Fodor's Expert Review Chapelle Notre-Dame-de-Beauvoir

Moustiers was founded as a monastery in the 5th century, but it was in the Middle Ages that the Chapelle Notre-Dame-de-Beauvoir (first known as d'Entreroches, or "between rocks") became an important pilgrimage site. You can still climb the steep cobbled switchbacks along with pilgrims, passing modern stations-of-the-cross panels in Moustiers faience. From the porch of the 12th-century church, remodeled in the 16th century, you can look over the roofs of the village to the green valley, a patchwork of olive groves and red-tiled farmhouse roofs. The forerunner of the star that swings in the wind over the village was first hung, it is said, by a crusader grateful for his release from Saracen prison. It takes about 20 minutes to climb the 262 steps, but remember, what goes up must come down—these worn stone steps yield little traction, so be careful.