Provence, a historic region in southern France, is a place full of villages to discover and landscapes to admire. Many see it as a summer-only destination but, thanks to the mild climate and bright blue skies all year round, Provence also offers a lot during the low season. It is a perfect place for those who want to travel by car and only have a few days available.
Our mini tour, 1300 km long, lasted 4 days. If you are curious to find out more, here are the cities we visited.
Day 1: Avignon
Let's start our tour of Provence from Avignon, called the “city of popes”. Its historic center, all in Gothic-medieval style it is surrounded by 5 km of walls which are still well preserved and can be visited entirely on foot in one day.
Tips for Trips: it is better to park the car outside the walls. There are two large car parks connected to the center with free shuttles: the Parking des Italiens (where we parked), north-east of the old city and easily reachable on foot from the historic centre, and the Ile Piot which is part of the Ile de la Barthelasse.
After crossing the walls to enter the center we head towards the Rocher des Doms Park, perched on a hill. From here you can enjoy an excellent view of the Rhone river, the Avignon bridge and part of the historic centre. A good starting point to take a peek at the beauty the city has to offer.
We head towards the Saint-Bénezet Bridge, also known simply by the name of Avignon Bridge.
Tips for Trips: here you can purchase the single ticket for entry to both the bridge and the Palace of the Popes by choosing the time of the visit. By doing this you avoid the endless queue at the entrance and can access the Palace directly.
It is located on the Rhone River and originally led to the city of Villeneuve, on the opposite side of the river. It was built in the 12th century and its length was 900 meters made up of 22 arches. The force of the river damaged the structure of the bridge several times which was promptly restored until the umpteenth flood in 1668. Since then only 4 arches remain.
Hours: Open every day. January - March: from 10.00 to 17.00. April - June: 10am to 6pm. July - August: from 10:00 to 19:00. September - November 6: from 10:00 to 18:00. - 7 November - December: from 10.00 to 17.00. We go up the hill and arrive at Place du Palais, where they are located Notre Dame Church – Avignon cathedral – and the imposing Palace of the Popes which dwarfs everything else around it, both for its size and its features. Let's move on as we booked the tour to the Palace in the afternoon to allow ourselves a walk around the center during the hottest hours.
We move to Place de l'Horloge, the main square of Avignon, which owes its name to the large clock located above the large town hall: theHotel de Ville. The square is full of bars and cafes - perhaps too touristy - and is animated by an ancient horse-drawn carousel and stalls of local artisans. Next to the town hall is the Opera House built in the 19th century.
A short distance away, on rue Collége du Roure, it is located Palais du Roure, dating back to the 15th century. It was a house built for a Florentine banking family, but has been transformed into a cultural center. We don't enter the building but stop to look at the suggestive entrance and the courtyard.
We move to Place Pie where the market overlooks, Les Halles, inside a building covered with vegetation - known as mur végétal due to its dimensions: 30 meters wide by 12 meters high - where Provençal and French gastronomic specialties are found. Les Halles it is only open in the morning so if you love markets the advice is to start from here as the first stop of the day to enjoy the market in peace.
Hours: Every day. Tuesday - Sunday: 6:00 am to 2:00 pm. Monday closed.In the center of Place Pie stands out there Saint Jean Tower, built during the 16th century for the brotherhood of St. John of Jerusalem. Initially this tower separated the square from the Jewish quarter, but during the 19th century the buildings bordering the tower had been demolished. The tower was instead reinforced and equipped with a clock installed on its facade.
We enter the alleys of the center, full of life and more or less vintage shops. We get a little curious and get lost in the streets. Let's cross Saint-Didier Square with the church of the same name - dating back to the mid-14th century - which reflects the Gothic style of the entire city of Avignon. We're going as far as we can Place des Corps Saints where many bar tables occupy the small space. In the background a huge church: the Church of the Celestines built at the end of the 14th century on the initiative of the antipope Clement VII and king Charles VI.