Avignon: the popes' palace, the bridge from the song and the gateway to Provence

The Palace of the Popes is the largest Gothic palace in the world, built in just a few decades in the fourteenth century, when seven successive popes lived in Avignon. Outside it looks like a fortress; inside it has huge halls, chapels, cloisters and remains of frescoes that show the luxury of the papal court.

The visit, with an augmented-reality tablet, helps you imagine the halls as they were decorated. The Great Chapel, the treasury and the pope's chamber, with frescoes of birds and vines, are the highlights.

The historic centre, with the palace, the cathedral and the bridge, is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The square in front of the palace is the heart of the city, with street musicians, terraces and the imposing façade always in view.

«Sur le pont d'Avignon, on y danse, on y danse», goes the song every French child learns. The Saint-Bénézet Bridge was built in the twelfth century and once had twenty-two arches over the Rhône. River floods gradually destroyed it, and today only four remain, ending in the middle of the water.

You can walk on the bridge to the last arch, with a small chapel along the way and views of the river and the city. The visit is short and can be combined with the palace ticket.

The best view of the bridge and the ramparts is from the opposite bank, on the Île de la Barthelasse, or from the Rocher des Doms garden, especially at sunset.

Next to the palace is the Cathedral of Notre-Dame des Doms, with a golden statue of the Virgin atop its tower. Behind it you climb to the Rocher des Doms, a garden on a rocky outcrop with a pond, ducks, shade and a panoramic view over the Rhône, the bridge and the Provençal countryside.

Avignon keeps its medieval walls almost complete, more than four kilometres long, with towers and gates. Inside them, the centre is a tangle of narrow streets, plane-tree squares, churches, shops and terraces.

Les Halles, the covered market, has a living plant wall on its façade and stalls of cheese, olives, herbes de Provence and local produce. It's the ideal place to put together a picnic.

Every July, Avignon hosts one of the world's most important theatre festivals. The main shows take place in venues such as the Court of Honour of the Palace of the Popes, turned into an open-air theatre.

At the same time runs the Festival Off, with hundreds of companies performing in small venues, churches, courtyards and even in the street. During those weeks the whole city lives for theatre, with posters on every wall and actors promoting their shows.

It's a fantastic time to visit, but also the busiest and most expensive. Outside July the city is calmer and the monuments can be seen in peace.

The Pont du Gard, about half an hour away, is a Roman aqueduct with three tiers of arches over the Gardon river, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It's one of the most impressive Roman works in the world, and in summer you can swim in the river below.

Châteauneuf-du-Pape, about twenty minutes away, owes its name to the Avignon popes, who had a summer castle there. Today it's one of the most famous Rhône wine appellations, with cellars offering tastings. The Luberon villages, such as Gordes and Roussillon with its ochre cliffs, are less than an hour away.

The lavender fields are Provence's great postcard. Near Gordes, Sénanque Abbey is surrounded by blooming lavender in early summer, and the Valensole plateau has fields as far as the eye can see. A private tour lets you combine lavender, villages and vineyards in a single day.