Travel book · Provence

Sainte-Croix Beach at La Couronne: the discreet cove of the Côte Bleue

By the AEC Collection team Updated on 28 May 2026 3 min read

Sainte-Croix Beach, at La Couronne (commune of Martigues), is not the most well-known beach on the Côte Bleue, and that is precisely one of the reasons it remains so cherished. A small cove 100 metres long and 40 metres wide, nestled between two pine forests, with fine sand and translucent water. Just an hour’s drive from Saint-Rémy-de-Provence, it offers a reasonable seaside escape for those staying in the Alpilles.

The name derives from a small seventeenth-century chapel, perched on the northern point of the cove, which remains one of the most identifiable visual elements of the site, and which many come to photograph at sunset, silhouetted against the sea.

The setting: maritime pine, limestone, chapel

The beach is nestled beneath a pine forest that descends to the sand and provides natural shade even at the height of summer, a rare feature on the Côte Bleue, where most creeks lack trees. Access is via a stairway leading from an elevated car park, through a forest of umbrella pines. The water, owing to the sheltered cove configuration, remains very calm and particularly clear.

On either side, the rocky coastline typical of the Provençal littoral, white limestone and Mediterranean blue, extends towards the neighbouring calanques of Sausset-les-Pins and Carro.

A managed yet unspoilt beach

Supervised bathing during the season, shallow waters that reassure families, showers and facilities at the top of the stairway: the essentials are provided. Yet the layout is deliberately minimal, no permanent beach shacks, no beachfront restaurant. This is precisely what distinguishes Sainte-Croix from La Couronne beach, longer and considerably more developed, 500 metres to the west.

The lime kiln path runs along the coast above the beach and offers the finest approach on foot, a shaded coastal trail with views across the chapel and the gulf.

Saint-Rémy-de-Provence

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Why come from the Alpilles

From Saint-Rémy, the journey (approximately one hour by car via the A54 then the D5) is entirely reasonable for a day trip. The contrast is total: you leave the dry limestone of the Alpilles for the same stone, but here caressed by the sea. The morning is the best window; the beach gradually fills from midday onwards, particularly in July and August, when it is almost impossible to find a parking space after 11am.

For a more tranquil experience, aim for May, June or September: water still (or already) at 20-22°C, moderate crowds, exceptional light on the chapel at day’s end.

Planning a stay in Saint-Rémy

AEC Collection selects and represents fine houses and villas in Saint-Rémy-de-Provence, in the Alpilles. The beaches of the Côte Bleue are discovered independently from your accommodation.