Travel Guide Sainte-Catherine

Surrounded on all sides by jagged peaks and nestling at the bottom of a superb natural cirque, with no access other than the only road that has been used by man since time immemorial, the village of Sainte-Catherine itself offers little of interest. In the midst of the Bedouin village, a number of parasitic constructions have sprung up, accelerating since 2021. This is the starting point for the most grandiose of nature and the elements. What you can see from the valley is just a foretaste of what you'll discover when you cross the first rocky ridges. The landscapes that await you up there will delight you. What's true of Sinai is even truer of the region's peaks, so magical is the beauty of their shapes and colors. Those who have been to Sunday school and know the Ten Commandments by heart will also recognize Mount Horeb. To enjoy these wonders, all you have to do is get up early and set off under a constellated canopy to climb to the summit (unless you're sleeping there), which you'll reach when the first light of the sun sets the sky ablaze. Pope John Paul II had the courage to go there in early 2000 at the age of 80, so you're not going to chicken out! If you're going up to see the sunrise, be sure to take something to keep warm, as you may have to wait two hours at the summit. The monastery is closed on Sundays and only opens between 11 a.m. and noon on Fridays.