Painter Paul Cézanne once said of Provence: “Everywhere are the fragrances of honey, thyme, lavender, all the herbs of the nearby hills.” Spend the day in this vibrant land, which also beckoned Picasso, Cocteau and van Gogh.
As a result of TGV high-speed trains, Avignon is now within easy reach of Paris. This walled city is home to the Palais des Papes (Pope’s Palace) and Festival d’Avignon when for 3 weeks the city is overrun with theater and music.
If you're taking the TGV from Paris, chances are you'll end up in Avignon. It's worth spending a few days here, and a must -see is the massive Palais des Popes, which resembles a medieval fortress-castle.
Avignon has a quaint medieval feel, but its large student population and fashionable boutiques make it more Cosmopolitan than the smaller Provence towns.
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