Religious Sights in Provence

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

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

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

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.

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 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 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.

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.

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

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

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.

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.

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

The present building is from the 18th century, however there has been a structure here from as early as the 13th century.

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