Off-Season Provence: Things to Do in Avignon and the Vaucluse

This post was last updated on September 4, 2018.

Top things to do in Avignon and other parts of Vaucluse

As picturesque vineyards, brilliant lavender fields, and lively festivals are attracting tourists to Provence for the spring and summer peak season, I’m reflecting on our wonderful visit there in the off-season particularly the Vaucluse area in the northwestern part of the region. You may have already read other stories about our trip that began in Marseille and ended in Cassis with many memorable places in between. Here are a few highlights of things to do in Avignon and other villages of the Vaucluse that made our trip special.

Browse and shop at Les Halles

40 local retailers sell Provençal fresh produce at the covered market of Les Halles in Avignon, open Tuesday to Sunday mornings. It’s quite a sight to see the vertical garden created by botanist Patrick Blanc on one of the facades. Inside we quickly surveyed the many wonderful vendors of food, wine, flowers and much more, wishing we would be staying long enough to partake of the offerings.

Covered market of Les Halles in Avignon, France

Covered market of Les Halles

Walk around Avignon

Of course, like many of Europe’s old cities, it was a treat to just walk around experiencing the essence of Avignon.

Walking around Avignon

Walking around Avignon

We strolled through many of the narrow cobbled streets during the day and in the evening, passing buildings that have been standing for centuries, and crossing public squares quiet on a winter’s day. The beautiful Opéra Grand Avignon (top right above) on the Place de l’Horloge, is the vibrant scene of theatrical, dance, musical, and variety performances.

Indulge in Provençal cuisine and ambiance

Two of our favorite meals in Provence were in Avignon which was especially nice since we were there on Mr. TWS’s birthday.

Librairie l’Ami Voyage, a small restaurant with an upstairs bookshop, was bustling with locals as we ate a hearty lunch accompanied with a local Côtes du Rhône (one of Vaucluse’s three appellations) vintage from the village of Cairanne in Vaucluse. Lunch was topped off with a special cheesecake that was served with a candle for the birthday boy. It was as much the cozy atmosphere and friendly service as the delicious food that made the meal quite memorable.

Hearty lunch of sausage stew and cheesecake at Librairie L'Ami Voyage, a brasserie in Avignon, France

Hearty lunch of sausage stew and cheesecake at Librairie L’Ami Voyage

Continuing the celebration that evening at Restaurant La Fourchette, we had an elegant selection of Provençal dishes, a few shown below. The food and the presentation were top quality, but again the atmosphere, service and the company of local diners made it one of our favorites. Mr. TWS was once again treated to dessert with a candle on top.

Celebrating a birthday at La Fourchette: Scallops St. Jacques, Beef Stew Avignonnaise, sea bream, and chocolate mouse cake

Celebrating a birthday at La Fourchette: Scallops St. Jacques, Beef Stew Avignonnaise, sea bream, and chocolate mouse cake

The  wonderful meals and welcoming atmosphere at both restaurants really helped to make Mr. TWS’s day special, as if being in Avignon itself wasn’t special enough!

Visit UNESCO World Heritage Sites

Read about the UNESCO World Heritage Sites of Avignon in our article: Avignon, France: City of the Popes. They include the Palais des Papes (Palace of the Popes), the Romanesque Cathedral of Notre Dame des Doms, and Pont d’Avignon (also known as Pont Saint-Bénézet).

Take a side trip to Carpentras

Located about 16 miles from Avignon in the heart of the rich agricultural and historical centers of Vaucluse, Carpentras is a main gateway to Mount Ventoux (known as the “Giant of Provence” and one of the steepest routes of the Tour de France). In addition to the Christmas festivities and traditions that we focused on during our December visit, there is much to see and do in Carpentras — museums, markets, parks, and significant landmarks, such as the oldest active synagogue in France. We’ll look forward to many of these on a future trip.

Carpentras, France at Christmas

Carpentras

We stopped at the Carpentras tourist office where there is a shop with an impressive selection of fine wines and food products of the region, some of which are available for sampling, such as Sautel, an apéritif that you can see I was thoroughly enjoying below.

From top left: honey, Sautel (an apéritif), Wines of Provence, coing (quince), and olive oils

From top left: honey, Sautel (an apéritif), Wines of Provence, coing (quince), and olive oils

Our short time in Carpentras was definitely delicious as we made sure to visit Pâtisserie Jouvaud to admire and sample their confections and pastries.

Confections and pastries at Pâtisserie Jouvaud in Carpentras, France

Confections and pastries at Pâtisserie Jouvaud

Visit an olive mill

Provence is blessed with a plentitude of olive groves. In Gordes, we visited one of the many mills, Moulin du Clos des Jeannons, where we got a private tour of the olive mill by owner André Horard who talked about the ancient processes of olive oil production still used by the mill today.

Olive groves of Moulin du Clos des Jeannons in Gordes, Vaucluse department of France

Olive groves of Moulin du Clos des Jeannons in Gordes

He also talked about the history of the groves and challenges they have faced at times when the fruit has been damaged by weather conditions, but have continued to produce only quality oils.

We returned to the unique building designed by Andre that housed a large shop and afforded a view of the olive oil production. His hospitality couldn’t have been more gracious as we sampled three distinctly different oils accompanied by one of  Provence’s signature Rosé wines. We would definitely recommend a stop here if you’re in Provence.

With André Horard at Moulin du Clos des Jeannons in Gordes, France

With André Horard at Moulin du Clos des Jeannons

Indulge your sweet tooth

I think that sweets are always a good idea, but Christmas is a very special time in Provence with a holiday tradition of the “13 Desserts”.  At the Confiserie Saint Denis in the village of Les Beaumettes, we learned about one of the primary 13 Desserts, crystallized fruit, their specialty, and we also learned about the involved process of making it. We also tried a few of the very sweet samples, but since it was just before lunch we refrained from too many of them!

Crystallized fruit from soaking to ready-to-eat at Confiserie Saint Denis in Les Beaumettes, France

Crystallized fruit from soaking to ready-to-eat at Confiserie Saint Denis

See the quiet side of Cavaillon and the Vaucluse countryside

Our drive from Les Baumettes to Cavaillon was lovely, passing vineyards and farms along the way. Cavaillon is well-known for its amazing melons and draws tourists for its produce and festivals especially mid-June to September.

Sunny winter day in the countryside near Cavaillon, in the Vaucluse department of France

Sunny winter day in the countryside near Cavaillon

In the town of Cavaillon, I imagined how busy the streets would be in peak season while we got a glimpse of the town where locals were going about their business with no tourists in sight (besides us) that I could see. We took a few minutes to step inside Maison Jarry and talk to the owner while surveying the mouth-watering cakes and chocolates for which the shop is well-known in the area.

Sonia and her delicious creations at Maison Jarry in Cavaillon

Sonia and her delicious creations at Maison Jarry in Cavaillon

Les Thés au Soleil in Cavaillon was a surprise in its colorful and eclectic decor. And the food and wine were delicious. As in Avignon at this time of year, the meals were hearty, and we left fully satisfied. Then it was time to leave the Vaucluse area and head toward our next destination, Salon de Provence.

Les Thés au Soleil, restaurant and tearoom in Cavaillon, France

Les Thés au Soleil, restaurant and tearoom in Cavaillon

I’d encourage you to think about a visit to Avignon and other Vaucluse attractions anytime, but if you’re thinking about going in the less-busy off-season as Mr. TWS and I did, now is the time to start planning.

Tips for visiting Avignon and other parts of Vaucluse:

Ancient ramparts and city gate of Avignon, France

Ancient ramparts and city gate of Avignon

Driving and Parking:

In Avignon, the large indoor parking lot serving the Palais des Papes and several hotels is right inside the city gates, but we actually missed it! Too focused on our iPhone’s Siri directions to the palace itself, we didn’t even see it and ended up driving the narrow streets through the old district. I definitely do not recommend doing this, especially at a slightly busier time of year.

In most all of the old cities of France, avoid driving in the historic city centers as these streets and alleys were not designed for the large vehicles and two-way traffic of our day. Use main parking structures like the one mentioned above, locate smaller lots just on the outskirts of the city, or travel by train or bus between your destinations.

Take time: Our time in Avignon and other locations in Vaucluse was intentionally brief due to the nature of our Christmas tour in Provence trip and to enable us to provide our readers with a wide-reaching introduction to the area in the off-season. But I recommend taking as much time as you can  to see more of the main sites, relish the ambiance of Provence in its villages and countryside, and interact with the locals.

Hotel de l'Horloge

Accommodations: There are many accommodation options throughout Vaucluse, but from our brief experience, we know that Avignon is a good choice as a base for visiting much of the area. Staying in the city center of Avignon was ideal for our itinerary of visiting the Christmas markets and historical sites of the city. Hôtel de L’Horloge (shown on the left) is a small, independently-owned 4-star hotel in a 19th-century building just off Avignon’s main square, Place de L’Horloge. It was very convenient for our activities. Our room was simply designed, comfortable, and had old-world ambiance. The breakfast buffet was wonderfully diverse with cereals, fruit, and pastries to start our day.

And don’t forget to dance on the Pont d’Avignon!

Disclosure: Our Vaucluse experience was sponsored by Comité Régional de Tourisme Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur and Vaucluse Tourisme en Provence, but our opinions and perspectives are totally our own — as always.

Note: This post may contain affiliate links. If you make a purchase through these links, I will earn a commission at no extra cost to you. Thanks!

29 thoughts on “Off-Season Provence: Things to Do in Avignon and the Vaucluse

  1. Sophie

    I’ve not visited Avignon yet and it all sounds quite wonderful. I remember the song well from primary school. Would like to see the lavender fields, though December sounds really nice as well.

    1. Catherine Sweeney Post author

      I’ve got the lavender fields on my list, too. Even seeing them in winter was pretty, but when they’re in bloom, it would be fantastic!

  2. Marcia

    Another lovely place to put on my list, Cathy!
    I’m glad you went during the off season so you could really experience the town without too many people around. I need at least a month in France!
    Thanks for sharing the sights and tastes. Speaking of tastes – cheers Mr. TWS!

    1. Catherine Sweeney Post author

      Oh, a month in France! How wonderful would that be? Off-season is a special experience. One does get the feeling of everyday life in a place more easily.

  3. Leigh

    Although I have been to Avignon it wasn’t for long and I never explored to the degree you did. I love the history and your post brought back great memories of cycling through Provence with the mention of Gordes.

    1. Catherine Sweeney Post author

      Gordes is another place that I’m eager to explore further. We didn’t get into the actual old city center and I’d love to do that.

  4. jenny@atasteoftravel

    One of my favourite areas of France. We have spent quite a bit of time there staying with friends in Cavaillon and at St Remy, Joucas and Avignon. There’s so much to do and see…I love visiting the beautiful small towns in the area and of course the food and the markets are fabulous! Lovely photos that took me back to these occasions.

    1. Catherine Sweeney Post author

      It’s really a destination for all seasons, isn’t it? There are many more town I’d like to spend some time in, so somehow I have to find the time to get back there!

    1. Catherine Sweeney Post author

      Thanks, Irene! I don’t think I’d ever feel I’d spent enough time there. Of course, that’s how I feel about most places I’ve loved.

  5. Elaine J. Masters

    I was in Avignon decades ago as a backpacker riding around in an old VW bus. You’ve convinced me that it’s time to experience the finer things the city has to offer. Great post and pictures.

    1. Catherine Sweeney Post author

      I kind of wish that I’d had your youthful backpacking experience! But I’m quite satisfied with enjoying the finer things of Avignon. 🙂

  6. Sand In My Suitcase

    Would love to visit Provence some day! High summer wouldn’t be our choice because of the heat, so a shoulder-season visit would be our preference. Does September/October count as shoulder season? Or does every other traveler want to visit then too to avoid the heat and crowds?

    1. Catherine Sweeney Post author

      I do believe that September and October are shoulder season there. I’m sure it would be a bit busier than winter, but I think it would be a fab time to go. From what I’ve seen in photos, it’s beautiful then, too.

  7. Donna Janke

    Avignon looks delightful. Any place designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site has my interest, I didn’t know about the popes living there in the 1300s. I hope I get to this area some day,

    1. Catherine Sweeney Post author

      Until we began to research this trip, I had no idea about the popes in Avignon either. I remember hearing Avignon mentioned in relation to Catholic history, but didn’t know they actually lived there. Avignon is well-deserving of its UNESCO designation.

  8. Anita @ No Particular Place To Go

    Such gorgeous photos and I’m looking forward to visiting this area of France in a few months. Avignon, with its designation as a UNESCO WHS sounds especially interesting but I certainly wouldn’t pass up a chance to taste some of the delicacies you’ve pictured or visit an olive grove to learn more about how olive oil is made. Thanks for the great information that I’ll use for our future travels!

    1. Catherine Sweeney Post author

      Have a fantastic time! Stop by Moulin du Clos des Jeannons and tell Andre we sent you 🙂 I don’t believe they have a website, but they are located on Route de Saint-Pantaleon. Phone number is 04 90 72 68 35

  9. Larissa

    I’ve visited Provence before, but didn’t make it to Avignon. These photos have my mouth watering, and remind me that it is a place worth a follow-up visit!

    1. Catherine Sweeney Post author

      Really… the food was amazing. The fare is seasonal, so in spring and summer expect less-hearty dishes, but they will be just as delicious, I’m sure.

  10. Carole Terwilliger Meyers

    Auvignon in the quieter winter, how nice. I visited long ago during a busy summer arts festival and also had one of the worst meals of my life there. Still, I retain a positive take on the walled city. It is well worth a visit and I enjoyed my revisit with you.

  11. Jane Rees

    My husband and I are lucky enough to be spending 4 months travelling around France, and wholly concur with all you say…Vaucluse is beautiful but you really should try and visit the Drome department, which is north of and next to Vaucluse. It’s much quieter and has some really beautiful Villages, hills and stunning scenery. Buis les Barronies, Montbrun Les Bains and Die are well worth a visit. Orange and Vaison la Romaine in Vaucluse have stunning Roman site.

  12. Pingback: Avignon, France: City of the Popes | Traveling with Sweeney

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