Religious Sights in Provence

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

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.

A great way to discover the religious heritage of the area and a great example of Romanesque architecture.

This old Romanesque style church dates back to the 10th century and was modified in the 12th century. Its austere exterior matches very plain interior decor, very typical to the Romanesque style of the old ages.

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

At the centre of the town's activity, the Church of Saint-Michel opens on to a square crossed by one of the main roads.

The heart of the old town of Sospel opens out into a wide sunny square dominated by the colourful facade of the Saint-Michel cathedral.

This church lies at the centre of what was the old Medieval village of Vaison la Romaine. It was built in the 11th century over the remains of early Christian buildings.

The church of Saint Leger sits amongst the narrow cobbled medieval streets in the very pretty little town that is Seillans.

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).

Formerly a Roman Catholic cathedral it is now a protestant church in the centre of the town of Uzes.

This Romanesque chapel was built on a rocky promontory offering visitors breathtaking views of the Alpilles.

St. Pancras chapel was restored by a local team of volunterrs. It overlooks the town of Digne les Bains and offers a panoramic view of the various surrounding peaks.

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

With the arrival of French pope Clement V, Avignon was transformed into a religious and artistic centre. The grand Notre Dame cathedral has existed since the twelfth century, but the current building has been subjected to a number of alterations. The eye-catching gold statue of the Virgin Lady on the top of the tower is six metres in height and weighs 4,500 pounds.