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.

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.

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

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

A great way to discover the religious heritage of the area and a great example of Romanesque architecture.

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 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.

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

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.

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).

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.

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.

This is one of three churches in the old village of Les Baux and has been built partly into the rock face behind it.

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.

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

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

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