Monastère de la Sainte-Baume, Dominican monastery near Plan-d'Aups-Sainte-Baume, France.

The monastery of the Sainte-Baume stands against the cliff beside the grotto, a modest building on a ledge above the drop. Its pale beige facade has a grey stone base and a projecting cornice under a sloping grey roof. The ground floor centres on a round-arched double wooden door with a fanlight, flanked by two round-arched windows with reddish-brown shutters; above are two rectangular windows and a small round window over a statue in a niche.

The Dominican order took responsibility for this pilgrimage site in the 13th century. Their presence faced several interruptions over the centuries, but the community remains rooted there today.

The site has drawn pilgrims for centuries seeking spiritual meaning in this landscape. Daily rhythms of communal prayer shape how the place functions and how visitors experience the grounds.

The accommodation has 180 beds and several rooms designed for visitors with limited mobility. A restaurant on the grounds serves home-style meals, so guests can eat without leaving the property.

In 1279 Charles II of Anjou had excavations carried out in the church of Saint-Maximin and the relics of Mary Magdalene were found; on 21 June 1295 a papal bull of Boniface VIII entrusted the shrine around the cave to the Dominicans. The cave and convent were pillaged in 1586 and 1592 during the Wars of Religion.