Religious Sights in Provence

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

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

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.

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

A Roman Catholic church that was once a catherdral and is now a national monument 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 present building is from the 18th century, however there has been a structure here from as early as the 13th century.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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

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

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 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 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.