Le Palais des Papes
Place du Palais des Papes
84000 AVIGNON
website: https://www.palais-des-papes.com
If you visit Avignon, you cannot miss the Popes’Palace, one of the biggest Gothic palaces in Occident. The Palace welcomes more than 560,000 visitors per year and is one of the 10 most visited landmarks in France ! Classified « World Heritage of Humanity » by Unesco, the Popes’palace offers an exceptional moment.
The Saint Benezet bridge, a major witness of Avignon’s history, is known worldwide thanks to the famous song "Sur le Pont d'Avignon". Built in the twelfth century, it was often taken away by the floods of the Rhone, and its successive repairs were finally abandoned in the seventeenth century.
Classified World Heritage by UNESCO.
Pont d'Avignon
Boulevard de la Ligne
84000 AVIGNON
Phone : 04 32 74 32 74
fax: 04 90 27 51 08
mail: officetourisme@avignon-tourisme.com
website: https://www.avignon-pont.com
According to the legend, the bridge was built in the twelfth century by a young shepherd from Vivarais, Benezet, on celestial order. Completed in 1185, it was the first passage across the Rhone between Lyon and the sea, then the bridge stretched on 900 meters and had 22 arches. Dismantled in 1226, rebuilt and carried away several times by the Rhône, its use was abandoned in the seventeenth century. Nowaday, it has only four arches and a chapel dedicated to St. Nicolas. It is famous around the world thanks to the children's song "Sur le Pont d'Avignon".
The Bridge construction :
The first element of the bridge is the pillar supporting the Romanesque chapel of Saint Benezet, built in the twelfth century. This pillar was probably connected by wooden walkways to the shore of Avignon. The first work of the construction as a whole appeared later and dated back to 1230s.
At that time, the brotherhood of "the work of the bridge", born from the influence of Benezet, brought together 24 brothers.
Through their relentless quests and the clever use of tolls, they could undertake the construction of a stone Gothic bridge, on the same principle of bridges equally famous in the region: the Pont du Gard or the Julien Bridge of Bonnieux.
Built on the pebble beds, this bridge stretched for about 900 meters and has some 22 arches. It is not straight but follows a winding course.
It enabled to control especially the important river traffic which borrowed this natural way north / south. In the Middle Ages, the Pont St Benezet also integrated on one of the most important pilgrimage routes between Italy and Spain. It would become essential to the papal court when it moved to Avignon in the fourteenth century.
Very quickly, the Cardinals moved to Villeneuve to escape the pollution of Avignon, then qualified by the poet Petrarch "the foulest and most stinking cities of the earth." The bridge was at that time the most direct link between the many residences that were made to build the cardinals, and the Pope Palace, located within the city walls of Avignon. At each crossing the bridge, the Popes had a habit of stopping in front of the chapel to pray Benezet for a moment and leave an alms of a florin.
Located in the heart of the Alpilles on a rocky plateau, Les Baux de Provence dominate Arles and the Camargue and offer a breathtaking panorama. Patiently restored, the city has a historical and architectural heritage of 22 listed monuments.
phone: +33 (0) 4 90 54 34 39
fax: +33 (0) 4 90 54 51 15
mail: tourisme@lesbauxdeprovence.com
website: https://www.lesbauxdeprovence.com
A situation and a remarkable heritage
Ranked Station, Remarkable Site of Taste, Most Beautiful Villages of France, Les Baux-de-Provence affirm their prestige image site within the Regional Park of the Alpilles.
Les Baux-de-Provence is unique because a little more magic and a little more famous in this extraordinary setting. However, the essence that makes the so distinctive Provencal villages charm and flavour is there: small squares, shaded terraces, narrow streets and shops.
The Château des Baux is a unique testimony of medieval history, the Church of Saint Vincent is both Romanesque and Renaissance with its beautiful Max Ingrand stained glass, the Post Tenebras Lux renaissance window, which shows the influence of the Huguenots in the eleventh century, mansions of the sixteenth and seventeenth century hosting art galleries and museums such as the Musée Yves Brayer, the Santons Museum and the Louis Jou Foundation, where you will discover other treasures, not forgetting the City Hall which occupies the former Hotel de Manville.
At the heart of the Alpilles, the monumental Carrières de Lumières, 14 meters high, hosts unique multimedia shows.
A masterpiece of ancient architecture, the aqueduct of Pont du Gard is one of the most beautiful Roman buildings in the region.
The Pont du Gard
La Bégude
400 Route Pont du Gard
30210 VERS-PONT-DU-GARD
Phone : 04 66 37 50 99
fax: 04 66 37 51 50
mail: contact@pontdugard.fr
website: https://www.pontdugard.fr
The Pont du Gard is an aqueduct built by the Romans in the 1st century of our era.
It is exceptional for its size since with its 49 meters high, this is the highest Roman aqueduct in the world.
It consists of 3 rows of overlapping arches (6 arches on the first level, 11 arches at the second level and 47 arches at the top), which is also a rare achievement for the time.
Finally, it is remarkable because of its excellent state of preservation that makes it admired as a masterpiece of human creative genius.
It is the only example of 3 floors ancient bridge still standing today. Nearly a thousand men worked on this colossal project completed in only 5 years.
« Le vin devant soi » is a new wine cellar concept
Côtes du Rhônes’specialist
Le Vin Devant Soi
4, rue du Collège du Roure
84000 AVIGNON
phone : +33 (0)4.90.82.04.39
mail : contact@levindevantsoi.fr
website : https://www.levindevantsoi.com
With more than 4000 different wines from South of France (and prestigious wines from other region), « Le Vin Devant Soi" offers in Avignon 32 wine for tasting, thanks to Enomatic’s wine fountain, an innovative system of wine distribution.
At the "Vin Devant Soi", taste and find the wine that is perfect for you.
« Le vin devant soi », also offers a range of wine-growers champagnes and of prestigious wines, pastis and local spirituous.
Finally, at « Le Vin Devant Soi", you can also find objects associated to the wine universe (corkscrew, gift boxes…).
AVITUS La Cave
11 rue du Vieux Sextier
84000 AVIGNON
phone : 09 8427 5797
mail : contact@avituslacave.com
website : https://www.avituslacave.com
Prestigious wines and discoveries, wines for every budget.
An attractive range of Champagne (Billecart Salmon, Jacquesson, Pol Roger, Henri Giraud, Drapier, J.Lassalle, Autréau ...) and spiritious (Cognac, Whiskey, Rum, ...).
Beaumes de Venise’s wines : PDO-PGI (Protected Designation of Origin/Protected Geographical Indication)
Domaine des Bernardins
EARL Cave Castaud
138 Avenue Gambetta
84190 BEAUMES DE VENISE
phone number : 04 90 62 94 13
fax : 04 90 65 01 42
mail : contact@domaine-des-bernardins.com
website : https://www.domaine-des-bernardins.com
The story :
Such as many villages in the region, Beaumes de Venise produces wines since Roman times, but its particularity comes from the development of a natural sweet wine. Pline l’Ancien wrote : "Muscat is long cultivated at Beaumes and gives a remarkable wine. Since then, the history of Muscat de Beaumes never stopped: the muscat provided Pope Clement V in Avignon and the nobles of the kingdom, as Henri IV, enjoyed the Muscat.
Terroir :
A terroir is a geographically delimited area (such as Beaumes de Venise vineyards and the Montmirail Dentelles) defined from a human community that builds during its history a set of distinctive cultural traits, knowledge and practices based on a system of interaction between the natural environment and human factors. The skills involved reveal an originality, confer typicity and allow recognition for products or services originating from this space and therefore for the people who live there. These areas are living and innovative spaces which cannot be assimilated to the only tradition. (Proposed definition from a working group INRA / INAO).
The winery :
it covers the southeast side of the Montmirail Dentelles (between 100-600 m altitude), on the municipalities of Beaumes de Venise, Lafare, Suzette and La Roque Alric in the department of Vaucluse.
Soils :
they are composed of soils derived from Oxfordian marl, Upper Cretaceous and Triassic single in the Côtes du Rhône.
Climate :
Mediterranean, hot because protected from the wind by the relief (Massif of Montmirail Dentelles).
News :
since 1943, the Appellation is known for its sweet wine, Muscat de Beaumes de Venise. In 2005, the PDO Beaumes de Venise is designated as « Cru » for its red wines.
Variety of vine :
Black Grenache 50% minimum, Syrah 25%, Mourvèdre and other grape varieties of the Appellation tolerated 20% maximum, 5% white grape.
Minimum alcoholic strength : 12.5%
Created in 1947 by Jean Vilar, the Avignon Festival is nationally and internationally recognized as one of the most important cultural rendezvous of France.
Founded in 1947 by Jean Vilar, the Avignon Festival is today one of the most important international events in the contemporary performing arts.
Every year in July, Avignon becomes a city-theatre, transforming its architectural heritage into various performance places, majestic or surprising, welcoming tens of thousands of theatre lovers of all generations (over 130 000 entries). Often on vacation and coming from afar, many spectators spend several days in Avignon and see some of the shows among the multitude of theatre plays, dance, and also visual arts and music. The Festival succeeded the original combination of a popular audience with international creation. Avignon is also a spirit: the city is an open forum, where festival-goers speak and share their experiences to spectators. For a month, everyone can have access to a contemporary living culture.
Alongside the IN festival, a spontaneous theatrical space has developed, "invented" in 1966 by André Benedetto.
The "OFF" festival, which comes from the spirit of 1968, has grown by investing nearly a hundred places transformed into theater spaces.
The OFF, alternative festival, has become a must in the national cultural landscape. This is one of the biggest festivals of independent companies in the world. It hosts a large and passionate public.
For example, the 2014 festival witnessed 1533 playing shows in which all styles were represented: theater, music, dance, puppetry, object, poetry, circus, clown…
Rediscover wellness and relaxation in this exceptional place combining quality and convenience, sophistication and intimacy.
NovaSpa
20 Boulevard Saint Roch
84000 AVIGNON
phone: (+33) 04 32 74 70 07
mail: contact@novaspa-avignon.com
website: https://www.novaspa-avignon.com/
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