Religious Sights in Provence

This magnificent building was built for Pope Benedict III in 1335 as a residence and a 'grand project'. It's the largest Gothic palace in the world (at 15,000 square metres) and is in the top ten most visited monuments in France (over 650,000 visitors per year).

The synagogue of Carpentras is the oldest synagogue still in activity in France.

Beautiful baroque architecture, examples of 17th- and 18th-century frescoes and furniture and a large terraced garden.

The Petit Palais museum owes its name to the familiar name of the Archbishops Palace in which it is installed, name that it was given by reference to the great neighbouring palace: the Palais des Papes.

Pope Benedict XIII ordered the reconstruction of this building after the original Romanesque church collapsed, in 1404.

This charming little church is located in the centre of Aix en Provence, alongside the Musee Granet.

This is one of three churches in the old village of Les Baux and has been built partly into the rock face behind it.

Built sometime in the twelfth century this beautifully carved and carefully constructed church is a stunning sight in Arles. Named after an early bishop of Arles the stone carvings, statues and intricate details represent the Roman Provencal style of architecture.

The remarkable architecture and sympathetic restoration work make this one of the best Carmelite abbeys in the Vaucluse region and one that is less frequently visited by tourists.

The present building is from the 18th century, however there has been a structure here from as early as the 13th century.

From the outside you can't really tell what a beautiful cathedral this is, rich with carvings, gold leaf and painted walls, ceilings and archways.

This large cathedral was originally built in 1096 and has undergone many additions and modifications over the centuries.

The medieval church of Notre-Dame du Puy was raised to cathedral status in 1244, when the bishop transferred from Antibes to Grasse.

The St Roman Abbey dates back to the 5th century, built by hermits and monks. It is cleverly ucarved into the surrounding rocks and cavities and you can wander around the chapel and ancient monk cells. It's heyday was in the 14th century when it was fortified and used as a college.

One of the famous Cistercian abbeys, the Abbaye du Thoronet was built in the late 12th century. This is a magical place, set in beautiful countryside of the Var. The abbey is wonderfully tranquil, surrounded as it is by woods and small streams.

This chapel was originally built after a local woodsman saw an apparition of the Virgin Mary in the clouds above the site in 1519. The first stone for the building was laid a month after the vision.

Once connected to the cathedral by a semicircular vaulted corridor, the baptistery is a beautiful building situated in the narrow streets of Venasque.

A Roman Catholic church that was once a catherdral and is now a national monument in France.