Walking
Tours
The Avignon Tourist Office (telephone number: (04)
3274 3274) organises two-hour guided tours in French and English,
departing at 1000 hrs on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday from April
to October and every Saturday at 1000 hrs from November to March.
Tours are based on a specific theme and cover the major city sights.
Departing from the main tourist office, 41 cours Jean Jaurès,
the tours cost from €8 per person.
A walk along the picturesque pedestrianised streets and up to the
Rocher des Doms or along the city’s ramparts
is recommended as a good route for a self-guided tour of the city.
Bus Tours
Cars
Lieutaud, cour de la Gare SNCF (telephone number: (04) 9086
3675; fax number: (04) 9085 5707, e-mail: contact@cars-lieutaud.fr,
operates bus tours in Provence, which depart daily
from Avignon Central Station, boulevard St Roch from April to October.
Half-day tours (1000–1230 and 1400-1830 hrs), for Vaison-la-Romaine
and Orange (Monday afternoon), Pont du
Gard (Tuesday and Thursday morning), les Alpilles (Tuesday
and Thursday afternoon), Châteauneuf-du-Pape vineyards
(Wednesday morning) and the Luberon (Wednesday
afternoon).
Friday’s full-day trip (1000–1830 hrs) visits Nîmes,
Arles and the Camargue. On Wednesday
morning, there is a trip to a Provençal market, at Saint
Rémy de Provence. Morning trips are €15, afternoon
trips €19 and day trips €28.
Private tours with an English-speaking driver can also be arranged,
with hotel pick-up available. These tours range in price from €210
to €405.
Visit
Provence (telephone number: (04) 9014 7000, e-mail: self.voyages@wanadoo.fr)
offers excellent value tours in air-conditioned minibuses. Itineraries
include half-day tours to Pont du Gard (Tuesday
morning), Saint Rémy, Les Baux
and Pont du Gard (Tuesday afternoon, Thursday and
Saturday afternoons), Les Baux and Arles (Monday
and Friday afternoons), the Luberon (Tuesday and
Thursday afternoons), Châteauneuf-du-Pape wine tour
(Monday and Thursday mornings), Orange and Châteauneuf-du-Pape
(Friday mornings).
A full-day tour includes Avignon, Les Baux, Luberon
and wine tasting (Wednesday and Saturday). Half-day tours cost €50
and full day tours cost €100 (prices include an English-speaking
driver, hotel pick-up and drop-off, and entrance fees where applicable).
Boat Tours
Les
Grands Bateaux de Provence (telephone number: (04) 9085 6225,
fax number: (04) 9085 6114, e-mail: bateaugbp@aol.com)
runs 6 times per day in July and August, with a reduced service
in May, June and September, between Avignon and
Villeneuve-lès-Avignon. A return journey
takes 1 hour and 15 minutes. The first boat departs from Avignon
at 1030 hrs and the last day boat returns from Villeneuve-lès-Avignon
at 1830 hrs. The return journey costs €7. Tickets are for sale
at the Allées de l’Oulle landing stage,
tourist offices, Pont St Bénezet or on board.
In addition, frequent boats run from the Pont St Bénezet
to the Ile de la Barthelasse. This swift, 5-minute
ferry service is free and crosses every day 1000-2000 hrs (July
and August), and 1400-1800 hrs (from September). Visitors can take
a bicycle and ride around the paths or just stroll, for magnificent
views over the Palais des Papes and city ramparts.
Train
Tours
Les
Trains Touristiques d’Avignon (telephone number: (06)
1135 0666, fax number: (04) 9082 7940) operates tourist trains that
chug around the Old Town journey time is 35 minutes. Departing from
the place du Palais, a trip costs €6 to the Old Town and €2
to the Rocher des Doms. Trains depart every 35 minutes, daily 1000-1900
hrs, from 15 March to 15 October (from 1330 to the Rocher des Doms
only).
Excursions
For a Half Day
Villeneuve-lès-Avignon:
The Pont St Bénezet stops enticingly short
of Villeneuve-lès-Avignon, situated on the
west bank of the River Rhône, allowing only a view onto the
impressive fortifications of the Fort St André, built on
the rocky outcrop of the Mont Andaon, in the 14th century. This
‘ville neuve’ (new town) allowed the King of France
to keep an eye on the city of the popes across the river, although
many popes and cardinals could not resist its charm, building their
luxurious residences on the site.
The Musée Pierre de Luxembourg still displays
the wealth of the cardinal, its previous owner. A 15-minute bus
ride (on line 11) links Avignon (the Old Town) with its New Town,
stopping near the tourist office, 1 place Charles David (telephone
number: (04) 9025 6133). The key attraction is close by, the Chartreuse
du Val de Bénédiction. Founded by Pope Innocent
VI, in 1356, this was once the largest and most important Carthusian
monastery in France.
For a Whole
Day
Gordes
The Provençal village of Gordes lies atop the Vaucluse Plateau,
overlooking the Sorgue and Calavon rivers. Artists’ galleries,
restaurants and hotels line the sloping streets, leading up to a
château built between the 11th and 16th centuries.
The Gordes Tourist Office (telephone number: (04)
9072 0275) is located just below, in the Salle des Gardes (Guards’
Hall). The easiest way for one to reach Gordes is by road (south
on the N7 from Avignon, turning onto the D2 at Cavaillon), although
the village is accessible by bus from the tranquil town of Cavaillon
(buses run from Avignon to Cavaillon). It is worth exploring the
whole area, just 4 kilometres (two and a half miles) southwest (off
the D2) are the curious beehive-like Bories, first built in the
Bronze Age but occupied continuously until the 18th century. To
the north lies the 12th-century Cistercian Abbaye de Sénanque,
a functioning monastery surrounded by fields of lavender.
Vaison-la-Romaine
For a great day out, visitors to Avignon should hire a car and visit
Vaison-la-Romaine, a two-tier town with a spectacular
history and an outstanding Tuesday market. The town is located 40km
(25 miles) north of Avignon and the best route is for drivers to
head northwards on the N7, as if heading for Orange, but then cut
across country, using the D977 from Joncquières. From Vaison,
adventurous drivers can head for Malaucène, a further 10
kilometres (6 miles) south of Vaison, and drive over the summit
of Mont Ventoux (although this should not be attempted in conditions
of poor visibility). There is a good if rather serpentine road all
the way. The route back to Avignon, along the D938,
takes in Bedouin and Carpentras
(famed for its truffle markets between November and March).
A more sedate excursion visits the charming Provençal village
of Crestet, a hilltop settlement with a fabulous
view, or Séguret, famed for its santons
(clay figurines), Sablet, Gigondas and Vacqueyras,
all renowned for their wine, as is Beaumes de Venise.
A return through Carpentras is possible this way
too. Vaison-la-Romaine Tourism (telephone number: (04) 9036 0211,
e-mail: tourisme@vaison-la-romaine.com,
website: www.vaison-la-romaine.com
) can provide further information. |
