DISCOVERING AVIGNON’S BACK STREETS WALK
IN THE CENTER, NEAR PLACE DE L’HORLOGE
Map: Avignon Hotels & Restaurants
DINING WELL IN THE OLD CENTER ON A MODERATE BUDGET
BOHEMIAN CHIC, CANALSIDE ON RUE DES TEINTURIERS
LOCAL FAVORITE ACROSS THE RHONE
GOOD BUDGET PLACES IN THE CENTER
Famous for its nursery rhyme, medieval bridge, and brooding Palace of the Popes, contemporary Avignon (ah-veen-yohn) bustles and prospers behind its mighty walls. For nearly 100 years (1309-1403) Avignon was the capital of Christendom, home to seven popes. (And, for a difficult period after that—during the Great Schism when there were two competing popes—Avignon was “the other Rome.”) During this time, it grew from a quiet village into a thriving city. Today, with its large student population and fashionable shops, Avignon is an intriguing blend of medieval history, youthful energy, and urban sophistication. Street performers entertain the international throngs who fill Avignon’s ubiquitous cafés and trendy boutiques. And each July the city goes pedal to the metal during its huge theater festival (with about 2,000 performances, big crowds, higher prices, and hotels booked up long in advance). Clean, lively, and popular with tourists, Avignon is more impressive for its outdoor ambience than for its museums and monuments.
Cours Jean Jaurès, which turns into Rue de la République, runs straight from the Centre-Ville train station to Place de l’Horloge and the Palace of the Popes, splitting Avignon in two. The larger eastern half is where the action is. Climb to the Jardin du Rochers des Doms for the town’s best view, tour the pope’s immense palace, lose yourself in Avignon’s back streets (following my self-guided “Discovering Avignon’s Back Streets Walk”), and go organic in its vibrant market hall.
The TI is located on the main street linking the Centre-Ville train station to the old town (Mon-Sat 9:00-18:00 except Sat until 17:00 Nov-March, Sun 10:00-17:00 except until 12:00 Nov-March, daily until 19:00 in July, 41 Cours Jean Jaurès, tel. 04 32 74 32 74, www.avignon-tourisme.com).
At the TI, pick up a map with several good (but tricky to follow) walking tours and ask about guided tours in English. They offer a worthwhile two-hour walking tour that covers Avignon at the time of the popes (€21, Aug-Sept Wed 10:30, also on Sun in Aug, reserve at TI, on their website, or call).
Also ask about the Baladine and City Zen minibuses that loop through the old city (see “Helpful Hints,” later) and get bike maps for good rides in the area, including the Ile de la Barthelasse.
Avignon has two train stations: Centre-Ville and TGV (linked to downtown by shuttle trains). Some TGV trains stop at Centre-Ville—verify your station in advance.
The Centre-Ville station (Gare Avignon Centre-Ville) gets all non-TGV trains (and a few TGV trains). To reach the town center, cross the busy street in front of the station and walk through the city walls onto Cours Jean Jaurès. Baggage storage is close by (see “Helpful Hints,” later).
The TGV station (Gare TGV), on the outskirts of town, has easy car rental, but no baggage storage (see “Helpful Hints,” later, for options). Car rental, buses, and taxis are outside the north exit (sortie nord). To reach the city center, take the shuttle train from platform A or B to the Centre-Ville station (€1.60, included with rail pass, 2/hour, 5 minutes, buy ticket from machine on platform or at billeterie in main hall). A taxi ride between the TGV station and downtown Avignon costs about €18.
If you’re connecting from the TGV station to other points, you’ll find buses to Arles’ Centre-Ville station at the second bus shelter (€7.50, 9/day, hourly, included with rail pass, schedule posted on shelter and available at TGV station info booths).
If you’re driving, Arles is well signed from the TGV station. If driving to St-Rémy-de-Provence, Les Baux, or the Luberon, leave the station following signs to Avignon Sud, then La Rocade. You’ll soon see exits to Arles (follow those for St-Rémy and Les Baux) and Cavaillon (for Luberon villages).
The efficient bus station (gare routière) is 100 yards to the right as you exit the Centre-Ville train station, beyond and below Hôtel Ibis (helpful info desk open Mon-Sat 7:00-19:30, closed Sun, tel. 04 90 82 07 35).
Avignon is essentially traffic-free in the old center. There are several safe underground parking lots clearly signposted. For those day-tripping in and wanting the most central garage, follow signs to Centre, then to the Centre Historique and then P Palais des Papes (from where, after parking, you’ll climb the stairs and arrive at the pope’s doorstep, €12 half-day, €20/24 hours).
You can also park for free at the edge of town at lots with complimentary shuttle buses to the center (no shuttles on Sunday; see map on here).
Follow P Gratuit signs for Parking de l’Ile Piot, across Pont Daladier on Ile de la Barthelasse, with shuttles to Place Crillon; or to Parking des Italiens, along the river east of the Palace of the Popes, with shuttles to Place Pie (allow 30 minutes to walk from either parking lot to the center). Street parking is €1-3/hour for a maximum of four hours Mon-Sat 9:00-19:00 (free 19:00-9:00 and all day Sunday).
No matter where you park, leave nothing of value in your car.
Book Ahead for July: During the July theater festival, rooms are almost impossible to come by—reserve early, or stay in Arles or St-Rémy.
Local Help: David at Imagine Tours, a nonprofit group whose goal is to promote this region, can help with hotel emergencies and special-event tickets (mobile 06 89 22 19 87, www.imagine-tours.net, imagine.tours@gmail.com). If you don’t get an answer, leave a message.
English Bookstore: Try Camili Books & Tea, a secondhand bookshop with a refreshing courtyard and hot drinks (Tue-Sat 12:00-19:00, closed Sun-Mon, free Wi-Fi, 155 Rue Carreterie, in Avignon’s northeast corner—see map on here).
Baggage Storage: La Consigne will either be in the Centre-Ville train station or a few blocks away under the modern arcade at 1 Avenue Maréchal de Lattre de Tassigny (€6-10/day; June-Aug daily 8:00-21:00; Sept-May Mon-Sat 9:00-18:00, closed Sun, tel. 09 82 45 20 24, www.consigne-avignon.fr).
Laundry: At La Blanchisseuse, you can drop off your laundry and pick it up the same day (daily 7:00-21:00, several blocks west of the TI at 24 Rue Lanterne, tel. 04 90 85 58 80). The launderette at 66 Place des Corps-Saints, where Rue Agricol Perdiguier ends, is handy to most hotels (daily 7:00-20:00).
Grocery Store: Carrefour City is central and has long hours daily (2 blocks from TI, toward Place de l’Horloge on Rue de la République). A second Carrefour City is near Les Halles at 19 Rue Florence (same hours). See the “Avignon Hotels & Restaurants” map for locations.
Taxi: Dial 04 90 82 20 20 to get a cab.
Bike Rental: Rent pedal and electric bikes and scooters near the train station at Provence Bike (April-Oct 9:00-18:30, 7 Avenue St. Ruf, tel. 04 90 27 92 61, www.provence-bike.com), or ask at the TI about other options. You’ll enjoy riding on the Ile de la Barthelasse (the TI has bike maps), but biking is better in and around Isle-sur-la-Sorgue (described in the Hill Towns of the Luberon chapter) and Vaison-la-Romaine (consider taking a bike on the train to Bédarrides, biking from there to Châteauneuf-du-Pape and on to Orange, then taking it on the train back to Avignon; see the Côtes du Rhône chapter).
Car Rental: The TGV station has counters for all the big companies; only Avis is at the Centre-Ville station.
Shuttle Vans: Wave down a Baladine electric minivan along its loop route through Avignon, or use City Zen minibuses with fixed stops (€0.50, 4/hour for either). City Zen minibuses also link remote parking lots with the city center. The TI has route maps.
Shuttle Boat: A free shuttle boat, the Navette Fluviale, plies back and forth across the river (as it did in the days when the town had no functioning bridge) from near St. Bénezet Bridge (3/hour, daily April-June and Sept 10:00-12:15 & 14:00-18:00, July-Aug 11:00-20:45; Oct-March weekends and Wed afternoons only). It drops you on the peaceful Ile de la Barthelasse, with its recommended riverside restaurant, grassy walks, and bike rides with memorable city views. If you stay on the island for dinner, check the schedule for the last return boat—or be prepared for a taxi ride or a 30-minute walk back to town.
Commanding City Views: For great views of Avignon and the river, walk or drive across Daladier Bridge, or ferry across the Rhône on the Navette Fluviale (described above). I’d take the boat across the river, walk the view path to Daladier Bridge, and then cross back over the bridge (45-minute walk). You can enjoy other impressive vistas from the top of the Jardin du Rochers des Doms, from the tower in the Palace of the Popes, from the end of the famous, broken St. Bénezet Bridge, and from the entrance to Fort St. André, across the river in Villeneuve-lès-Avignon.
Isabelle Magny is a good local guide for the city and region (€160/half-day, €330/day, no car, mobile 06 11 82 17 92, isabellemagny@sfr.fr). Nina Seffusatti is also good (same prices as Isabelle, mobile 06 14 80 30 37, nina-seffusatti@wanadoo.fr).
The Avignon Gourmet Walking Tour is a wonderful experience if you like to eat. Charming and passionate Aurélie meets small groups daily (except Sun and Mon) at the TI at 9:00 for a well-designed three-hour, eight-stop walk. Her tour is filled with information and tastes of top-quality local foods and drinks, and finishes in the market hall (€59/person, 2-8 people per group, mobile 06 35 32 08 96, www.avignongourmetours.com). Book in advance on her website.
The little train leaves regularly (generally on the half hour) from in front of the Palace of the Popes and offers a decent overview of the city, including the Jardin du Rochers des Doms and St. Bénezet Bridge (€9, 2/hour, 45 minutes, recorded English commentary, mid-March-Oct daily 10:00-18:00, until 20:00 July-Aug).
Visite Avignon’s open-top double-decker bus does a one-hour loop through the old city, up to the Jardin du Rocher des Doms, crosses the river onto Ile de la Barthelasse, then travels into Villeneuve-les-Avignon, with 18 stops including the Tower of Philip the Fair (€16, hourly departures, main stop between TI and train station on Cours Jean Jaurès, www.visiteavignon.com). This bus offers city views and access to the Barthelasse island and Villeneuve-les-Avignon (described later in “Near Avignon,” reachable by bus #5 for €2).
Several minivan tour companies based in Avignon offer transportation to destinations described in this book, including Pont du Gard, the Luberon, and the Camargue (see “Tours in Provence” on here).
For an excellent city overview, combine these two self-guided walks. “Welcome to Avignon” covers the major sights, while “Discovering Avignon’s Back Streets” leads you along the lanes less taken, delving beyond the surface of this historic city.
(See “Avignon” map.)
Start this ▲▲ tour where the Romans did, on Place de l’Horloge, in front of City Hall (Hôtel de Ville).
In ancient Roman times this was the forum, and in medieval times it was the market square. The square is named for the clock tower (now hiding behind the more recently built City Hall) that, in its day, was a humanist statement. In medieval France, the only bells in town rang from the church tower to indicate not the hours but the calls to prayer. With the dawn of the modern age, secular clock towers like this rang out the hours as people organized their lives independent of the Church.
Taking humanism a step further, the City Hall, built after the French Revolution, obstructed the view of the old clock tower while celebrating a new era. The slogan “liberty, equality, and brotherhood” is a reminder that the people supersede the king and the Church. And today, judging from the square’s jammed cafés and restaurants, it is indeed the people who rule.
The square’s present popularity arrived with the trains in 1854. Facing City Hall, look left down the main drag, Rue de la République. When the trains came to Avignon, proud city fathers wanted a direct, impressive way to link the new station to the heart of the city—so they destroyed existing homes to create Rue de la République and widened Place de l’Horloge. This main drag’s Parisian feel is intentional—it was built not in the Provençal manner, but in the Haussmann style that is so dominant in Paris (characterized by broad, straight boulevards lined with stately buildings). Today, this Champs-Elysées of Avignon is lined with department stores and banks. And locals see the Place de l’Horloge as the intersection of high culture, city government, and the populace.
• Walk slightly uphill past the neo-Renaissance facade of the theater and the carousel (public WCs behind). Look back to see the late Gothic bell tower. Then veer right at the Palace of the Popes and continue into...
Pull up a concrete stump just past the café. These bollards effectively keep cars from double-parking in areas designed for people. Many of the metal ones slide up and down by remote control to let privileged cars come and go.
Now take in the scene. This grand square is lined with the Palace of the Popes, the Petit Palais, and the cathedral. In the 1300s the entire headquarters of the Roman Catholic Church was moved to Avignon. The Church purchased the city of Avignon and gave it a complete makeover. Along with clearing out vast spaces like this square and building a three-acre palace, the Church erected more than three miles of protective wall (with 39 towers), “appropriate” housing for cardinals (read: mansions), and residences for its entire bureaucracy. The city was Europe’s largest construction zone. Avignon’s population grew from 6,000 to 25,000 in short order. (Today, only 13,000 people live within the walls.) The limits of pre-papal Avignon are outlined on your city map: Rues Joseph Vernet, Henri Fabre, des Lices, and Philonarde all follow the route of the city’s earlier defensive wall (about half the diameter of today’s wall).
The imposing facade behind you, across the square from the Palace of the Popes’ main entry, was “the papal mint,” which served as the finance department for the Holy See. The Petit Palais (Little Palace) seals the uphill end of the square and was built for a cardinal; today it houses medieval paintings.
Avignon’s 12th-century Romanesque cathedral, just to the left of the Palace of the Popes, has been the seat of the local bishop for more than a thousand years. Predating the Church’s purchase of Avignon by 200 years, its simplicity reflects Avignon’s modest, pre-papal population. The gilded Mary was added in 1854, when the Vatican established the doctrine of her Immaculate Conception.
• You can visit the massive Palace of the Popes (described on here) now, but it works better to visit that palace at the end of this walk, then continue directly to my “Discovering Avignon’s Back Streets Walk.”
Now is a good time to take in the...
This former cardinal’s palace now displays the Church’s collection of (mostly) art. You’ll find some English information but not a lot of detail. Still, a visit here before going to the Palace of the Popes helps furnish and populate that otherwise barren building. You’ll see bits of statues and tombs—an inventory of the destruction of exquisite Church art that was wrought by the French Revolution (which tackled established French society with Taliban-esque fervor). Then you’ll see many rooms filled with religious Italian paintings, organized in chronological order from early Gothic to late Renaissance. Room 10 holds two paintings by Botticelli.
Cost and Hours: Free, Wed-Mon 10:00-13:00 & 14:00-18:00, closed Tue, ask about summer sound-and-light shows in main courtyard, at north end of Palace Square, tel. 04 90 86 44 58, www.petit-palais.org.
• From Palace Square, head up to the cathedral (enjoy the viewpoint overlooking the square from its front porch), fill your water bottle just past the gate, ponder the war memorial (World War I and World War II, as well as Algeria 1954-1962), then side-trip 20 yards to the left to pause at a memorial to the 300 Jews deported from here to concentration camps by the Nazis. Now climb the ramp to the top of a rocky hill, passing “the popes’ vineyard,” to where Avignon was first settled. Atop the hill is an inviting café and pond in a park—the Jardin du Rocher des Doms. At the far side (the top end with the green suicide-prevention fence) is a viewpoint high above the river from where you can see Avignon’s beloved broken bridge.
Enjoy the view from this bluff. On a clear day, the tallest peak you see (far to the right), with its white limestone cap, is Mont Ventoux (“Windy Mountain”). Below and just to the right, you’ll spot free passenger ferries shuttling across the river, and—tucked amidst the trees on the far side of the river—the recommended restaurant, Le Bercail, a local favorite. The island in the river is the Ile de la Barthelasse, a lush nature preserve where Avignon can breathe. In the distance to the left is the TGV rail bridge.
Medieval Avignon was administered by the Vatican and independent of the rest of France. The Rhône River marked the border of Vatican territory in medieval times. Fort St. André—across the river on the hill—was in the kingdom of France. The fort was built in 1360, shortly after the pope moved to Avignon, to counter the papal incursion into this part of Europe. Avignon’s famous bridge was a key border crossing, with towers on either end—one was French, and the other was the pope’s. The French one, across the river, is the Tower of Philip the Fair (described later, under “More Sights in Avignon”).
Cost and Hours: Free, park gates open daily 7:30-20:00, June-Aug until 21:00, Oct-March until 18:00.
• Take the walkway down to the left (passing the popes’ vineyard again) and find the stairs leading down to the tower. You’ll catch glimpses of the...
The only bit of the rampart you can walk on is accessed from St. Bénezet Bridge (accessible only with your ticket to the bridge). Just after the papacy took control of Avignon, the walls were extended to take in the convents and monasteries that had been outside the city. What you see today was partially restored in the 19th century.
• When you come out of the tower on street level, turn left to walk inside the city wall to the entry to the old bridge.
This bridge, whose construction and location were inspired by a shepherd’s religious vision, is the “Pont d’Avignon” of nursery-rhyme fame. The ditty (which you’ve probably been humming all day) dates back to the 15th century: Sur le Pont d’Avignon, on y danse, on y danse, sur le Pont d’Avignon, on y danse tous en rond (“On the bridge of Avignon, we will dance, we will dance, on the bridge of Avignon, we will dance all in a circle”).
And the bridge was a big deal even outside its kiddie-tune fame. Built between 1171 and 1185, it was strategic—one of only three bridges crossing the mighty Rhône in the Middle Ages, important to pilgrims, merchants, and armies. It was damaged several times by floods but always rebuilt. In the winter of 1668 most of it was knocked out for the last time by a disastrous icy flood. The townsfolk decided not to rebuild this time, and for more than a century, Avignon had no bridge across the Rhône. While only four arches survive today, the original bridge was huge: Imagine a 22-arch, half-mile-long bridge extending from Vatican territory across the island to the lonely Tower of Philip the Fair, which marked the beginning of France (see displays of the bridge’s original length).
Cost and Hours: €5, includes audioguide, €14.50 combo-ticket includes Palace of the Popes, daily 9:00-19:00, July-Aug until 20:00, Nov-Feb 9:30-17:45, last entry one hour before closing, tel. 04 90 27 51 16.
Useful App: Download the free “Avignon 3D” app before your visit to see what the bridge looked like in the 14th and 17th centuries (the bright Provençal sun makes it difficult to use the app on the bridge, so skip the €2 tablet).
Visiting the Bridge: The ticket booth is housed in what was a medieval hospital for the poor (funded by bridge tolls). Admission includes a small room that displays a 3-D reconstruction of the bridge and your only chance to walk a bit of the ramparts (enter both from the tower). Visit the exhibit room first and take time to enjoy the two instructive videos (one in a small theater and the other on a small monitor). These explain the building of a stone bridge in a river with medieval technology—one of the great engineering feats of 12th-century Europe.
Climbing out onto the bridge you’ll pass a double chapel (a Romanesque chapel dedicated to St. Bénezet below and a Gothic chapel to St. Nicolas above). Though there’s not much to see on the bridge, the audioguide tells a good enough story. It’s also fun to be in the breezy middle of the river with a sweeping city view.
• To get to the Palace of the Popes from here, walk away from the river and follow the signs to Palais des Papes.
In 1309 a French pope was elected (Pope Clément V). His Holiness decided that dangerous Italy was no place for a pope, so he moved the whole operation to Avignon for a secure rule under a supportive French king. The Catholic Church literally bought Avignon (then a two-bit town) and built the Palace of the Popes, where the popes resided until 1403. Eventually, Italians demanded a Roman pope, so from 1378 on, there were twin popes—one in Rome and one in Avignon—causing a schism in the Catholic Church that wasn’t fully resolved until 1417.
Cost and Hours: €12, includes multimedia Histopad; €14.50 combo-ticket includes St. Bénezet Bridge, daily 9:00-19:00, July-Aug until 20:00, Nov-Feb 9:30-17:45, last entry one hour before closing; tel. 04 90 27 50 00, www.palais-des-papes.com.
Visiting the Palace: Visitors follow a tangled one-way route through mostly massive rooms equipped with an iPad they call “The Histopad”—an earnest effort to bring these old papal spaces to life. There’s a lot of history here, but artifacts are sparse and wall frescos are faint: Without guiding help, it’s mostly meaningless. Old-fashioned English language boards in each room provide a little info, but your visit becomes greatly enriched if you master the included Histopad—the staff is happy to help you with it. Nine posts during the tour activate a time-tunnel effect, taking you back to the 14th century as you furnish the rooms by pointing your iPad. While in this mode, you can click on various points in the room for more info.
The palace was built stark and strong, before the popes knew how long they’d be staying (and before the affluence and fanciness of the Renaissance and Baroque ages). This was the most fortified palace of the time (remember, the pope left Rome to be more secure). With 10-foot-thick walls, it was a symbol of power. There are huge ceremonial rooms (rarely used) and more intimate living quarters. The bedroom comes with the original wall paintings, a decorated wooden ceiling, and a fine tiled floor. And there’s one big “chapel” (twice the size of the adjacent cathedral), which while simple, is majestic in its pure French Gothic lines.
This largest surviving Gothic palace in Europe was built to accommodate 500 people as the administrative center of the Holy See and home of the pope. Seven popes ruled from here, making this the center of Christianity for nearly 100 years. The last pope checked out in 1403, but the Church owned Avignon until the French Revolution in 1791. During this interim period, the palace still housed Church authorities. Avignon residents, many of whom had come from Rome, spoke Italian for a century after the pope left, making the town a cultural oddity within France.
The palace is pretty empty today—nothing portable survived both the pope’s return to Rome and the French Revolution. In fact, Revolutionary leaders (who called the building “the Bastille of the South”) decreed that it be demolished but lacked the money to carry out the destruction. With the Napoleonic age, the palace found a practical use, housing about 1,800 troops. It remained a barracks until 1906.
Just before the gift shop exit, you can climb the tower (Tour de la Gâche) for grand views. The artillery room is now a gift shop channeling all visitors on a full tour of knickknacks for sale.
• You’ll exit at the rear of the palace, where my next walk, “Discovering Avignon’s Back Streets,” begins. Or, to return to Palace Square, make two rights after exiting the palace.
(See “Avignon” map.)
Use the map in this chapter to navigate this easy, level, 30-minute walk, worth ▲▲. We’ll begin in the small square (Place de la Mirande) behind the Palace of the Popes. If you’ve toured the palace, this is where you exit. Otherwise, from the front of the palace, follow the narrow, cobbled Rue de la Peyrolerie—carved out of the rock—around the palace on the right side as you face it.
• Our walk begins at the...
Hôtel La Mirande: Avignon’s finest hotel welcomes visitors. Find the atrium lounge, check out the queenly garden, and consider a coffee break amid the understated luxury (€12 afternoon tea served daily 15:00-18:00, see listing under “Eating in Avignon,” later).
• Turn left out of the hotel and left again on Rue de la Peyrolerie (“Coppersmiths Street”), then take your first right on Rue des Ciseaux d’Or (“Street of the Golden Scissors”). On the small square ahead you’ll find the...
Church of St. Pierre: The original walnut doors were carved in 1551, when tales of New World discoveries raced across Europe. (Notice the Indian headdress, top center of left-side door.) The fine Annunciation (eye level on right-side door) shows Gabriel giving Mary the exciting news in impressive Renaissance 3-D. The niches on the facade are empty except for one mismatched Mary and Child filling the center niche. (The original was ransacked by the Revolution.) Now take 10 steps back from the door and look way up. The tiny statue breaking the skyline of the church is a tiny, naked baby—that’s Bacchus, the pagan god of wine, with oodles of grapes. What’s he doing sitting atop a Christian church? No one knows. The church’s interior—with its art amped up as a Counter-Reformation answer to the Protestant threat—holds a beautiful Baroque altar.
• Facing the church door, turn left and pass the recommended L’Epicerie restaurant, then follow the alley, which was covered and turned into a tunnel during the town’s population boom. It leads into...
Place des Châtaignes: The cloister of St. Pierre is named for the chestnut (châtaigne) trees that once stood here (now replaced by plane trees). The practical atheists of the French Revolution destroyed the cloister, leaving only faint traces of the arches along the church side of the square.
• Continue around the church and cross the busy street. At the start of little Rue des Fourbisseurs at the right corner, find the big...
15th-Century Building: With its original beamed eaves showing, this is a rare vestige from the Middle Ages. Notice how this building widens the higher it gets. A medieval loophole based taxes on ground-floor square footage—everything above was tax-free. Walking down Rue des Fourbisseurs (“Street of the Animal Furriers”), notice how the top floors almost touch. Fire was a constant danger in the Middle Ages, as flames leapt easily from one home to the next. In fact, the lookout guard’s primary responsibility was watching for fires, not the enemy. Because of fires, this is the only 15th-century home surviving in town. After this period, buildings were made of fire-resistant stone, like those across the street.
• Walk down Rue des Fourbisseurs past lots of shops and turn left onto the traffic-free Rue du Vieux Sextier (“Street of the Old Sexy People”); another left under the first arch leads in 10 yards to one of France’s oldest synagogues.
Synagogue: Jews first arrived in Avignon with the Diaspora (exile after the Romans destroyed their great temple) in the first century. Avignon’s Jews were nicknamed “the Pope’s Jews” because of the protection that the Church offered to Jews expelled from France. Although the original synagogue dates from the 1220s, in the mid-19th century it was completely rebuilt in a Neoclassical Greek-temple style by a non-Jewish architect. This is the only synagogue under a rotunda. It’s an intimate, classy place—where a community of 500 local Jews worships—dressed with white colonnades and walnut furnishings (free, Mon-Fri 9:00-11:00, ring doorbell at #6, closed Sat-Sun and holidays, 2 Place Jerusalem).
• Retrace your steps to Rue du Vieux Sextier and turn left. A few steps down the street (on the right) is Patrick Mallard—an inviting pastry shop. It’s one of two shops authorized to sell Avignon’s one-of-a-kind, thistle-shaped candy called papalines d’Avignon (dark chocolate wrapped in pink-hued chocolate and filled with a liquor made from local plants).
Continue down Rue du Vieux Sextier to the big square (across the busy street) and find the big, boxy market building with the vertical (hydroponic) garden growing out its front wall.
Market (Les Halles): In 1970, the town’s open-air market was replaced by this modern one (more efficient, with a parking garage overhead, hoping to compete with supermarkets in the suburbs). The market’s jungle-like hydroponic green wall reflects the changes of seasons and helps mitigate its otherwise stark exterior (Tue-Sun until 13:00, closed Mon). Step inside for a sensual experience of organic breads, olives, and festival-of-mold cheeses. Cheap cafés, bars, and good cheese shops are mostly on the right—the stinky fish stalls are on the left. This is a terrific place for lunch (doors close weekdays at 13:30, Sat-Sun at 14:00)—especially if you’d fancy a big plate of mixed seafood with a glass of white wine (see “Eating in Avignon,” later, for several good lunch options).
• Walk through the market and exit out the back door, then turn left on Rue de la Bonneterie (“Street of Hosiery”), which has recently transitioned from a busy street for cars to a more peaceful—and therefore more prosperous—pedestrian zone lined with triple-A shops (alternative, arty, and artisan). Track the street for five minutes to the plane trees, where it becomes...
Rue des Teinturiers: This “Street of the Dyers” is a bohemian-friendly, tree- and stream-lined lane, home to earthy cafés and galleries. This was the cloth industry’s dyeing and textile center in the 1800s. The stream is a branch of the Sorgue River. Those stylish Provençal fabrics and patterns you see for sale everywhere were first made here, based on printed fabrics originally imported from India.
About three small bridges down, you’ll pass the Grey Penitents chapel on the right. The upper facade shows the GPs, who dressed up in robes and pointy hoods to do their anonymous good deeds back in the 13th century. (While the American KKK dresses in hoods to hide their hateful racism, these hoods symbolized how all are equal in God’s eyes.) As you stroll on, you’ll see the work of amateur sculptors, who have carved whimsical car barriers out of limestone. Fun restaurants on this atmospheric street are recommended later, under “Eating in Avignon.”
• Farther down Rue des Teinturiers, you’ll come to the...
Waterwheel: Standing here, imagine the Sorgue River—which hits the mighty Rhône in Avignon—being broken into several canals in order to turn 23 such wheels. Starting in about 1800, waterwheels powered the town’s industries. The little cogwheel above the big one could be shoved into place, kicking another machine into gear behind the wall. (For more on the Sorgue River and its waterwheels, see my self-guided walk of Isle-sur-la-Sorgue on here.)
• If you’re ready for a meal or drinks in the Rue des Teinturiers quarter, see “Eating in Avignon,” later. To return to the center of town, double back on Rue des Teinturiers and turn left on Rue des Lices, which traces the first medieval wall. (A “lice” is the no-man’s-land along a protective wall.) After a long block you’ll pass a striking four-story building that was a home for the poor in the 1600s, an army barracks in the 1800s, a fine-arts school in the 1900s, and is a deluxe condominium today (much of this neighborhood is going high-class residential). Eventually you’ll return to Rue de la République, Avignon’s main drag.
Most of Avignon’s top sights are covered earlier by my self-guided walks. With more time, consider these options.
Visiting this museum is like being invited into the elegant home of a rich and passionate art collector. It houses a small but enjoyable collection of art from Post-Impressionists to Cubists (including Paul Cézanne, Vincent van Gogh, Edgar Degas, and Pablo Picasso), with re-created art studios and furnishings from many periods. It’s a quiet place with a few superb paintings and good temporary exhibits.
Cost and Hours: €8, Tue-Sun 13:00-18:00, closed Mon, 5 Rue Laboureur, tel. 04 90 82 29 03, www.angladon.com.
This fine-arts museum, ignored by most, impressively displays a collection highlighting French Baroque works and Northern masters such as Hieronymus Bosch and Pieter Bruegel. You’ll find a few gems upstairs: a painting each by Manet, Sisley, Géricault, and David. On the ground floor is a room dedicated to more modern artists, with works by Soutine, Bonnard, and Vlamnick. The Calvet Museum’s antiquities collection, Le Musée Lapidaire, is hosted in a church a few blocks away at 27 Rue de la République.
Cost and Hours: Free, includes audioguide and Le Musée Lapidaire, Wed-Mon 10:00-13:00 & 14:00-18:00, closed Tue, in the western half of town at 65 Rue Joseph Vernet, tel. 04 90 86 33 84, www.musee-calvet.org.
This modern art museum, situated in a grand 18th-century mansion, features works from the 1960s to the present. It came from the famous art dealer Yvon Lambert, who was determined to make well-known contemporary art accessible outside Paris. The recommended Le Violette restaurant in the courtyard is worth the visit alone.
Cost and Hours: €10, Tue-Sun 11:00-18:00, closed Mon except July-Aug when it’s open until 19:00, 5 Rue Violette, tel. 04 90 16 56 20, www.collectionlambert.fr.
Built to protect access to St. Bénezet Bridge in 1307, this hulking tower, located in nearby Villeneuve-lès-Avignon, offers a terrific view over Avignon and the Rhône basin.
Cost and Hours: €2.50; Tue-Sun 10:00-12:30 & 14:00-18:00, Feb-April and Nov 14:00-17:00 only, closed Dec-Jan and Mon year-round.
Getting There: To reach the tower from Avignon, drive five minutes (cross Daladier Bridge, follow signs to Villeneuve-lès-Avignon), or take bus #5 (2/hour, bus stops just outside Place du Crillon, see map on here).
Hotel values are better in Arles. Avignon is crazy during its July festival—you must book long ahead and pay inflated prices. Drivers should ask about parking discounts through hotels.
These listings are a 5- to 10-minute walk from the Centre-Ville train station.
$$ Hôtel Bristol**is a big, professionally run place on the main drag, offering predictable “American” comforts at fair rates. Enjoy spacious public spaces, large rooms, big elevators, and a generous buffet breakfast (family rooms, pay parking—reserve ahead, 44 Cours Jean Jaurès, tel. 04 90 16 48 48, www.bristol-avignon.com, contact@bristol-avignon.com).
$ Hôtel Ibis Centre Gare*** offers tight-but-tasteful comfort and quiet near the central train and bus stations (42 Boulevard St. Roch, tel. 04 90 85 38 38, www.ibishotel.com, h0944@accor.com).
$ Hôtel Colbert** is on a quiet lane, with a dozen spacious rooms gathered on four floors around a skinny spiral staircase (no elevator). Patrice decorates each room as if it were his own, with a colorful (occasionally erotic) flair. There are warm public spaces and a sweet little patio (some tight bathrooms, rooms off the patio can be musty, closed Nov-March, 7 Rue Agricol Perdiguier, tel. 04 90 86 20 20, www.lecolbert-hotel.com, contact@avignon-hotel-colbert.com).
$ At Hôtel Boquier,** helpful owner Frédéric offers 13 quiet, good-value, and homey rooms under wood beams in a central location (family rooms, steep and narrow stairways to some rooms, no elevator, pay parking nearby, near the TI at 6 Rue du Portail Boquier, tel. 04 90 82 34 43, www.hotel-boquier.com, contact@hotel-boquier.com).
¢ Hôtel les Corps Saints,** run by young Agnes and Fabrice, rents 16 bright rooms with tight baths at fair rates (no elevator, 17 Rue Agricol Perdiguier, tel. 04 90 86 14 46, www.hotel-les-corps-saints.fr, corpssaints.avignon@gmail.com).
$$$$ Hôtel d’Europe,***** one of Avignon’s most prestigious addresses, lets peasants sleep affordably—but only if they land one of the six reasonable “classique” rooms. With formal staff, spacious lounges, and a shady courtyard, the hotel is located on the handsome Place Crillon, near the river (pay garage parking, near Daladier Bridge at 12 Place Crillon, tel. 04 90 14 76 76, www.heurope.com, reservations@heurope.com). Readers seeking top comfort should compare this hotel with Hôtel la Mirande, next.
$$$$ Hôtel la Mirande***** pampers its guests with traditional luxury in a quiet, central location behind the Palace of the Popes. The welcoming staff delivers service with a smile, public spaces are comfy and welcoming, and the rooms are exquisitely decorated. The hotel also houses a well-respected restaurant (4 Place de l’Amirande, tel. 04 90 14 20 20, www.la-mirande.fr).
$$$ Hôtel de l’Horloge**** is as central as it gets—on Place de l’Horloge. It offers 66 comfortable rooms, some with terraces and views of the city and the Palace of the Popes (1 Rue Félicien David, tel. 04 90 16 42 00, www.hotel-avignon-horloge.com, hotel.horloge@hotels-ocre-azur.com).
$$$ Hôtel Mercure Palais des Papes,**** about a block from the Palace of the Popes, has a modern exterior and 86 big, smartly designed rooms, many with small balconies (about half the rooms have views over Place de l’Horloge, others are quieter with views over the Palace of the Popes, 1 Rue Jean Vilar, tel. 04 90 80 93 00, www.mercure.com, h1952@accor.com).
$$$ Hôtel Pont d’Avignon,**** just inside the walls near St. Bénezet Bridge, is part of the same chain as Hôtel Mercure Palais des Papes, with the same prices for its 87 rooms. There’s an airy atrium breakfast room and small garden terrace (direct access to a garage makes parking easier than at the other Mercure hotel, parking deals, on Rue Ferruce, tel. 04 90 80 93 93, www.mercure.com, h0549@accor.com).
$$ Autour du Petit Paradis Apartments and Aux Augustins, run by Sabine and Patrick, offer 22 contemporary, well-furnished rooms and studios with kitchenettes spread over two locations. Autour du Petit Paradis, in a restored 17th-century mansion, is central and plenty comfortable (5 Rue Noël Biret, tel. 04 90 81 00 42); Augustins is less central with larger rooms and a nicer courtyard with lovely stonework dating from its time as a medieval monastery (16 Rue Carreterie, tel. 04 84 51 01 44). Either place will pick you up at the TGV station for a fee, and neither has an elevator (www.autourdupetitparadis.com, contact@autourdupetitparadis.com).
$ Hôtel Médiéval,** burrowed deep in the old center a few blocks from the Church of St. Pierre, was built as a cardinal’s home. This stone mansion’s grand staircase leads to 35 comfortable, pastel rooms (no elevator, kitchenettes, 5 blocks east of Place de l’Horloge, behind Church of St. Pierre at 15 Rue Petite Saunerie, tel. 04 90 86 11 06, www.hotelmedieval.com, hotel.medieval@wanadoo.fr, run by Régis).
¢ Hôtel Mignon* is a sleepable, homey one-star place with tiny bathrooms (no elevator, 12 Rue Joseph Vernet, tel. 04 90 82 17 30, www.hotel-mignon.com, reservation@hotel-mignon.fr).
Auberge Bagatelle offers dirt-cheap beds in two buildings—a $ budget hotel and a ¢ youth hostel—and has a young and lively vibe, café, grocery store, launderette, great views of Avignon, and campers for neighbors (cheaper rooms with shared bath, family rooms, across Daladier Bridge on Ile de la Barthelasse, bus #5, tel. 04 90 86 30 39, www.hostelworld.com, auberge.bagatelle@wanadoo.fr).
$$ At Jardin de Bacchus, a 15-minute drive northwest of Avignon by car and convenient to Pont du Gard, English-speaking Christine and Erik offer two double rooms (and a couple of apartments) in their village home overlooking the famous rosé vineyards of Tavel (includes breakfast, good €30 dinner if booked in advance, swimming pool, great patio, possible bike rentals, mobile 06 74 41 77 94, www.jardindebacchus.fr, jardindebacchus@gmail.com). By car, it’s just off the A-9 autoroute (exit 22).
Avignon offers a good range of restaurants and settings, from lively squares to atmospheric streets. Skip the crowd-pleasing places on Place de l’Horloge and enjoy better value and atmosphere elsewhere. Avignon is brimming with delightful squares and back streets lined with little restaurants eager to feed you. At the finer places, reservations are generally smart (especially on weekends); your hotel can call for you.
(See “Avignon Hotels & Restaurants” map.)
$$$$ La Mirande, inside the recommended five-star hotel just behind the Pope’s Palace, transports you into a historic and aristocratic world. What was once a cardinal’s palace today is a romantic oasis where you’ll dine in 18th-century splendor with elegant service and presentation. Dress as nicely as you can (dine inside or in the queenly garden, closed Tue-Wed, €50 plats, enticing five-course €65 menu must be ordered by everyone in your party, 4 Place de l’Amirande, tel. 04 90 14 20 20, www.la-mirande.fr).
$$$ L’Essentiel is modern, spacious, and bright, with traditional French dishes. It has classy presentation and ambience, and seating indoors or outdoors on a romantic back terrace (€36-48 menus, closed Sun-Mon, reservations recommended, 2 Rue Petite Fusterie, tel. 04 90 85 87 12, www.restaurantlessentiel.com).
$$$ Restaurant Numéro 75 fills the well-worn Pernod mansion (of pastis liquor fame) with a romantic, chandeliered, Old World dining hall that extends to a leafy, gravelly courtyard. They serve delightful lunch salads, fish is a forte, and the French cuisine is beautifully presented (Mon-Sat 12:00-14:00 & 19:30-22:00, closed Sun, 75 Rue Guillaume Puy, tel. 04 90 27 16 00, www.numero75.com).
$$$ La Fourchette is an inviting, dressy place graced with warm colors and spacious indoor-only seating. The cuisine mixes traditional French with Provençal. Book ahead for this popular place (closed Sun-Mon, 17 Rue Racine, tel. 04 90 85 20 93, www.la-fourchette.net).
(See “Avignon Hotels & Restaurants” map.)
$$$ L’Epicerie sits alone under green awnings on the romantic Place St-Pierre square and is ideal for dinner outside (or in the small but cozy interior). It has an accessible menu with Mediterranean dishes and big, splittable assiettes (sample plates), each with a theme (daily, 10 Place St-Pierre, tel. 04 90 82 74 22, Magda speaks English).
$$$ Le Fou de Fafa is a warm, spacious, 12-table place where delightful Antonia serves while her husband cooks (inside dining only, book ahead or arrive early, Tue-Sat from 18:30, closed Sun-Mon, 17 Rue des Trois Faucons, tel. 04 32 76 35 13).
$$ Le Violette, in the peaceful courtyard of the Collection Lambert modern art museum, serves fresh modern cuisine and is gorgeous when lit by the museum rooms at night (July-Aug daily, Sept-June closed Sun and Mon, 5 Rue Violette, tel. 04 90 85 36 42).
$$ L’Amista (“the spot to meet friends”) is a cozy, youthful, and welcoming place on a quiet lane with indoor and outdoor seating. Run by Delphine, it offers a fun Provençal/Spanish-inspired menu that always includes vegetarian options. Tapas-style plates are great for sharing (daily 12:00-15:00 & 18:30-22:00, closed Sun-Mon off-season, 23 Rue Bonneterie, tel. 09 86 19 36 86).
$$ Restaurant E.A.T., whose name stands for “Estaminet, Arômes et Tentations” (a small restaurant with aroma and temptations), is just off Place du Crillon. It’s locally popular, serving eclectic and fun options with international twists (closed Wed, reservations recommended, 8 Rue Mazan, tel. 04 90 83 46 74, www.restaurant-eat.com).
(See “Avignon Hotels & Restaurants” map.)
Rue des Teinturiers’ fun concentration of midrange, popular-with-the-locals eateries justifies the long walk on a balmy evening. (In bad weather, it’s dead.) It’s a trendy, youthful area, spiffed up but with little hint of tourism. You’ll find wine bars, vegetarian options, and live music at rickety metal tables under shady trees along the canal. I’d walk the street’s entire length to find the best ambience before making a choice. Note that the finer Restaurant Numéro 75, listed earlier, is just around the corner.
$$ Le Zinzolin is a big bohemian diner serving European cuisine with a few vegetarian options, including lots of salads in the summer. The atmosphere is good inside and out (daily, 22 Rue des Teinturiers, tel. 04 90 82 41 55).
$$$ Restaurant des Teinturiers, run by chef Guillaume, combines a casual setting with upscale nouvelle French cuisine and presentation. Guests leave comments on the chalkboard about their “semi-gastronomic meals” (closed Wed and Sun, reservations smart, near the waterwheel at 5 Rue des Teinturiers, tel. 04 90 33 43 83, www.restaurantdesteinturiers.com).
Drinks in the Rue des Teinturiers Quarter: For a break from sightseeing or a relaxing night spot for a drink, this pedestrian-only street has two particularly good watering holes: a craft beer place at the start and a laid-back hippie wine bar at the lazy waterwheel. L’Explo Artisan Beer Bar is like a beer lovers club on a canal. It’s mod, minimal, and cheap, with a convivial terrace. They serve 10 craft beers (no bottles) all on tap, and sausage and cheese plates to help soak it up (closed Sun-Mon, 2 Rue des Teinturiers. tel. 04 90 31 06 35). La Cave des Pas Sages, a down and dirty wine bar, is just right to linger with the locals over a cheap glass of regional wine or beer. Choose from the blackboard by the bar that lists all the open bottles, then join the gang outside by the canal (Mon-Sat 12:00-24:00, closed Sun, 41 Rue des Teinturiers, tel. 04 32 74 25 86).
(See “Avignon Hotels & Restaurants” map.)
$$$ Le Bercail offers a fun opportunity to cross the river, get out of town, and take in the country air with a terrific riverfront view of Avignon, all while enjoying big portions of Provençal cooking. Make a reservation before trekking out there (daily May-Oct, often closed off-season, tel. 04 90 82 20 22, www.restaurant-lebercail.fr). Take the free shuttle boat (located near St. Bénezet Bridge) to the Ile de la Barthelasse, turn right, and walk five minutes. As the boat usually stops running at about 18:00 (20:45 in July-Aug), you can either taxi back or walk 25 minutes along the pleasant riverside path and over Daladier Bridge.
(See “Avignon Hotels & Restaurants” map.)
This “square of the chestnut trees” (technically Place du Cloître Saint-Pierre) offers cheap meals and a fun commotion of tables.
$ La Pause Gourmande, a tiny bakery/deli with the best tables on the square, is great for salads, sandwiches, and daily plats (great fougasse; Mon-Sat 6:00-20:00, closed Sun, tel. 04 90 86 10 84).
$ Crêperie La Flourdiliz is a cheery, traditional Breton place with an open kitchen, a classy-for-a-crêperie interior, and great seating on the square (closed Sun-Mon, tel. 04 90 22 28 14).
$ La Cantine is a convenient place popular for its self-serve, pay-by-weight, cafeteria line (Tue-Sat 11:00-16:00, closed Sun-Mon, a few steps away at 6 Rue Armand de Pontmartin, tel. 09 72 88 67 44).
(See “Avignon Hotels & Restaurants” map.)
This welcoming square offers the best feeling of a neighborhood dining, drinking, and simply living outdoors together. It’s great for outdoor dining in Avignon, with several eateries in all price ranges sharing the same great setting under big plane trees. Survey the scene: tables crammed into every nook and cranny, there’s standard café fare, Italian options, a pizza joint, a wine bar, and finer dining choices. $ Ginette & Marcel: Bistrot à Tartines serves salads, big slices of toast with a variety of toppings, and has tasty desserts (daily 11:00-late, tel. 04 90 85 58 70).
(See “Avignon Hotels & Restaurants” map.)
Avignon’s youth make their home on Place Pie, a big square filled with cafés. At the south end of the square is Les Halles, Avignon’s farmers market hall (described in my “Discovering Avignon’s Back Streets Walk,” earlier). Les Halles is an ideal lunch spot, with a handful of wonderfully characteristic and cheap places serving locals the freshest of food surrounded by all that market fun (closed Mon and after 13:00). If picnicking, there are plenty of benches under the trees outside on the square.
Les Halles Orientation: Use the main aisle to orient yourself (enter under vertical garden). The first place on the left is Comptoir du Sud (fun sampling of edibles from the South); down the aisle on the right is a traditional café where you can BYOC (C for croissant); the mid-center aisle on the right is the “250 cheeses shop”; at the end of the center aisle on the right, behind bakery with dangling hats, is Cuisine Centr’Halles (described below); the WC is in the far-left corner, and fish bars are in the two back corners. Either shop will assemble the plate of your fishy dreams at a painless price (€18 for an assortment for two). While the prices at both these places are about the same, the place in the far-left corner feels like a little restaurant (open daily) and the one in the far-right corner more like a picnic at the marina (Fri-Sun only, Natalies).
$$$ Cuisine Centr’Halles is where Jonathan Chiri (an American chef who landed here 14 years ago) serves €20 tasting plates (land or sea) offering the best of the market in an elegant setting. He also runs two-hour market tours (€40, includes tapenade cooking and tasting with wine, Wed-Sat 9:00, mobile 06 46 89 85 33, www.jonathanchiri.com).
$ Restaurant Françoise is a fine deli-café a block off Place Pie, where fresh-baked tarts—savory and sweet—and a variety of salads and soups make a healthful meal, and vegetarian options are plentiful. Order at the counter and eat inside or out (Mon-Sat 8:00-21:00, closed Sun, 6 Rue Général Leclerc, tel. 04 32 76 24 77).
There are two train stations in Avignon: the suburban TGV station and the Centre-Ville station in the city center (€1.60 shuttle trains connect the stations, buy ticket from machine on platforms or at a counter, included with rail pass, 2/hour, 5 minutes). TGV trains usually serve the TGV station only, though a few depart from Centre-Ville station (check your ticket). The TGV station has a broad choice of car rental agencies; only Avis is at Centre-Ville station. Some cities are served by slower local trains from Centre-Ville station as well as by faster TGV trains from the TGV station; I’ve listed the most convenient stations for each trip.
From Avignon’s Centre-Ville Station to: Arles (roughly hourly, 20 minutes, less frequent in the afternoon), Orange (hourly, 20 minutes), Nîmes (hourly, 30 minutes), Isle-sur-la-Sorgue (hourly on weekdays, 5/day on weekends, 30 minutes), Lyon (hourly, 2 hours; faster from TGV station), Carcassonne (8/day, 7 with transfer in Narbonne or Nîmes, 3 hours), Barcelona (2/day, 6 hours with changes).
From Avignon’s TGV Station to: Nice (hourly, most by TGV, 4 hours, many require transfer in Marseille), Marseille (hourly, 35 minutes), Cassis (7/day, transfer in Marseille, 1.5 hours), Aix-en-Provence TGV (hourly, 30 minutes), Lyon (hourly, 70 minutes, slower from Centre-Ville station), Paris’ Gare de Lyon (hourly direct, 2.5 hours), Paris’ Charles de Gaulle airport (7/day, 3 hours), Barcelona (1/day direct, 4 hours).
The bus station (gare routière) is just past and below Hôtel Ibis, to the right as you exit the train station. Nearly all buses leave from this station (a few leave from the ring road outside the station—ask, buy tickets on bus or at bus station). Service is reduced or nonexistent on Sundays and holidays. Check your departure time beforehand, and make sure to verify your destination with the driver. Buses are cheap in this region, figure €1.50-5 for most trips. When connecting big cities (like Avignon and Aix-en-Provence), check FlixBus and Ouibus schedules as well as the local lines listed below (see the “Transportation” section of the Practicalities chapter for more on these bus companies).
From Avignon to Pont du Gard: Take bus #A15 to this famous Roman aqueduct (5/day Mon-Fri, 3/day Sat-Sun, 1 hour). For a great day trip, see my suggested train/bus excursion that combines Nîmes and Pont du Gard (see “Planning Your Time,” next chapter).
By Bus to Other Regional Destinations: Arles train station (8/day, 1 hour, leaves from TGV station), Nîmes (10/day, 1 hour), Aix-en-Provence (6/day Mon-Sat, 3/day Sun, 75 minutes, faster and easier than train), Uzès (5/day, 80 minutes, stops at Pont du Gard); St-Rémy-de-Provence (Cartreize #57 bus, 12/day Mon-Fri, 6/day Sat-Sun, 45 minutes); Orange (Mon-Sat hourly, 5/day Sun, 45 minutes—take the train instead); Isle-sur-la-Sorgue (bus #6, 12/day Mon-Sat, 2/day Sun, 45 minutes). For the Côtes du Rhône area, the bus runs to Vaison-la-Romaine (10/day Mon-Sat, 2/day Sun), Nyons, Sablet, and Séguret (3-6/day; all buses pass through Orange—faster to take train to Orange, and transfer to bus there). Buses to the Luberon area are too infrequent to be workable.