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Religious Sights in Provence

Discover and book the top Provence sights

Uzes Cathedral

Uzes Cathedral

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

La Synagogue, Carpentras

La Synagogue, Carpentras

Location
Carpentras

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

a grand palace in Avignon

Petit Palais museum

Location
Avignon

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.

Monastere de Saorge

Monastere de Saorge Monastery

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

Notre-Dame de Nazareth Church, Vaison la Romaine

Notre-Dame de Nazareth Church, Vaison la Romaine

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.

Cathedrale Notre Dame et St-Castor, Nimes

Cathedrale Notre Dame et St-Castor, Nimes

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

photo of a historic building

Palais des Papes

Location
Avignon

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).

Eglise St Trophime, Arles

Eglise St Trophime

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.

La Chartreuse de la Verne, Collobrieres

La Chartreuse de la Verne, Collobrieres

Location
Collobrieres

Located in Collobireres, the old Carthusian monastery of Our Lady of La Verne is close in distance from the major tourist towns.

Abbaye Notre Dame de Senanque, near Gordes

Abbaye Notre Dame de Senanque, near Gordes

Location
Gordes

This 12th century Cistercian monastery is an iconic scene of Provence. With fields of rows of lavender in an isolated valley leading to a beautifully solumn sanctuary, the Abbey Notre Dame de Senanque provides a glimpse back in time - if you can ignore the crowds of tourists that invariably will share the moment with you.

a large cathedral in provence

Cavaillon Cathedral

Location
Cavaillon

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.

St Pancras Chapel, Digne-les-Bains

St Pancras Chapel, Digne-les-Bains

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.

An aerial shot of the restored abbey near menerbes provence

Abbaye de Sainte-Hilaire, Menerbes

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.

Sospel

Cathedrale Saint-Michel, Sospel

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.

Sculpted entrance main door church Salon de Provence

Saint Michel Church

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.

Synagogue de Cavaillon

Synagogue de Cavaillon

Location
Cavaillon

The synagogue in Cavaillon is no longer used as a place of worship, but it's on many people's "must visit" lists if you're in the area, thanks to its ornate decoration and fascinating history.

stone walls and a path leading to a fortress

Chartreuse du Val de Benediction, Villeneuve les Avignon

Location
Avignon

This Carthusian monastery heralds back to the 14th century when it was built for Pope Innocent VI. The monastery consisted of a church and three cloisters which made it the largest monastery in France.

Sanctuaire Notre-Dame de Graces, Cotignac

Sanctuaire Notre-Dame de Graces, Cotignac

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.