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Top Reasons to Go | Getting Oriented | What’s Where | Planner
Updated by Jennifer Ladonne
For many, the Vaucluse is the only true Provence—one vast Cézanne masterpiece, where sun-bleached hills and fields are tapestries of green-and-black grapevines and silver-gray olives, and rolling rows of lavender harmonize with mountains looming purple against an indigo sky. It is here, in his beloved Luberon, that British author Peter Mayle discovered and described the simple pleasures of breakfasting on melons still warm from the sun, buying fresh-dug truffles from furtive farmers in smoke-filled bars, and life without socks. The world shared his epiphany, and vacationers now flock here in search of the same sensual way of life.
Anchored by the magnificent papal stronghold of Avignon, the glories of the Vaucluse region spread luxuriantly eastward of the Rhône. Its famous vineyards seduce connoisseurs, and its Roman ruins in Orange and Vaison-la-Romaine draw scholars and arts lovers. Plains dotted with orchards of olives, apricots, and cherries give way, around formidable Mont Ventoux, to a rich and wild mountainous terrain, then flow into the primeval Luberon. The antiques market in L’Isle-sur-la-Sorgue makes for a terrific Sunday excursion, as does the nearby Fontaine-de-Vaucluse, a dramatic spring cascade (outside drought season). But the Luberon and its villages perched high up in the hills are a world of their own and worth allowing time for—perhaps even your whole vacation. Note that the Pont du Gard, the superbly preserved Gallo-Roman aqueduct, is a 30-minute drive west of Avignon, and that Arles, Nîmes, and the windswept Camargue are a stone’s throw to the south and west.
Just north lies a wine-lover’s paradise, as the Côtes du Rhône produce some of the world’s most muscular vintages: Châteauneuf-du-Pape and Beaumes-de-Venise are two of the best-known villages, though the names Vacqueyras, Gigondas, and St-Joseph also give wine buffs goose bumps. Despite their renown, this area feels off the beaten track even in midsummer, when it’s favored by the French rather than foreign tourists. A brisk wind cools things off in summer, as do the broad-leaf plane trees that shade the sidewalk tables at village restaurants and cafés.
East of here, the countryside grows increasingly dramatic, first with the jaw-droppingly jagged Dentelles de Montmirail, whose landscape is softened by olive groves and orchards, then the surprisingly lush Mont Ventoux, best known as the Tour de France’s most difficult stage. Along the way, you’ll find villages such as Séguret and Vaison-la-Romaine, where you can sample the slow-paced local lifestyle over a game of pétanque or a lingering apéro. And all this lies a stone’s throw from thriving Avignon, its feudal fortifications sheltering a lively arts scene and a culture determinedly young.
Top Reasons to Go
The walled city of Avignon: While most exciting during the theater festival at the Palais des Papes (Pope’s Palace) in July, Avignon is surprisingly youthful and vibrant year-round.
Châteauneuf-du-Pape: Probably the most evocative Rhône appellation, this village is just one of many in this area where you can sample exceptional wines.
Lovely lavender: Get hip-deep in purple by touring the Lavender Route between the Abbaye de Senanque and the historic towns of Sault and Forcalquier.
The sky’s no limit: Experience the perched villages of the region, including Gordes and Bonnieux, in a patchwork landscape right out of a medieval Book of Hours.
Seeing red in Roussillon: With its ocher cliffs that change tones—copper, pink, rust—depending on the time of day, this town is a gigantic ruby embedded in the Vaucluse bedrock.
Getting Oriented
The largest city on the banks of the Rhône after Lyon, Avignon is one of the most interesting places in the south of France: with a feast of medieval streets, crenellated palaces, and sweet museums, it is an ideal gateway to explore the lower Rhône area. Just up the highway are the sun-scorched vineyards of the Côtes du Rhône and the Roman ruins of Vaison-la-Romaine and Orange; just east is the perfectly picturesque Luberon countryside; 20 miles north lie the storybook hilltop villages of the Haut Vaucluse.
What’s Where
Avignon. Avignon’s most famous bridge—the subject of a French children’s song—now stretches only halfway across the river, so don’t make the mistake of trying to drive across it. Take the next bridge to L’Île de la Barthelasse, an amazingly rural setting minutes from the city where you can ride a bike through orchards and overnight in lovely auberges.
Haut Vaucluse. This region’s rolling hills and rock-strewn moonscapes, presided over by Mont Ventoux, Provence’s highest peak, are a graceful backdrop for vineyards, orchards, fields of purple lavender, perched villages, and some splendid ruins. There’s much to see here, so plan to spend some time and do as the natives do: slow down, savor, enjoy.
The Sorgue Valley. If you’re fond of antiques, plan to join the festive hordes trawling for treasure at the famous Sunday flea market in L’Isle-sur-la-Sorgue. After exploring the fancier antiquaires (antiques stores) in town, enjoy an idyllic lunch by one of the town watermills, then track down the “source” of the River Sorgue in the famous spring of Fontaine-de-Vaucluse—the fifth largest in the world.
The Luberon. Like so many Luberon villages, Gordes might seem a touch too perfect at first sight. Persist and you can find real charm in its narrow, hilltop streets. To get off the beaten track, head to once-upon-a-time Oppède-le-Vieux, Bonnieux, and Lacoste, or stroll through Apt’s colorful Saturday market for a taste of la vraie (the real) Provence.
Planner
When to Go
High heat and high season hit in July and August with a wallop: this lovely region is anything but undiscovered. Not only the French, but tourists from the four corners of Europe and beyond flock to this region for its legendary savoir-vivre. If you can go in spring (April or May) or in September or October, when the vines are golden and the weather is mild, do. If you can’t—crowds or no crowds, it’s still an unparalleled corner of the world.
Low season falls between mid-November and mid-March, when many restaurants and hotels take two or three months off. That leaves spring and fall: if you arrive after Easter, the flowers are in full bloom, the air cool, and the sun warm, and you’ll still be able to book a table on the terrace. The same goes for October and early November, when the hills of the Luberon turn rust and gold, and game and wild mushrooms figure in every menu.
Planning Your Time
The Vaucluse is more refined than its flashy counterpart, the Côte d’Azur, so take advantage of its gastronomic blessings and sign up for a wine tasting or a cooking course. Hôtel de la Mirande in Avignon offers a superb roster for 6–12 people, in English, including courses around truffles, pastry, cheese, and wine. Or at La Maison sur la Sorgue, the owners will arrange visits (and be the designated drivers) to several of the local vineyards for a dose of viticulture and tasting. While you’re in L’Isle-sur-la-Sorgue, arrange to stay over on a Saturday and wake up to the chatter and clatter of the Sunday antiques vendors. Avignon is almost a never-ending festival: Les Hivernales dance festival (February); Jazz Festival (July and August); Theater Festival (July); Le Off Festival (also July); and the Gastronomy Festival (September). On another musical note for July: Lacoste has a successful arts festival; Orange takes on opera; and noted dance troops take part in Vaison-la-Romaine’s Dance Festival, held at the town’s Roman theater. But if you want to tiptoe through the best lavender, you’ll want to drive through the Luberon between late June and early August to take in endless rows of glorious lavender before it’s too late.
Getting Here and Around
If arriving in Avignon by TGV train (Paris–Avignon, 2 hours 40 minutes; Nice–Avignon, 3 hours 15 minutes), arrange for a rental car prior to arrival. Driving is the best choice, allowing you to control your schedule and not fall slave to a public system that isn’t on par with that of the Alpes–Maritimes.
Even anxious drivers can find roads linking one village to the next rather easy (pleasant even!) to handle—the only downside is that the driver won’t be able to take in all those breathtaking views, like the descent from Le Barroux into the Luberon.
Traveling by train in the region can be done from Avignon to L’Isle-sur-la-Sorgue, Cavaillon, Aix, Arles, Orange, and Carpentras. Vaucluse regional buses are few and far between with infrequent schedules; consult www.tcra.fr or www.beyond.fr for up-to-the-minute listings and fares for Avignon, Orange, Vaison, Manosque, Castellane, and other bus routes.
Air Travel
Marseille’s Marseille Provence, or MP, airport—commonly known as Marignane (which appears on all local signage)—is served by frequent flights from British cities in season; it’s about an hour’s drive from Avignon.
The smaller Avignon Caumont airport has several daily flights from Paris and Clermont Ferrand.
Air Travel Information
Avignon–Provence Airport. | 100 rue Marise Bastié, | Montfavet | 04–90–81–51–51 | www.avignon.aeroport.fr.
Marseille Provence airport (Marignane). | 08–20–81–14–14 | www.marseille.aeroport.fr.
Bus Travel
Major bus companies transport travelers from surrounding cities into towns not accessible by rail; bus and rail services usually dovetail. Avignon’s gare routière (bus station) has the heaviest interregional traffic.
A reasonable network of private bus services (called, confusingly enough, cars) links places not served or poorly served by trains. Ask for bus schedules at train stations and tourist offices. Avignon has a sizable station, with posted schedules.
TransVaucluse has a booth just outside the Avignon train station, offering daily bus excursions into different regions—for instance, the Luberon, Vaison, and the Alpilles. The main destinations serviced to/from the Avignon bus station (10–20 buses daily) are Orange (€3, 45–60 minutes) and Carpentras (€2, 45 minutes). Five or fewer buses daily connect with: Aix-en-Provence (€7.60, 1½ hours), Apt (€5, 1½ hours), Arles (€6.60, 1½ hours), Cavaillon (€2, 1 hour), Nîmes (€1.50, 1½ hours), and Pont du Gard (€1.50, 1 hour).
Bus companies serving the Vaucluse have essentially all merged into TransVaucluse to provide more routes, easier schedules, and cheaper fares. You can access the Luberon villages, Cavaillon, L’Isle-sur-la-Sorge, Aix-en-Provence, and some of the hard-to-reach hilltop villages like Bonnieux from the main Avignon bus station on Avenue Monclar with TransVaucluse buses. Some destinations need a transfer.
Bus Travel Information
Gare Routière. | 5 av. Monclar at Bd. St-Roch, | Avignon | 04–90–82–07–35.
TransVaucluse. | www.vaucluse.fr.
Car Travel
The A6/A7 toll expressway channels all traffic from Paris to the south. Orange A7 splits to the southeast and leads directly to Avignon and D10 (in the direction of Apt), which dives straight east into the Luberon. To reach Vaison and the Mont Ventoux region from Avignon, head northeast toward Carpentras on D942. D36 jags south from D10 and leads you on a gorgeous chase over the backbone of the Luberon, via Bonnieux and Lourmarin; from there it’s a straight shot to Aix and Marseille or to the Côte d’Azur. Or you can head back west up D973 to Cavaillon and Avignon.
With spokes branching out in every direction from Avignon and A7, you’ll have no problem accessing the Vaucluse. The main routes nationales (national routes, or secondary highways) offer fairly direct links via D942 toward Orange and Mont Ventoux and via D10 into the Luberon. Negotiating the roads to L’Isle-sur-la-Sorgue and Fontaine-de-Vaucluse requires a careful mix of map and sign reading, often at high speeds around suburban giratoires (rotaries). But by the time you strike out into the hills and the tiny roads—one of the best parts of the Vaucluse—give yourself over to road signs and pure faith. As is the case throughout France, directions are indicated by village name only, with route numbers given as a small-print afterthought. Of course, this means you have to recognize the minor villages en route.
If you have access to the Internet while traveling, Vinci Autoroutes is a good website to consult. It not only gives directions for highways and village roads in southern France, but it also indicates weather conditions and traffic problems; although it’s in French, it’s not difficult to follow. Keep in mind that péages are toll booths and aires are gas and rest stops.
Car Travel Information
Vinci Autoroutes. | No phone | www.vinci-autoroutes.com.
Train Travel
Trains arrive in Marseille from many main cities, including Paris, Strasbourg, Nantes, and Bordeaux. Those from Paris and Strasbourg pass through Orange and Avignon. The quickest train connection remains the TGV Méditerranée line that arrives in Avignon after a 2-hour 40-minute trip from Paris. These TGV trains then connect with Nîmes (from €9.90, 18 minutes), Marseille (from €20.50, 35 minutes), and Nice (from €43, 3 hours). From Avignon’s central station, the Gare Avignon Centre, connections include Orange (€6.40, 15 minutes), Arles (€7.70, 20 minutes), and L’Isle-sur-la-Sorgue. Another big rail nexus is the city of Orange, but note that the city center is a 10-minute walk from the train station. Also be aware that it costs €0.40 a minute for train information at the SNCF number. After a recorded message, there is a pause; at this moment say the words Billet Loisir (pronounced “bee-yay lwah-zeer”), which should direct you to a service agent. Ticket prices range according to time of day and season, so look online before speaking with an agent.
Train Travel Information
SNCF. | 3635 within France, 33–892–35–35–35 outside France | www.sncf.com.
TGV. | 3635 | www.voyages.sncf.com.
Visitor Information
The ADT Vaucluse Tourisme accepts written queries and calls; specify your needs by category (lodging or restaurants, for example).
Information
L’ADT Vaucluse Tourisme. | 12 rue Collège de la Croix, | Avignon | 04–90–80–47–00 | www.provenceguide.com.
Les Routes de la Lavande. | 2 av. de Venterol, | Nyons | 04–75–26–65–91 | www.routes-lavande.com.
Restaurants
As the cultural capital of the Vaucluse, Avignon might logically be considered the culinary capital, too. Visit during the July theater festival, however, and you’ll have the opposite impression. Sunny sidewalk tables spill out temptingly onto the streets, but nearly all serve the kind of food designed for people on tight schedules: salads, pizzas, and charcuterie plates, often of indifferent quality. For more generous and imaginative Provençal food, you will have to seek out Avignon’s few culinary gems or scour the countryside, where delightful meals can be had in roadside restaurants, renovated farmhouses, and restaurants with chefs whose talents are as stunning as the hilltop settings where they operate. Be sure to indulge in the sun-drenched local wines from the Luberon, the Ventoux, and the Côtes du Rhône (especially its lesser-known appellations), and if a full bottle seems too much for two people, order one of the 50 cl bottles now popular here (the equivalent of two-thirds of a regular bottle). It pays to do research—too many restaurants, especially in summer, are cynically cashing in on the thriving tourist trade, and prices are generally high.
Hotels
One of the most popular vacation regions in France (after the seaside), the Vaucluse has a plethora of sleek and fashionable converted mas (farmhouses), landscaped in lavender, cypress, and oil jars full of vivid flowers, as well as luxurious inns which cater to people fleeing Avignon’s summer crowds. There are budget accommodations, too, in the form of cheerful chambres d’hôtes and modest but well-run hotels, which often have good restaurants.
Given the crushing heat in high summer and the distance from the sea, the majority have swimming pools and, these days, air-conditioning, although it’s wise to check ahead if you’re counting on it (one alternative is to stay higher up in the mountains, where there is a refreshing breeze). Only a few lodgings provide moustiquaires, mosquito netting put over the bed or window screens to keep out troublesome flies. Reservations are essential most of the year, and many hotels close down altogether in winter.
Markets
Browsing through the marché couvert (covered food market) in Avignon is enough to make you renounce dining in the tempting local restaurants.
All the fantastique seafood, free-range poultry, olives, and produce cry out to be gathered in a basket and cooked in their purest form.
Village open-air markets are carefully scheduled to cover in turn all the days of the week, including in the yard of the old barracks at Caserne Chabran on Boulevard Limbert on Saturday and a flea market at Place des Carmes on Sunday.
But food plays second fiddle at one of the most famous markets in Provence. L’Isle-sur-la-Sorgue draws crowds of bargain hunters and collectors to its Sunday antiques and brocante (collectibles) fair. See our special Spotlight section on this famous marketplace.
Wineries and Vineyards
The most serious wine center in the South of France is the southern portion of the Côtes du Rhône, home to the muscular reds of Gigondas, Vacqueyras, Rasteau, Cairanne, and of their more famous neighbor Châteauneuf-du-Pape.
Nearby Beaumes-de-Venise is famous for its sweet, light muscat. Not to be overlooked are the wines of the Côtes du Ventoux and the Côtes du Luberon.
You can visit most vineyards without an appointment. If you find touring vineyards slightly intimidating or impractical, you can still purchase wines from the region: most communes have a shop where local wines are sold at the producer’s price, with no markup.