Saint-Paul-de-Mausole
A Romanesque cloister, a reconstructed room, an enclosed field and real olive trees: here the visitor is not looking for a museum filled with originals, but the places, distances and light that structured a decisive year of painting.
What do we really see in Saint-Paul-de-Mausole?
We visit a heritage part of an old monastery that has become a health center: the Romanesque cloister, restored rooms evoking the 19th century asylum, a reconstruction of Van Gogh's room, his workshop, a botanical tour and the landscapes that he observed. The paintings displayed outside are large format reproductions, not the originals.
The place remains linked to psychiatric care activities. The cultural visit is organized within an area accessible to the public and requires respecting the tranquility of patients, residents and teams. This contemporary reality prevents Saint-Paul from being transformed into a simple legendary setting.
The strength of the site lies in the correspondences. We see the real cloister, the walls, the olive trees, the Alpilles line and the enclosed field; next to it, a reproduction indicates what Van Gogh moved, simplified or intensified by color.
The cloister, the stone and ten centuries of care
Saint-Paul-de-Mausole does not begin in 1889. The Romanesque monastery developed in the 11th and 12th centuries, near Glanum and the ancient mausoleum to which it owes its name. Canons, archdeacons then Franciscans succeeded one another before the Revolution.
Doctor Mercurin bought the estate in 1807 and developed a nursing home there. In 1852, the establishment was authorized as a private asylum for one hundred people. Religious congregations then participate sustainably in care and administration.
This long story can be read in the arcades, the two-level bell tower, the chapel and the relationship between buildings and gardens. It also explains why the visiting experience combines Romanesque heritage, psychiatric history, artistic creation and a living healthcare institution.
Van Gogh chooses Saint-Paul after the Arles crises
After several crises and hospitalizations in Arles, Van Gogh did not feel capable of returning to a workshop alone. He requests admission to Saint-Rémy. Pastor Frédéric Salles spoke with Doctor Peyron and accompanied him on May 8, 1889. Entry was voluntary: this point counted in understanding his relationship to the place.
Van Gogh is registered in the asylum register and settles in the men's pavilion.
Iris, lilacs, undergrowth, walls and first olive trees provide immediately accessible patterns.
Periods of incapacity alternate with very intense work campaigns.
He leaves Saint-Paul to join Doctor Gachet in Auvers-sur-Oise.
A bedroom, a workshop and a limited horizon
In St. Paul, Van Gogh has a bedroom and a separate space to work. During periods when outings are permitted, he paints in gardens, olive groves, quarries and at the foot of the Alpilles. When he cannot leave the building, the window becomes an observation post.
The enclosed field behind the wall is constantly changing: green wheat, rain, reaper, rising sun, plowed ground. The restriction of the point of view stimulates a serial painting where the same place becomes an instrument for studying season, time, meteorology and interior condition.
"I’m going to an asylum in Saint-Rémy for at least three months."Van Gogh to his sister Wil, letter 764, late April or early May 1889
Visit in the correct order to read the location before the tables
Allow around one and a half to two hours if you want to look at the reproductions, compare the patterns and read the panels without rushing the visit.
Start with the cloister
Observe the Romanesque proportions, the central garden, the light under the galleries and the bell tower. This architecture gives the general scale of the estate.
Crossing the reconstituted asylum
Van Gogh's room, studio, Doctor Peyron's office, pharmacy, bathroom and historic spaces place the artist in a 19th century healthcare institution.
Go out towards the field and the garden
Compare the walls, trees and lines of the land with the reproductions. This is where the notion of series immediately becomes understandable.
End with Valetudo
The gallery presents works from art therapy workshops. She reminds us that the link between creation and care does not only belong to the past.
Real photos of the garden, the building and the exterior route
See an olive tree, then understand what Van Gogh is doing with it
The visit deconstructs a tenacious idea: Van Gogh does not copy an already "swirling" Provence. It starts from an often calm and readable landscape, then organizes the keys to convey the wind, the heat, the plant thrust and its own perceptual tension.
Major paintings painted during the stay
Starry Night
A composition made from the observed sky, memories and invention. The village is not a faithful topographical view of Saint-Rémy.
See reproduction
The Iris
Painted shortly after arrival, the irises transform a fragment of the garden into a decorative field of curves, blues and greens.
See reproductionOlives and Alpilles
The Provençal motif becomes a living architecture of trunks, hills and colorful rhythms.
See the work
Wheat field with cypress
Cypress trees, clouds, wheat and mountains respond to the same undulating impulse, like an orchestration of the entire landscape.
See the work
Self-portrait
The face stabilizes in the middle of blue and green waves. It does not document a crisis: it builds a presence.
See the work
Almond tree in bloom
Painted for the birth of his nephew, the painting opens the sky and simplifies the branches in a Japanese spirit.
See the workIllness, care and creation: three necessary precautions
Do not confuse crisis and genius
Seizures interrupt work, cause fear and memory loss. Van Gogh paints especially during periods when his condition allows him to concentrate.
Employ "asylum" with context
The word refers to the historical institution of the 19th century. Today, the site combines a cultural center, psychiatric clinic and medico-social structures.
Respect a living place of care
Visitors access a demarcated route. Photographing or observing the care spaces and their users would be incompatible with the purpose of the site.
Schedules, prices, access and combined visit
| Address | Saint-Paul-de-Mausole, Chemin Saint-Paul, 13210 Saint-Rémy-de-Provence. The cultural center is located south of the city center, near the Antiques and Glanum. |
|---|---|
| Summer Schedules 2026 | Open 7 days a week from April 5, from 9:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. Last entry announced at 6:15 p.m. on the official website. Off-season schedules differ. |
| Prices 2026 | €10 at full price; €7 at the reduced rate according to the categories indicated by the site. Check the freebies and conditions before traveling. |
| Accessibility | The site announces an accessible circuit allowing you to browse the reproductions and reach the picnic and painting area. For specific needs, contact reception directly. |
| Animals | Dogs on a leash are advertised as allowed on the cultural route. Rules may differ in Glanum. |
| Reservation | Reservations and group requests: stpaul.cloitre@vivre-become.fr. Telephone: +33 (0)4 90 92 77 00. |
| Parking | Parking near the site; large paid municipal car park facing Glanum. Arriving in the morning makes the visit easier in high season. |
Times, prices and conditions may change. Always consult the official website of Saint-Paul-de-Mausole the day of your preparation.
St. Paul
Cloister, reconstructed asylum, garden and comparisons with the works.
The Antiques
Arch and mausoleum are freely seen near the road.
Break
Picnic depending on authorized spaces or return to Saint-Rémy.
Glanum
Then allow around an hour and a half for the ancient city.
Find the landscapes of Saint-Rémy in the store
Understanding the Saint-Rémy period
Visit Saint-Paul-de-Mausole
Is Saint-Paul-de-Mausole open to the public?
Yes, the cultural and tourist center welcomes visitors. The care facility remains active; only the part planned for the visit is accessible.
Is Van Gogh's room authentic?
The room presented is a reconstruction similar to that assigned to it. It helps to understand the sobriety of the setting, but should not be described as a room that has remained intact since 1890.
Can we see original paintings by Van Gogh on site?
The route mainly shows large format reproductions placed near the motifs. The great original works are kept in international museums.
Why did Van Gogh enter St. Paul?
After several crises in Arles, he considered himself incapable of living alone and requested voluntary admission to the Saint-Rémy health center.
How long did Van Gogh stay in St. Paul?
From May 8, 1889 to May 16, 1890, approximately fifty-three weeks.
How many paintings did he paint in Saint-Rémy?
The official website announces 143 oils painted in Saint-Paul-de-Mausole, to which are added drawings and covers of works.
Starry Night does it show Saint-Rémy exactly?
No. The sky and certain motifs are nourished by observation, but the village and the general organization are largely a matter of recomposition.
How much time should you allow for the visit?
An hour and a half to two hours allows you to see the cloister, the reconstructions, the garden and the reproductions without rushing.
Can we combine Saint-Paul and Glanum?
Yes. The two sites are very close. Add the Antiques and you get half a day or a full day between art, Romanesque heritage and archaeology.
Is the course accessible to people with reduced mobility?
The site announces an accessible circuit for reproductions and gardens. Contact reception before the visit to confirm the conditions adapted to your situation.
Official information, letters and free images
- Saint-Paul-de-Mausole, Vincent van Gogh cultural center - route, timetables, 2026 prices, accessibility and works presented.
- Saint-Paul-de-Mausole, official history - dates of stay and history of the establishment.
- Alpilles in Provence - parking, openings and services.
- Glanum archaeological site - municipal access and parking.
- Letter 764 to Willemien - decision to enter Saint-Rémy.
- Letter 769 from Frédéric Salles - May 8, 1889 admissions organization.
- Letter 798 to Théo - field observed from the window and return to work.
- Letter 804 to Wil - fear of going out after a crisis and role of painting.
- Van Gogh Museum, texts from the permanent collection - voluntary admission and Saint-Rémy period.
- Wikimedia Commons, facade of the monastery - Saint-Rémy-de-Provence Tourisme, CC BY-SA 3.0.
- Wikimedia Commons, cloister - Peter Glyn, CC0.
- Wikimedia Commons, reconstructed room - Velvet, CC BY-SA 4.0.
Historical terminology is retained when sources speak of "asylum", but the article systematically distinguishes this 19th century reality from the contemporary healthcare institution.
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