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Excursions For a Half Day Villeneuve-lès-Avignon: The Pont St-Bénezet stops enticingly short of Villeneuve-lès-Avignon 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 (known as livrées) on the site. The Musée Pierre de Luxembourg still displays the wealth of the cardinal, its previous owner. A 15-minute bus ride (line 11) links Avignon (the Old Town) with its New Town, stopping near the Tourist Office, 1 place Charles David (tel: (04) 9025 6133). The key attraction is close by – the Chartreuse du Val de Bénédiction. Founded by Pope Innocent VI, in 1356, this formerly was 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 Tourist Office (tel: (04) 9072 0275) is located just below, in the Salle des Gardes (Guard’s Hall). The easiest way to reach Gordes is by road, although the village is accessible by bus from the tranquil town of Cavaillon. It is worth exploring the whole area – just four 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. |
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