So where might you stay if not in Avignon? Starting on the
west side of the Rhône in the Gard and Bouches-du-Rhône regions, you can be just across the river with great views
of the city in Villeneuve-les-Avignon. This suburb is on what was
once the Protestant side of the river, and you can visit the semi-destroyed castle
from which much artillery was launched over the Rhône toward the Catholics in
Avignon. That may be why the above
mentioned Pont d'Avignon is a half bridge! Several great choices of places
to stay there plus a wonderful restaurant, Aubertin, which continues to get rave
reviews from all over. |
Or how about St-Rémy-du-Provence, just 20 minutes south?
It's pricey but beautiful, with great shopping, and is an easy drive to
various other wonderful places without the hassles of getting in and out
of a large city. Don't miss the adjacent ruins of a former Roman city at
Glanum. Fontvieille, a bit further down the road, is a very sweet
town with several good hotels and lots of small town atmosphere, much
sleepier and less touristy than St-Rémy, and home to the windmill (see
right) in which Alphonse Daudet wrote his Lettres de Mon Moulin and Contes du
Lundi, both wonderful depictions of daily life in Provence, and
relatively easy reads in French for those who dare.
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Other villages include Les Baux, which is
an historically preserved town, Disney-like, pretty impressive, but mostly
from afar (see left), and you can't miss it as you drive around in Les
Alpilles...and Paradou and Maussanne are lovely spots to visit as well,
although you won't find much in the way of accommodations. |
Remoulin is near the impressive Pont
du Gard (see right), the best preserved Roman aqueduct in France (the
world?). Any of these smaller towns are great places to launch visits to
the countryside, vineyards, and the cities of Marseille, Arles,
Nîmes,
and, of course, Avignon. |
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Next page: East of Avignon
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