Religious Sights in Provence

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.

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.

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

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 14th century Fort St Andre was built by order of the King of France, Philippe le Bel as a mean to keep an eye on the papal city of Avignon. Perched on a hill, this impressive structure contains the ruins of the Abbaye St Andre.

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

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 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.

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).

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.

This cathedral, also known as Sainte Anne d'Apt, is believed to be built on the site where Saint Auspice was buried.

Graves, mausoleums and sarcophagi at this site date back to the beginning of the Roman empire, but it wasn't until the early Christian period that there was a large flurry of activity here.

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.

Aix's cathedral has its origins in the 5th century and it has been added to throughout the centuries.

The building of the church and the adjacent convent began in 1295. It is now the only large Gothic church in Provence.

Originally built in 1222 this church was renovated and extended in the Italian Baroque style in the 17th century and was consecrated in 1672 by the Bishop of Cavaillon.