PROVENCE, FRANCE
Provence, France
Travelling in this sun-blessed part of southern France means touring scenic backroads strewn with stunning landscapes: lavender fields, olive groves, deep gorges and eagle-pecked mountains. Factor in prehistoric sites, magnificent Roman relics, medieval abbeys and elegant churches, and Provence becomes a living history book. Then there’s the low-key village ambling, wine tasting and mellow alfresco lunching for hours on end. The region is prime cycling and hiking territory, with mountains of unique spots to explore, Roussillon’s fiery-red ochre quarries and the shimmering white stone-capped summit of Provence’s highest peak included.
Two Days in Provence
Spend day one in Avignon, exploring the old town and the Palais des Papes, and perhaps trying some local wine. On day two, make a day trip to either Les Baux-de-Provence for hilltop-village meandering or to the Pont du Gard for Roman history and memorable canoeing action on the River Gard.
Four Days in Provence
Day three, hop between hilltop villages – don’t miss a red-rock hike in Roussillon or wine tasting and truffles in Ménerbes. Aim to make it to Gordes for sunset. Devote the fourth day to exploring the breathtaking Gorges du Verdon or communing with Provence’s highest peak, Mont Ventoux.
Finished in Provence? Catch a train to Barcelona or fly to London.
Arriving in Provence
Aéroport Marseille-Provence (MRS; 
%08 20 81 14 14; www.marseille.aeroport.fr) Buses to Aix-en-Provence every 20 minutes. Direct trains to destinations including Marseille, Arles and Avignon.
Aéroport Avignon-Provence Bus 30 (www.tcra.fr; €1.40; 35 minutes) to the post office and LER bus 22 (www.info-ler.fr; €1.50) to Avignon bus station and TGV station. Taxis about €35 to €40.
Where to Stay
Provence has a huge variety of accommodation, embracing everything from super-luxury hotels to treehouses or cosy cottages overlooking vines and lavender fields. In summer, prices skyrocket and rooms are scarce. Avignon is an excellent base for Pont du Gard (a 30-minute drive); Moustiers Ste-Marie is a key stop for Gorge du Verdon explorers; Apt and its rural surrounds are perfect for touring the Luberon’s hilltop villages. Find accommodation listings at Avignon & Provence (www.avignon-et-provence.com).
TOP EXPERIENCE
Hilltop Villages
Impossibly perched on a rocky peak, gloriously lost in back country, fortified or château-topped: Provence’s impressive portfolio of villages perchés calls for go-slow touring – on foot, by bicycle or car. Most villages are medieval, built from golden stone and riddled with cobbled lanes, flower-filled alleys and fountain-pierced squares. Combine with a long lazy lunch for a perfect day.
Great For…
yDon’t Miss
Rows of summertime lavender in bloom at Abbaye Notre-Dame de Sénanque (www.senanque.fr), a supremely peaceful Cistercian abbey 4km northwest of Gordes.
8Need to Know
Apt Tourist Office (%04 90 74 03 18; www.luberon-apt.fr; 788 av Victor Hugo; 
h9.30am-12.30pm & 2-6pm Mon-Sat, also 9.30am-12.30pm Sun Jul & Aug)
5Take a Break
The villages are the ideal place to try Provençal specialities like aïoli (a fish dish with garlicky mayo) and daube provençale (a rich stew).
oTop Tip
Visit early in the morning or just before sunset for the best light and fewer crowds.
Les Baux-de-Provence
Clinging precariously to an ancient limestone baou (Provençal for ‘rocky spur’), this fortified hilltop village is one of the most visited in France. It’s easy to understand its popularity: narrow cobbled streets wend car-free past ancient houses, up to the splendid Château des Baux (%04 90 49 20 02; www.chateau-baux-provence.com; adult/child Apr-Sep €10/8, Oct-Mar €8/6; h9am-8pm Jul & Aug, to 7pm Apr-Jun & Sep, reduced hours Oct-Mar), whose dramatic maze-like ruins date to the 10th century. The clifftop castle was largely destroyed in 1633, during the reign of Louis XIII, and is a thrilling place to explore – climb crumbling towers for incredible views, descend into disused dungeons and flex your knightly prowess with giant medieval weapons dotting the open-air site. Medieval-themed entertainment abounds in summer.
Gordes
Like a giant wedding cake rising over the rivers Sorgue and Calavon, the tiered village of Gordes juts spectacularly out of the white-rock face of the Vaucluse plateau. Come sunset, the village glows gold.
From the central square, meander downhill along rue Baptist in Picca to La Boulangerie de Mamie Jane (%04 90 72 09 34; rue Baptistin Picca; dishes €7-10; h7am-6pm Thu-Tue winter, to 7pm Thu-Tue summer), a family-run bakery with outstanding bread, pastries, cakes and biscuits, including lavender-perfumed navettes and delicious peanut-and-almond brittle known as écureuil (from the French for squirrel).
Roussillon
Dazzling Roussillon was once the centre of local ochre mining and is still unmistakably marked by its vivid crimson colour. Artist workshops lace its streets and the Sentier des Ocres (Ochre Trail; adult/child €3/free; h9am-7.30pm Jul & Aug, shorter hours rest yr, closed Jan; 
c) plunges intrigued visitors into a mini-desert landscape of chestnut groves, pines and sunset-coloured ochre formations. Information panels along the two circular trails (30 or 50 minutes) highlight flora to spot. Wear walking shoes and avoid white clothing!
Ménerbes
Hilltop Ménerbes gained fame as the home of expat British author Peter Mayles, whose book A Year in Provence recounts his renovation of a farmhouse just outside the village in the late 1980s. Opposite the village’s 12th-century church, the Maison de la Truffe et du Vin (House of Truffle & Wine; %04 90 72 38 37; www.vin-truffe-luberon.com; place de l’Horloge; h10am-6pm Apr-Oct, 10am-5pm Thu-Sat Dec-Mar) represents 60 local domaines (wine-growing estates). April to October, there is free wine tasting and wine sales at bargain-basement prices. Winter brings black truffle workshops.
Lacoste
Lacoste has nothing to do with the designer brand – although it does have couturier connections. In 2001 designer Pierre Cardin purchased the 9th-century Château de Lacoste. The château was looted by revolutionaries in 1789, and the 45-room palace remained an eerie ruin until Cardin arrived. He created a 1000-seat theatre and opera stage adjacent, only open during July’s month-long Festival de Lacoste (www.festivaldelacoste.com). Daytime visits are possible only by reservation.
Bonnieux
Settled by the Romans, Bonnieux is a medieval maze of alleyways and hidden staircases: from place de la Liberté, 86 steps lead to its 12th-century church. The Musée de la Boulangerie (%04 90 75 88 34; 12 rue de la République; adult/child €4/free; h10.30am-1pm & 2.30-6pm Thu-Tu Apr-Oct), in an old 17th-century bakery building, explores bread-making history. Time your visit for the lively Friday market.
TOP EXPERIENCE
Pont du Gard
Southern France has some fine Roman sites, but nothing can top the Unesco World Heritage–listed Pont du Gard. Officially it’s not in Provence at all (but rather in neighbouring Languedoc), but it’s close enough to include in any Provence itinerary. Find the breathtaking three-tiered aqueduct 25km west of Avignon.
Great For…
yDon’t Miss
With kids: fun, hands-on learning in the Ludo activity play area.
8Need to Know
%04 66 37 50 99; www.pontdugard.fr; adult/child €9.50/free, top tier guided visit adult/child €6/free; h9am-8pm Jul & Aug, to 7pm Apr-Jun & Sep, to 6pm Oct, to 5pm Nov-Feb, to 5.50pm Mar
5Take a Break
Dine at outstanding neobistro Le Tracteur (%04 66 62 17 33; Bord Nègre, Argilliers; set menu €27-33; hnoon-2pm Mon-Thu, noon-2pm & 7.30-9.30pm Fri) in Argilliers, 6km northwest.
oTop Tip
Evening is a good time to visit: admission is cheaper and the bridge is stunningly illuminated after dark.
The extraordinary three-tiered Pont du Gard, 21km northeast of Nîmes, was once part of a 50km-long system of channels built around 19 BC to transport water from Uzès to Nîmes. The scale is huge: the bridge is 48.8m high, 275m long and graced with 52 precision-built arches. It was sturdy enough to carry up to 20,000 cubic metres of water per day.
Le Musée & Ludo
Each block was carved by hand and transported from nearby quarries – no mean feat, considering the largest blocks weighed over 5 tonnes. The height of the bridge descends by 2.5cm across its length, providing just enough gradient to keep the water flowing – an amazing demonstration of the precision of Roman engineering. At the visitor centre on the left, northern bank, there’s an impressive, high-tech museum featuring the bridge, the aqueduct and the role of water in Roman society. The Ludo play area helps kids to learn in a fun, hands-on way.
Mémoires de Garrigue
You can walk across the tiers for panoramic views over the Gard River, but the best perspective on the bridge is from downstream, along the 1.4km Mémoires de Garrigue walking trail. If you buy the Pass Aqueduc, you can walk the bridge’s topmost tier, along which the water flowed (guided tour).
Canoeing on the Gard
Paddling beneath the Pont du Gard is unforgettable. The best time is between April and June. The Gard flows from the Cévennes mountains all the way to the aqueduct, passing through the dramatic Gorges du Gardon en route. Hire companies are in Collias, 8km from the bridge, a journey of about two hours by kayak.
What’s Nearby?
Les ArènesRoman Site
(%04 66 21 82 56; www.arenes-nimes.com; place des Arènes; adult/child incl audio guide €10/8; h9am-8pm Jul & Aug, to 7pm Jun, to 6.30pm Apr, May & Sep, to 6pm Mar & Oct, 9.30am-5pm Jan, Feb, Nov & Dec)
Roman buffs can continue to Nîmes, a city 30km southwest, heralded as the ‘Rome of France’ thanks to its twin-tiered amphitheatre dating from 100 BC. It once seated 24,000 spectators and staged gladiatorial contests and public executions, and remains an impressive venue for gigs and events. An audioguide provides context as you explore the arena, seating areas, stairwells and corridors (known to Romans as vomitories).
Avignon
Attention, quiz fans: name the city where the pope lived during the early 14th century. Answered Rome? Bzzz: sorry, wrong answer. For 70-odd years of the early 1300s, the Provençal town of Avignon served as the centre of the Roman Catholic world, and though its stint as the seat of papal power only lasted a few decades, it’s been left with an impressive legacy of ecclesiastical architecture, most notably the soaring, World Heritage–listed fortress-cum-palace known as the Palais des Papes.
Avignon is now best known for its annual arts festival, the largest in France, which draws thousands of visitors for several weeks in July. The rest of the year, it’s a lovely city to explore, with boutique-lined streets, leafy squares and some excellent restaurants – as well as an impressive medieval wall that entirely encircles the old city.
1Sights
Serial museum lovers will do well to invest in an Avignon City Pass (€21/28 for 24/48 hours) covering admission to all the key museums; buy it online in advance or at the tourist office.
Palais des PapesPalace
(map Google map; Papal Palace; %tickets 04 32 74 32 74; www.palais-des-papes.com; place du Palais; adult/child €12/10, with Pont St-Bénézet €14.50/11.50; h9am-8pm Jul, to 8.30pm Aug, shorter hours Sep-Jun)
The largest Gothic palace ever built, the Palais des Papes was erected by Pope Clement V, who abandoned Rome in 1309 as a result of violent disorder following his election. It served as the seat of papal power for seven decades, and its immense scale provides ample testament to the medieval might of the Roman Catholic church. Ringed by 3m-thick walls, its cavernous halls, chapels and antechambers are largely bare today, but an audioguide (€2) provides a useful backstory.
Pont St-BénézetBridge
(map Google map; %tickets 04 32 74 32 74; bd de la Ligne; adult/child 24hr ticket €5/4, with Palais des Papes €14.50/11.50; h9am-8pm Jul, to 8.30pm Aug, shorter hours Sep-Jun)
Legend says Pastor Bénezet had three saintly visions urging him to build a bridge across the Rhône. Completed in 1185, the 900m-long bridge with 20 arches linked Avignon with Villeneuve-lès-Avignon. It was rebuilt several times before all but four of its spans were washed away in the 1600s.
If you don’t want to pay to visit the bridge, admire it for free from Rocher des Doms park or Pont Édouard Daladier or on Île de la Barthelasse’s chemin des Berges.
Musée du Petit PalaisMuseum
(map Google map; %04 90 86 44 58; www.petit-palais.org; place du Palais; h10am-1pm & 2-6pm Wed-Mon) 
F
The archbishops’ palace during the 14th and 15th centuries now houses outstanding collections of primitive, pre-Renaissance, 13th- to 16th-century Italian religious paintings by artists including Botticelli, Carpaccio and Giovanni di Paolo – the most famous is Botticelli’s La Vierge et l’Enfant (1470).
Musée AngladonGallery
(map Google map; %04 90 82 29 03; www.angladon.com; 5 rue du Laboureur; adult/child €8/1.50; h1-6pm Tue-Sun Apr-Sep, 1-6pm Tue-Sat Oct-Mar)
Tiny Musée Angladon harbours an impressive collection of impressionist treasures, including works by Cézanne, Sisley, Manet and Degas – but the star piece is Van Gogh’s Wagons de chemin de fer à Arles (Railway Wagons; 1888), the only painting by the artist on display in Provence. Impress your friends by pointing out that the ‘earth’ isn’t actually paint, but bare canvas.
2Activities & Tours
Le Carré du PalaisWine Tasting
(map Google map; %04 65 00 01 01; www.carredupalais.fr; 1 place du Palais)
The historic Hôtel Calvet de la Palun building in central Avignon is today a wine centre promoting and serving local Côtes du Rhône and Vallée du Rhône appellations. Its École des Vin (Wine School) runs two-hour, themed tasting workshops (€35) and three-wine tastings (€25) take place in the Cave de Dégustation (Tasting Cellar); both require advance reservations.
Avignon Wine TourTours
(%06 28 05 33 84; www.avignon-wine-tour.com; per person €95-130)
Visit the region’s vineyards with a knowledgeable guide, leaving you free to enjoy the wine.
Festivals in Avignon
The three-week annual Festival d’Avignon (%box office 04 90 14 14 14; www.festival-avignon.com; hJul) is one of the world’s great performing-arts festivals. More than 40 international works of dance and drama play to 100,000-plus spectators at venues around town. Tickets don’t go on sale until springtime, but hotels sell out by February. Paralleling the festival is the equally fabulous fringe event, Festival Off (www.avignonleoff.com; hJul), with eclectic experimental programming.
In season, from mid-August to mid-October, spectacular son-et-lumière show Avignon Vibrations (http://avignon-vibrations.com; adult/reduced €12/10; performances 9.30pm & 10.30pm Aug & Oct, 9.30pm Mon, Wed & Sun, 9.30pm & 10.30pm Fri & Sat Sep) transforms the ancient stone walls of Palais du Papes’ main courtyard into a dazzling mirage of sound, light and fantastical digital imagery. Shows last 30 minutes.
5Eating
Place de l’Horloge is crammed with touristy restaurants that don’t offer the best cuisine or value in town. Delve instead into the pedestrian old city where ample pretty squares tempt: place des Châtaignes and place de la Principle are two particularly beautiful restaurant-clad squares.
Restaurants open seven days during the summer festival season, when reservations become essential.
Maison VioletteBakery€
(map Google map; %06 59 44 62 94; www.facebook.com/maisonvioletteavignon/; 30 place des Corps Saints; h7am-7.30pm Tue-Sat)
We simply defy you not to walk into this bakery and not instantly be tempted by the stacks of baguettes, ficelles and pains de campagne loaded up on the counter, not to mention the orderly ranks of eclairs, millefeuilles, fruit tarts and cookies lined up irresistibly behind the glass. Go on, a little bit of what you fancy does you good, non?
HyggeCafe€
(%04 65 81 06 87; https://hygge.bio/; 25 place des Carmes; 2-/3-course lunch €15.90/17.90; h9am-4pm Mon-Sat) 
S
Having worked at a smorgasbord of high-flying restaurants (including Copenhagen’s Noma and Avignon’s La Mirande), Jacques Pampiri opened his own place in Avignon, and it’s a big hit with the locals. Hearty, wholesome organic food is dished up canteen-style to keep costs down, and the mix-and-match thrift-store decor is great fun. Arrive early for a prime table on the square.
Les HallesMarket€
(map Google map; www.avignon-leshalles.com; place Pie; h6am-1.30pm Tue-Fri, to 2pm Sat & Sun)
Over 40 food stalls showcase seasonal Provençal ingredients. Cooking demonstrations are held at 11am Saturday. Outside on place Pie, admire Patrick Blanc’s marvellous vegetal wall.
Restaurant L’EssentielFrench€€
(map Google map; %04 90 85 87 12; www.restaurantlessentiel.com; 2 rue Petite Fusterie; lunch/dinner menus €25/36-48; hnoon-2pm & 7-9.45pm Tue-Sat)
Snug in an elegant, caramel-stone hôtel particulier, the Essential is one of the finest places to eat in town – inside or in the wonderful courtyard garden. Begin with courgette flowers poached in a crayfish-and-truffle sauce, then continue with rabbit stuffed with candied aubergine, perhaps.
Christian EtienneFrench€€€
(map Google map; %04 84 88 51 27; www.christianetienne.fr; 10 rue de Mons; lunch/dinner menus €38-51/78-133; hnoon-1.30pm & 7.30-9pm Fri-Tue Aug-Jun, daily Jul)
One of Avignon’s top tables, this Michelin-starred restaurant occupies a 12th-century palace with a leafy outdoor terrace, adjacent to Palais des Papes. Chef Guilhem Sevin changes his elaborate menu each season, working with fresh local produce to create his refined Provençal cuisine.
6Drinking & Nightlife
Chic yet laid-back Avignon is awash with gorgeous, tree-shaded pedestrian squares buzzing with cafe life. Favourite options, loaded with pavement terraces and drinking opportunities, include place Crillon, place Pie, place de l’Horloge and place des Corps Saints.
Students tend to favour the many bars dotted along the aptly named rue de la Verrerie (Glassware St).
La ManutentionArts Center
(map Google map; %04 90 86 86 77; 4 rue des Escaliers Ste-Anne; hnoon-midnight)
No address better reflects Avignon’s artsy soul than this bistro-bar at cultural centre La Manutention. Its leafy terrace basks in the shade of Palais des Papes’ stone walls and, inside, giant conservatory-style windows open onto the funky decor of pocket-sized bar Utopia. There’s a cinema too.
Rue des Teinturiers
Canalside rue des Teinturiers (literally ‘street of dyers’) is a picturesque pedestrian street known for its alternative vibe in Avignon’s old dyers’ district. A hive of industrial activity until the 19th century, populated by weavers and tapestry-makers, the street today is renowned for its bohemian bistros, cafes and gallery-workshops. Stone ‘benches’ in the shade of ancient plane trees make the perfect perch to ponder the irresistible trickle of the River Sorgue, safeguarded since the 16th century by Chapelle des Pénitents Gris.
8INFORMATION
Tourist Office (%04 32 74 32 74; www.avignon-tourisme.com; 41 cours Jean Jaurès; h9am-6pm Mon-Sat, 10am-5pm Sun Apr-Oct, shorter hours Nov-Mar) Offers guided walking tours and information on other tours and activities, including boat trips on the River Rhône and wine-tasting trips to nearby vineyards.
8GETTING THERE & AWAY
AIR
Aéroport Avignon-Provence (AVN; %04 90 81 51 51; www.avignon.aeroport.fr; Caumont) In Caumont, 8km southeast of Avignon. Direct flights to London, Birmingham and Southampton in the UK.
BUS
The bus station (bd St-Roch; hinformation window 8am-7pm Mon-Fri, to 1pm Sat) is next to the central train station. Tickets are sold on board. For schedules, see www.lepilote.com, www.info-ler.fr and www.vaucluse.fr. Long-haul companies Linebús (%04 90 85 30 48; www.linebus.com) and Eurolines (%04 90 85 27 60; www.eurolines.com) have offices at the far end of bus platforms and serve places such as Barcelona.
TRAIN
Avignon has two train stations: Gare Avignon Centre (42 bd St-Roch), on the southern edge of the walled town, and Gare Avignon TGV (Courtine), 4km southwest in Courtine. Local shuttle trains link the two every 15 to 20 minutes (€1.60, six minutes, 6am to 11pm). Note that there is no luggage storage at the train station.
8GETTING AROUND
BICYCLE
Vélopop (%08 10 45 64 56; www.velopop.fr; per half-hour €0.50) Shared-bicycle service, with 17 stations around town. Membership per day/week is €1/5.
Provence Bike (%04 90 27 92 61; www.provence-bike.com; 7 av St-Ruf; bicycles per day/week from €12/65, scooters €25/150; h9am-6.30pm Mon-Sat, plus 10am-1pm Sun Jul) Rents city bikes, mountain bikes, scooters and motorcycles.
CAR & MOTORCYCLE
Find car-hire agencies at both train stations (reserve ahead, especially in July). Narrow, one-way streets and impossible parking make driving within the ramparts difficult: park outside the walls. The city has 900 free spaces at Parking de L’Ile Piot, and 1150 at Parking des Italiens, both under surveillance and served by the free TCRA shuttle bus (Transports en Commun de la Région d’Avignon; %04 32 74 18 32; www.tcra.fr).
Mont Ventoux
Visible for miles around, Mont Ventoux (1912m) stands like a sentinel over northern Provence. From its summit, accessible by road between May and October, vistas extend to the Alps and, on a clear day, the Camargue. The white stone-capped peak is just over an hour’s drive northeast from Avignon, making it a perfect day out.
Because of the mountain’s dimensions, every European climate type is represented here, from Mediterranean on its lower southern reaches to Arctic on its exposed northern ridge. As you climb, temperatures can plummet by 20°C, and the fierce mistral wind blows 130 days a year, sometimes at speeds of 250km/h. Bring warm clothes and rain gear, even in summer. You can ascend by road year round, but you cannot traverse the summit from 15 November to 15 April.
The mountain’s diverse fauna and flora have earned the mountain Unesco Biosphere Reserve status. Some species, including the rare snake eagle, are unique to the area.
Activities
Tourist offices in nearby Malaucène (http://villagemalaucene.free.fr), Bédoin (www.bedoin.org) and Sault (www.ventoux-sud.com) distribute free maps detailing cycling itineraries – graded easy to difficult – and highlighting artisanal farms en route. For more cycling trails, see www.lemontventoux.net. Cycle-hire outfits also offer electric bikes.
Ventoux Bike ParkCycling
(%04 90 61 84 55; www.facebook.com/VentouxBikePark; Chalet Reynard; half/full day €10/14; h10am-5pm Sat & Sun, hours vary Mon-Fri)
Near the Mont Ventoux summit, at Chalet Reynard, mountain bikers ascend via rope tow (minimum age 10 years), then descend ramps and jumps down three trails (5km in total). In winter it’s possible to mountain-bike on snow. Bring a bike, helmet and gloves or rent all gear at Chalet Reynard. Call to check opening times, which are highly weather dependent.
8GETTING THERE & AWAY
Getting up the mountain by public transport isn’t feasible – you’ll need a car or, if you’re feeling fit, a bike.
Gorges du Verdon
For sheer, jaw-dropping drama, few sights in France can match the epic Gorges du Verdon. The ‘Grand Canyon of Europe’, etched out over millions of years by the Verdon River, slices a 25km swath through Haute-Provence’s limestone plateau all the way to the foothills of the Alps. Key bases from which to explore the gorges are Moustiers Ste-Marie (west) and Castellane (east).
1Sights & Activities
Castellane is the main water-sports base (April to September); its tourist office (%04 92 83 61 14; www.castellane-verdontourisme.com; rue Nationale; h9am-7.30pm daily Jul & Aug, 9am-noon & 2-6pm Mon-Sat, 10am-1pm Sun May-Jun & Sep, closed Sun rest of year) has lists of local operators who can organise rafting, canyoning, kayaking and hydrospeed expeditions.
Route des CrêtesDriving Tour
(D952 & D23; hmid-Mar–mid-Nov)
A 23km-long loop with 14 lookouts along the northern rim with drop-dead vistas of the plunging Gorges du Verdon. En route the most thrilling view is from Belvédère de l’Escalès – one of the best places to spot vultures overhead.
You’ll see signs for the route as you drive through La Palud-sur-Verdon. Note that the road is generally closed outside April to October due to snowfall.
Verdon NatureWalking
(%06 82 23 21 71; www.verdon-nature.com; per person €25)
Local man Laurent Pichard runs excellent guided walks into the gorges, including vulture-spotting trips, nature hikes and guided routes following several classic hiking paths. He also offers a sunset walk and a night sleeping under the stars including the gorges’ highest summit, Le Grand Margès.
Sortie de Découverte des Vautours du VerdonWildlife Watching
(%04 92 83 61 14; adult/child €10/6; h9.30am & 6pm Tue, Wed & Fri mid-Jun–mid-Sep)
Two-hour guided walks to spot and observe vultures in the Gorges du Verdon. Tours start and finish in the village of Rougon, 18km southwest of Castellane. Binoculars are provided. Book through Castellane tourist office.
Latitude ChallengeAdventure Sports
(%04 91 09 04 10; www.latitude-challenge.fr; bungee jumps €130)
Bungee jumps from Europe’s highest bungee site, the 182m Pont de l’Artuby (Artuby Bridge). Also offers skydiving.
5Eating
Places to eat in the gorges themselves are limited, although there are a few tiny villages with seasonal restaurants and roadside snack bars dotted along the route. Given the eye-popping scenery, a picnic is always a grand idea – shopped for prior to departure at Avignon’s Les Halles. Or plan a meal in Moustiers Ste-Marie into your gorges day out: consider Mediterranean cuisine on a sun-dappled terrace at La Ferme Ste-Cécile (%04 92 74 64 18; www.ferme-ste-cecile.com; D952; 2-/3-course menu €30/39; hnoon-2pm & 7.30-10pm Tue-Sat, noon-2pm Sun), or the Full Monty gastronomic dining experience with France’s legendary chef supremo Alain Ducasse at Michelin-starred La Bastide de Moustiers (%04 92 70 47 47; www.bastide-moustiers.com; chemin de Quinson; menus €60-90; h12.30-1.30pm & 7.30-9pm, closed Oct-Feb).
Châteauneuf-du-Pape
A mere 20-minute motor north of Avignon plunges you into the world of fine wines. Arguably the best known of the Rhône appellations, Châteauneuf-du-Pape vintages are prized by oenophiles the world over. As its name hints, the hilltop château after which the wine is named was originally built as a summer residence for Avignon’s popes, but it’s little more than a ruin now – plundered for stone after the Revolution, and bombed by Germany in WWII for good measure. Even so, the wrap-around views of the Rhône valley and surrounding vineyards are epic, stretching all the way to Mont Ventoux. In the village, the tourist office (%04 90 83 71 08; www.ot-chateauneuf-du-pape.mobi; place du Portail; h9.30am-6pm Mon-Sat, closed lunch & Wed Oct-May) has loads of advice on wine tasting and visiting local vineyards, including ones that offer English-language tours. It can also make appointments for you.
8GETTING THERE & AROUND
A car makes exploring the gorges much more fun, though if you’re very fit, cycling is an option too. Bus services run to Castellane and Moustiers, but there’s scant transport inside the gorges.