Tourist Attractions in Provence, France

The Palace of the Popes

• A large feudal castle in Avignon, the Palace of the Popes has many chapels, bedrooms and halls with frescoes dating to the 1300s. In one of the vaults of the Hall of Great Audience, frescoes of 20 figures from the Old Testament painted on a blue background studded with golden stars. Matteo Giovannetti who was the official painter for Pope Clement VI painted the majority of frescoes within the castle.

  Palais des Papes
  RMG - 6, rue Pente Rapide
  Charles Ansidei
  84000 Avignon, France
  +33-(0)4-90-27-50-00
  palais-des-papes.com/anglais/pdpaccueil.html

Amphitheater of Arles

• The Amphitheater in Arles looks much like the Colosseum in Rome. The ancient Roman arena has been somewhat restored to reflect a more Spanish style. A tour of the arena is free. The Arena of Arles draws crowds on Wednesdays, when Spanish-style bullfighters perform at the arena.

  Amphitheatre d'Arles
  Rond-point des Arenes
  Arles, France 13200
  arles-tourisme.com/Ville_visite.aspx?Code=eefeea82-ad4a-4072-8378-38a713b37174&Page=1&Ville=Arles

The Maison Carree Temple and Museum of Antiquity

• The Museum of Antiquity, located in Nimes, is a small museum in the Roman temple of Maison Carree. The temple built during the reign of Augustus and served many purposes, including as the city hall and a Christian church. The museum houses archeological finds from the Imperial age, including the bronze head of Apollo and a statue of Venus. Many other archeological finds are housed in the larger Archeological Museum. A audioguided tour is available free with admission. Guides are available but must be booked in advance.

  Maison Carree Temple
  41 rue Fresque
  30000 Nîmes, France
  +33.4.66.21.82.56
  arenes-nimes.com/en/nimes/63-access/

The Roman Theater and Gymnasium

• The only intact Roman theater, located in Orange, houses about 7,000 people. Due to its acoustics, the updated interior continues to host various plays and concerts. The remains of a Roman gymnasium is located next to the theater. Excavations have found three running tracks and platforms for wrestling matches. The theater and gymnasium are free for self-guided tours.

  Roman Theatre of Orange
  Rue Madeleine Roch
  84100 Orange, France
  +33 .4.90.51.17.60
  theatre-antique.com/en/orange/301-access/