castle
Les Baux-de-Provence
A dramatic medieval fortress village crowning a rocky limestone outcrop in the Alpilles mountains.
30 km · about 35 min drive
EuropeFranceProvence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur
Istres
Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur, France · Europe
About Istres
Istres is worth a stop: 10 minutes from Saint-Chamas, 49km from Parc Naturel Régional de Camargue.
Istres is in Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur, France, with about 44,000 people. You drive on the right here. The nearest town is Saint-Chamas, about 6 km away.
Istres (French pronunciation: [istʁ]; Occitan: Istre) is a commune in southern France, some 60 km (38 mi) northwest of Marseille. It is in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region, in the Bouches-du-Rhône department, of which it is a subprefecture.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is there to see near Istres?
Within an hour or so of Istres: Les Baux-de-Provence (30 km), Carrières des Lumières (31 km), Notre-Dame de la Garde Viewpoint (40 km), Gordes (47 km).
Are there any good drives near Istres?
The nearest famous roads are Route des Crêtes (Cassis), Gorges de la Nesque Road and Corniche Sublime (D71).
Where is Istres?
Istres is in Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur, France, about 6 km from Saint-Chamas.
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Quick Information
- Population
- 44,373
- Continent
- Europe
- Country
- France
- Region
- Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur
- Timezone
- Europe/Paris
- Coordinates
- 43.5134, 4.9875
Emergency & Services
Essential numbers in France
Carrying a warning triangle and hi-vis vest in your vehicle is mandatory. Motorway emergency phones connect to official breakdown services only.
Full driving guide for FranceTags
Worth the detour from Istres
8 notable places within an hour's drive.
museum
Carrières des Lumières
Old limestone quarries turned into a vast immersive art show projected across 14 m stone walls.
31 km · about 35 min drive
scenic viewpoint
Notre-Dame de la Garde Viewpoint
Marseille's 'Bonne Mere' basilica crowns a 149 m limestone peak reachable by a winding drive, with a sweeping 360-degree panorama over the Old Port, the Frioul islands and the Calanques.
40 km · about 45 min drive
landmark
Gordes
A stunning hilltop village of white stone houses perched dramatically above the Luberon valley.
47 km · about 55 min drive
waterfall
Fontaine-de-Vaucluse
France's most powerful spring gushes from the foot of a cliff into an impossibly green pool.
47 km · about 55 min drive
national park
Parc Naturel Régional de Camargue
A wild wetland delta of pink flamingos, white horses and black bulls between the arms of the Rhône.
49 km · about 55 min drive
landmark
Abbaye de Sénanque
A serene 12th-century Cistercian abbey framed by its own postcard rows of summer lavender.
49 km · about 55 min drive
landmark
Roussillon
A vibrant Provencal village built atop ochre cliffs, famous for its striking red and orange facades.
50 km · about 55 min drive
Driving roads near Istres
- 40 kmNotre-Dame de la Garde ViewpointMarseille's 'Bonne Mere' basilica crowns a 149 m limestone peak reachable by a winding drive, with a sweeping 360-degree panorama over the Old Port, the Frioul islands and the Calanques.
- 51 kmPont Saint-Bénézet (Pont d'Avignon)The famous half-bridge of the children's song, jutting into the Rhône beneath Avignon's papal ramparts.
- 57 kmRoute des Crêtes (Cassis)A clifftop corniche from Cassis to La Ciotat climbing the highest sea cliffs in France with stunning overlooks.
- 65 kmGorges de la Nesque RoadA serene Provençal balcony drive (D942) winding above a 400 m-deep limestone canyon near Mont Ventoux, with the Belvédère de Castellaras as its showpiece viewpoint.
- 73 kmPlateau de Sault Lavender FieldsEndless rows of purple lavender perfume the high Vaucluse plateau every summer beneath Mont Ventoux.
- 77 kmMont Ventoux Summit ViewpointThe 'Beast of Provence' at 1,912 metres, a barren lunar summit offering views from the Alps to the Mediterranean on clear days.
Driving in France
- Drives on
- the right
- Petrol
- ~€1.85/litre
- Motorway tolls
- ~€10.00/100km
When to drive here
April to October
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