This small town in southern France has a racing circuit, a large outlet shopping center, and a historic district with stone houses from the 13th century.
Miramas sits at the northern edge of the Étang de Berre lagoon in southern France, divided into two distinct areas: a functional railway town and a medieval village perched on a hill. Here, you can walk through 12th-century chapel ruins, see a former French Grand Prix racetrack now used by BMW for testing, and look across Provence from viewpoints that stretch to the Alpilles mountains and the Mediterranean coast. The older section, Miramas le Vieux, sits on a limestone ridge with cobblestone streets and a panoramic orientation table identifying landmarks like Mont Ventoux. Direct trains run to Marseille in 35 minutes and Avignon in 50 minutes. A large outlet mall south of town attracts shoppers with discounts on French and international clothing brands.
Miramas le Vieux: Walking Routes and Key Landmarks
Start at the Escalier des Soupirs, a stone staircase leading up to Miramas le Vieux. Houses made from pale yellow local stone crowd narrow lanes that wind past the 15th-century Saint-Julien church, its bell tower standing separate from the main building. At the highest point, fragments of a 12th-century castle wall remain, with clear views of the Étang de Berre and occasional glimpses of the Alps. Follow signs to the old lavoir, a stone washing basin still fed by a natural spring, then stop at Place Fernand Julien for ice cream sold from a small kiosk under pine trees. Every August, the village holds a medieval festival with armor-clad jousters, traditional crafts, and musicians playing period instruments.
Archaeological Sites and Industrial History
Artifacts uncovered here include pottery shards and flint tools indicating human presence since the Bronze Age. Visible sections of the village’s original defensive walls near the castle ruins reveal stonework patched during the 1600s using mismatched materials. The Parc de la Poudrerie, a wooded area below the village, occupies the grounds of a gunpowder factory that operated from 1690 to 1974. Interpretive signs along its trails describe how workers mixed sulfur and saltpeter here for military use. In the modern town, the railway yard built in 1837 played a key role transporting soldiers and supplies during World War I and II.
Day Trips Within 30 Minutes by Car
Les Baux-de-Provence, 25 minutes north, has a clifftop castle ruin overlooking olive groves and valleys carved from white limestone. Martigues, 20 minutes southeast, is known for its waterfront fish restaurants and the 17th-century Sainte-Madeleine l’Égyptienne chapel with faded frescoes. The Glanum archaeological site near Saint-Rémy-de-Provence displays Roman ruins including a bath complex and a carved stone arch from 20 BCE. Art galleries in Arles, 45 minutes west, include the Fondation Vincent van Gogh, which rotates exhibits of modern works inspired by the painter’s time in Provence. Walk sections of the GR2013 hiking trail through the Alpilles or along the Étang de Berre’s marshy edges.
Festivals and Local Markets
Late October brings the Fête du Train to Miramas, where restored steam engines line the tracks and retired rail workers demonstrate antique signal equipment. During the Marché Médiéval in August, the old village fills with armorers demonstrating forging techniques, falconers with birds of prey, and vendors selling honey mead. Modern Miramas hosts open-air markets on Thursday and Saturday mornings, where stalls sell seasonal items like Cavaillon melons, lavender sachets, and jars of black olive spread. The town’s 18-hole golf course allows non-members to use its driving range for a small fee. From May to September, free guided walks cover topics like the railway’s impact on the region and the unique plants of the Crau plain.
Getting Around and Visitor Tips
Pick up detailed walking maps at the tourist office across from Miramas’ train station, which outline three routes through the old village with historical notes. Regional TER trains depart hourly for Marseille-Saint-Charles and Avignon-TGV stations, with connections to Nice and Paris. Bus 20 runs from Miramas to Aix-en-Provence in under an hour, stopping in Salon-de-Provence near its 16th-century château and soap-making workshops. Parking near Miramas le Vieux fills quickly by mid-morning in July and August—consider arriving before 9:30 AM. Wear shoes with thick soles for the village’s uneven stone paths, and bring a water bottle; the only public water source is at the lavoir. The McArthurGlen Provence outlet mall, three kilometers south, operates daily with reduced prices on brands like Longchamp and Levi’s.
