Has anyone visited the Mary Magdalene sites here? We will be traveling by car from Moissac on the way to Grenoble and thought to stop here for the night (10/1- Thursday), and visit the sites on Friday before driving on to Grenoble.
I've been to both the Basilica a few times and up the mountain almost to the Grotto twice. The two times we drove up the mountain to the hostel, run by the sisters, where you park to take the trail to the Grotto (2 kilometers), the Grotto was under reconstruction. This was back in 2001 and then a few years later. I understand that it has now been open for several years. The crypt with the relics in town has always been open.
On the other hand, we stumbled on a GREAT market in Sainte-Maximin-la Sainte-Baume one Friday morning a couple years ago-- I bought some very nice clothes quite reasonably and have been trying to fit in a Friday return trip ever since. But what's even more important for you is to be sure you are parked so you aren't blocked in by the market on Friday when you want to leave.