigma, it encompasses more than 60 years in the career of the Catalan master. From his initial Impressionist- and Cubist-inspired works to his mystical works with religious themes and his surrealistic period, it also incorporates elements of his work in the theater, photography and cinema. Saw it and loved it!

The show is set to the music of Pink Floyd, with tracks from The Dark Side of the Moon and The Wall, “plunging visitors into a soaring, peaceful and troubling world.” I’ve always felt that the sundtrack plays a huge part in the enjoyment of the Carrières shows.  In this particular case, the show’s producers say that setting the exhibit to the music of this legendary band “will take visitors on a timeless journey that awakes the subconscious and buried thoughts in which the Dali oeuvre remains a mystery and an endless enigma.” The Dali show runs until January 3, 2021. 

As in years past, the main program is followed by a shorter one. This year it’s Gaudi: The Architect of the Imaginary, paying tribute to the limitless creativity and modernist buildings of architect Antonio Gaudí, a great source of inspiration for Dalí. To the sound of Gershwin, the Parc Güell, the Casa Batlló, the Casa Milà and the Sagrada Família will come alive “reflecting the spiritual illumination of the artist, who succeeded in giving the abstract artistic form.” For a video of the Gaudi show, click here. 

The Dali and Gaudi show runs until January 3, 2021. 

If you’ve never been to the Carrières de Lumières, you wander at leisure around the vast, dark, cool indoor space. The stone floors are somewhat uneven so if you’re unsteady, you might bring a cane. There are stone benches for those who want them and you can stay as long as you like. The show plays on a continuous loop and lasts just under an hour. As you exit, there’s a small but interesting shop selling books and other items pertaining to the history of Provence, Les Baux and the Carrieres. A cafe is open from 10:30 to 5:30 daily. 

The Carrières de Lumières are located in the Val d’Enfer, a stone's throw from the hilltop village of Les Baux. The quarries here first produced white limestone, used in the construction of the village and its château. In 1821, aluminum ore bauxite was discovered here by geologist Pierre Berthier, who named it after the village. In 1935, economic competition from modern materials led to the quarries' closure. Dramatic and otherworldly looking, the area has inspired artists of all sorts; it provided the setting for Dante’s Divine Comedy and Gounod created his opera Mireille here. Later, Cocteau came to film The Testament of Orpheus in these very quarries. The Carrières du Val d’Enfer have been awarded Natural Monument status in France. 

Formerly known as the Cathedrale des Images, this particular quarry was closed in 2011 and re-opened (after a €2 million re-do) as the Carrières de Lumières the following year. For a look at all the shows since then, click here.

The Carrières de Lumières is open seven days a week. Hours are as follows: 

March : 9:30 am - 6 pm. 
April, May, June, Sept and Oct: 9:30 am - 7 pm.
July & Aug: 9 am - 7:30 pm

Nov, Dec, Jan : 10 am - 6 pm

Last entry is always one hour before closing.

As in years past, you can just show up at the Carrières and pay your admission fee then. But to avoid long lines in season, they suggest you buy tickets online here.  You can also buy them ahead at the Carrières ticket office or at all FNAC stores. Adult tickets to the Carrières are €13, seniors (65 and up) are €12; reduced rate for students is €11, and kids under 7 are free. There are also family rates and combined-visit prices (for the Carrières, the Chateau des Baux and the Musée Yves Brayer) on the website, along with background, directions and much more. 

Carrières de Lumières 

Route de Maillane  

13520 Les Baux de Provence 

Tel: +33 4 90 54 47 37

carrieres-lumieres.com

Photos: (1, 2) Poster and video clip for the Dali show. (3, 4) Two stills from the show. (5)  The old bauxite quarry in daylight; the geologist who first discovered aluminum ore here named it after the village.  (6) One section of the vast space is lit beautifully for private parties and other events. I took this photo at the launch party on Thursday night. (7) One of my favorite photos of the village of Les Baux, taken by Philippe Clairo. (8, 9) At the Atelier des Lumières in Paris, the show "Monet, Renoir...Chagall," opened February 28. (10) A fourth venue --in Bordeaux--will open on April 17 in a World War II submarine basin. The main show at the Bassins de Lumières will feature the works of Gustav Klimt, followed by a shorter one about Paul Klee.