Pilgrimage, tourism and The da Vinci code at Les-Saintes-Maries-De-La-Mer, France

The shrine of Les-Saintes-Maries-de-la-Mer in the Camargue region of Provence is internationally famous as the site of an annual ‘gypsy’ pilgrimage that attracts approximately 10,000 Romany pilgrims from various regions of Europe. The pilgrimage also provides the opportunity for the performance of Provençal identity for local residents of the Camargue. The exotic image of the Romanies and colourful Provençal traditions associated with the pilgrimage draw tourists to the shrine, some of whom seek to re-trace the steps of Mary Magdalene and the bloodline of Jesus popularized in The da Vinci code and related literary works. Following Rosaldo, this paper analyses the pilgrimage to Les-Saintes-Maries-de-la-Mer as a ‘busy intersection’ to which diverse groups of social actors bring their political, spiritual, and material agendas, and from which these groups take away multiple understandings of the shrine's significance.