Van Gogh painted 150 works during his year at Saint-Paul asylum just outside Saint-Rémy. Walk through town today and you'll understand why - the light hits differently here, bouncing off limestone buildings and cypress trees in ways that make afternoon shadows look deliberate. Luxury villas in Saint-Rémy sit in this same landscape that drove a genius to create some of history's most famous paintings.
Wednesday markets bring the whole region together. Farmers sell vegetables they picked that morning, cheese makers offer samples of goat cheese aged in caves, and fabric vendors spread out linens that smell like lavender. By 1 PM everything's packed up and locals head home for lunch that lasts until 4. This rhythm hasn't changed much since Van Gogh's time.
Rental luxury villas in Saint-Rémy often come with established art studios because creative people keep gravitating here. Swimming pools get afternoon shade from plane trees planted decades ago. Most properties include olive groves that actually produce oil - previous owners usually left instructions about harvest timing and which local mill presses the best fruit.
The psychiatric hospital where Van Gogh stayed now runs art therapy programs. Tour groups visit, but they stay on marked paths and leave by evening. Residents get the place back to themselves once the buses pull away.