Activities |
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Provence |
Carbone Fontaine, Place d'Albertas, Aix-en-Provence
The fragrant countryside, redolent with wild herbs, is scattered with historic fortified medieval towns such as Avignon and Aix-en-Provence and the ancient Roman towns like Orange and Arles with their great monuments, arches and coliseums.
Provençal cooking is known worldwide for its contributions to French cuisine, including Seafood Bouillabaisse, Ratatouille, and Daube Provençale Stew. Its wines have a poorer reputation, but have improved considerably in recent years and Provençal rosé is becoming increasingly popular as a Provence souvenir.
On the coast is the great port of Marseille, a melting pot of cultures so in contrast to the traditional social landscape of most French provincial towns. Low-cost airlines and a fast TGV train from Paris have made Provence increasingly accessible and this, combined with glorious weather, puts it high on any list of the world's most desirable destinations.
Resorts
See our separate guides to the following Provence holiday resorts: Aix-en-Provence and Avignon
Attractions
Chateauneuf du Pape, Avignon
Châteauneuf-du-Pape
Châteauneuf-du-Pape is a medieval village on the side of a hill, dominated by the ruins of an ancient château towering above. The château was the pope's summer retreat from the Palais and although all that remains are the foundations and two outer walls, it is still an imposing sight and a wonderful viewpoint. The village below is a maze of well-restored medieval buildings and narrow streets that weave around the hillside. Today life in the village often involves working in the surrounding vineyards or selling the famous wine to the many tourists who visit.Address: The village is 11 miles (18km) north-east of Avignon.
Orange Theatre
Orange
Just north of Avignon, Orange was the former seat of the Counts of Orange, a title created in the 8th century and passed to the Dutch crown in the 16th century. The family's most famous member was Prince William, who ascended the English throne in 1689. Today the town is best known for its spectacular Roman theatre and triumphal arch, both of which remain remarkably intact. The rest of Orange isn't strikingly picturesque, however there are pleasant tree-lined streets and squares with some nice cafes and restaurants.Address: Ten miles (16km) north of Avignon.
Palais des Papes © Jean-Marc ROSIER
Palais des Papes
Towering over Avignon the imposing Palais des Papes (Palace of the Popes) is the symbol of the city's medieval power. The palace consists of the ascetic Old Palace, commissioned by Benedict XII, and the extravagant Gothic New Palace of Clement VI. It was built primarily as a fortress with massive outer walls, battlements and sluices for pouring hot oil onto attackers. Inside the palace, so little remains of the original interior that visitors could be mislead into believing that all the popes and their entourage were as virtuous as the last official occupant, Benedict XIII. In reality the interior was once elaborately decorated, displayed the decadence of the feuding cardinals and their mistresses. The fire of 1413 destroyed most of the decoration and furnishings, but evidence of the once magnificent interior remains including some frescoes, including one painted by Italian artist Matteo Giovannetti in the Great Audience Room. Visitors can take a fascinating tour of the palace taking in the Pope's Bedchamber, the Chapelle St-Martial and the Stag Room. Nearby, dwarfed by the palace, is the 12th-century Cathédrale Notre-Dame des Doms.Address: Place du Palais, 6 Rue Pente Rapide; E-mail: rmg@palais-des-papes.com; Website: www.palais-des-papes.com; Telephone: (04) 9027 5000; Opening time: Open daily but hours vary month to month, see the website for specific dates.; Admission: Palace and Saint Bénezet Bridge: March to mid-November €15; mid-November to February €11
Petit Palais © abrocke
Petit Palais
Just below the Palais des Papes, the Petit Palais contains a wonderful collection of 13th to 15th-century paintings and sculpture. Most are the work of Italian masters from that era and, as you progress through the 19 rooms, you can observe how they wrestled with and finally conquered the representation of perspective - a revolution from medieval art, where the size of figures depended on their importance rather than position. The highlights of the collection are Botticelli's sublime Virgin and Child and The Angel of the Annunciation by Sano Di Pietro.Address: Place du Palais; E-mail: musee.petitpalais@wanadoo.fr; Website: www.petitpalais.paris.fr; Telephone: (0)1 5343 4000; Opening time: Tuesday to Sunday 10am-6pm.; Admission: Free for permanent collection.
Pont d'Avignon © Donald Albury
Pont d'Avignon
Behind the Petit Palais is the much photographed Pont d'Avignon, known best from the famous children's song of the same name. The bridge was originally built in the 12th century to shorten the journey for the busy traders ferrying their goods between the Mediterranean and Lyon. The torrents of the Rhône regularly damaged and brought down sections of the bridge and builders finally gave up repairing it in 1660, four centuries after it was built. Today only four of the original 22 arches remain. On the first of the bridge's bulwarks is the tiny Chapelle St-Nicholas, and this delicate Romanesque chapel, dedicated to St Nicholas, patron saint of bargemen, is well worth a visit.Address: Rhone River, Avignon
Saint Rémy de Provence
While it's a bit off the beaten path for most holidaymakers in France, St-Rémy de Provence is among the most attractive and interesting towns in Provence, and is well worth the 12-mile (19km) journey from Avignon. The city centre has many beautiful buildings, including the Chapelle Notre-Dame de Pitié and the Hôtel Estrine. Aside from the attractive town itself, St-Rémy is surrounded by a beautiful countryside that inspired many paintings by Vincent van Gogh. The artist lived in St-Rémy de Provence for a time, and the city has the somewhat dubious honour of being the place where the he famously cut off his ear, after which he committed himself to the Monastère de St-Paul-de-Mausolée, an asylum that offers visitors walking tours. Vincent van Gogh is not the only famous resident of St-Rémy however, the city was the birthplace of 16-century author Nostradomus, and was the favourite residence of Princess Caroline of Monaco for a time. Visitors will fall in love with this perfect example of sleepy small-town France, with its busy markets and quiet atmosphere. Near the city, the remains of a Gallo-Roman settlement from the 2nd century BC are found.
Starry Night © Vincent Van Gogh
St Rémy de Provence
While it's a bit off the beaten path for most holidaymakers in France, St-Rémy de Provence is among the most attractive and interesting towns in Provence, and is well worth the 12-mile (19km) journey from Avignon. The city centre has many beautiful buildings, including the Chapelle Notre-Dame de Pitié and the Hôtel Estrine. Aside from the attractive town itself, St-Rémy is surrounded by a beautiful countryside that inspired many paintings by Vincent van Gogh. The artist lived in St-Rémy de Provence for a time, and the city has the somewhat dubious honour of being the place where the he famously cut off his ear, after which he committed himself to the Monastère de St-Paul-de-Mausolée, an asylum that offers visitors walking tours. Vincent van Gogh is not the only famous resident of St-Rémy however: the city was the birthplace of 16-century author Nostradamus, and was the favourite residence of Princess Caroline of Monaco for a time. Visitors will fall in love with this perfect example of sleepy small-town France, with its busy markets and quiet atmosphere. Near the city, the remains of a Gallo-Roman settlement from the 2nd century BC are found.