Built at an altitude of 235 m, the Provençal village of Simiane-Collongue nestles in a small valley on the north side of the Etoile Range. A tower on a huge rock, known as the Clock Tower, the remains of a castrum built in the 12th century, overlooks the old streets of the village.

Natural heritage: The forest covers two-thirds of the town’s territory, some 2,400 hectares, and provides delightful walks. The summit of Pilon du Roi is at 710m. From the top there are sweeping views over the bay of Marseille and the Aix region.