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).

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.

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

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.

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.

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

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.

The cathedral of our lady of Nazareth, or Notre Dame de Nazareth, lies in the centre of Orange not far from the river.

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

This monastery was founded and built in the 1970's and is now famous for its monks broadcasting their Gregorian chants live throughout the day.

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.

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

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.

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 Montmajour abbey was founded in 948 by the Benedictines. It sits on a large rock and is surrounded by protected surrounding countryside.