EV17 - ViaRhôna stage 18 - Caderousse > Avignon

A delightful medieval village with 2,156 inhabitants on the left bank of the River Rhone, Châteauneuf-du-Pape is the unique starting point for wine lovers wishing to explore the most prestigious wines of the Rhone Valley.Visiting the village on foot will help you appreciate its rich heritage, with the high point being the famous Château des Papes, the former summer residence of the sovereign pontiffs in Avignon. Come and explore our town, with its little streets, its wine cellars and estates where you can taste the divine nectar - with pleasure guaranteed! Find out about the history of the village through its various monuments: ** The Château des Papes, dating from the 14th century, listed as a Historic Monument since 1892 ** Notre Dame de l’Assomption, 12th century church ** Saint Théodorit Chapel, built in the 10th or early 11th century, listed as a Historic Monument in 1984 for the frescoes decorating the choir ** Bienheureux Pierre de Luxembourg Chapel ** The oratories - St Marc oratory, St Joseph oratory, oratory of the Crucifix ** Hers Tower (private property, not open for visits) ** Islon St Luc, a protected natural site, the starting point for hiking trails Discover all the secrets of the Châteauneuf-du-Pape appellation with an audio-guided visit to the Wine Museum (admission free). Did you know? The village is lucky enough to have a chocolate factory, the Chocolaterie Bernard Castelain, a manufacturer of traditional chocolates, about 2 km from the town centre. In summer you can enjoy some delicious ice creams! Lastly, the Blachère Distillery, next to the chocolate factory, is one of the oldest distilleries in Provence. Here Vintage Marcs of Châteauneuf-du-Pape are made, liqueurs and syrups, including the famous Pac Lemon drink. Once a year, the village goes back in time to the Middle Ages for the not-to-be-missed Fête de la Véraison! Every year, on the first weekend in August, for the past 30 years, the Fête de la Véraison has transformed the old town into a real medieval village, with performances, historic reconstitutions, parades and scenes from everyday life transporting visitors back to yesteryear. Noble knights and gentle damsels, minstrels and jugglers, merchants and tavern keepers take over the village streets for three days of festivities and entertainment. In the tradition of traditional fairs, the big market has more than a hundred stands devoted to the medieval period. Weekly market on Friday morning.

The ramparts, ranked as UNESCO World Heritage, encircle the entire old city. They are 4.3 km long, and were started in 1355 during the Papacy of Pope Innocent VI, to protect the city from the assaults by the roving bands of mercenaries. They were finished in 1370 under Pope Urban V.The entrance of the Avignon Bridge provides access onto the ramparts, and to the Rocher des Doms Gardens. The views over the city and the Rhône River are breathtaking. There is no charge to go up on the ramparts.

The Saint Bénezet bridge, a major witness of the history of Avignon, is known throughout the world thanks to the famous song. Built from the 12th century, it was washed away several times by the floods of the Rhone, and finally abandoned in the seventeenth century. Classified World Heritage by UNESCO.DUE TO THE FIREWORKS DISPLAY, THE BRIDGE WILL EXCEPTIONALLY CLOSE AT 2 PM ON 23 DECEMBER. Legend has it that the bridge was built in the 12th century by a young shepherd from the Vivarais region, Bénézet, by heavenly command. In reality, however, the bridge's construction was an ongoing project spanning several centuries. Hydrological changes in the river, following climatic changes from the 15th century onwards, were responsible for its destruction. It was no longer used from the 17th century onwards. The bridge was 920 meters long, with 22 arches linking the two banks of the Rhône. A bearer of legends and an emblematic monument of the region, it was the subject of unprecedented interdisciplinary work from 2010 to 2016, mobilizing an entire community of researchers under the aegis of Greater Avignon and the CNRS. The results of this research can now be admired thanks to museographic and multimedia mediation devices that reconstitute the Bridge in 3D in its landscape at different times. PRACTICAL INFORMATION Ticketing: visits to the bridge can be purchased online, at the Tourist Office reception desk or on site, but access is available all day, with no time restrictions. Multimedia audio guide in 12 languages with synchronized film commentary. Special audio tour for children and the visually impaired. IH : The monument has been awarded the Tourisme & Handicap label for motor, mental and hearing disabilities, and has audio guides adapted for the visually impaired. Museography adapted for the hearing-impaired. The monument is equipped with an elevator for disabled access. However, please check that it is working properly before you visit by contacting our team on + 33 (0)4 32 74 32 74. Thank you for your understanding. Dogs on a leash are welcome. Le Pont Saint-Bénézet has been awarded the "Accueil vélo" label.

Sorgues 18764 habitantsSituée au carrefour de grands sites économiques, touristiques et culturels, Sorgues est une ville industrielle et moderne. La présence de la papauté avignonnaise au XIVème siècle a contribué au développement de la cité et lui a légué un fabuleux patrimoine. Des traces de ce passé sont encore visibles aujourd'hui. Ville verte, Sorgues dispose d’espaces naturels, invitations à la découverte de la nature, comme l'Ile de l'Oiselay, (réseau Natura 2000) qui abrite une faune et une flore exceptionnelles. Ville culturelle, Sorgues a vu en 2010 l’ouverture du Pôle Culturel Camille Claudel qui rassemble médiathèque, écoles de musique et de danse, ateliers socio-éducatifs, l'Accueil Municipal des Jeunes (AMdj), salle de spectacle et d'expositions. LES PRINCIPAUX MONUMENTS : ♦ L'église du Plan de la Tour dite église de la Transfiguration (XVIIIème siècle) : renfermant une toile monumentale du Christ en gloire. ♦ L'Église Saint Sixte (XIe siècle) : de style roman (abside classée aux Monuments Historiques) ♦ Le Château Saint-Hubert : représentatif de l'architecture dans le Comtat Venaissin au XVIIIe siècle. ♦ Les six roues à aubes ♦ Le jardin du Château de Brantes (1700), labellisé « Jardin remarquable ». Découvrez ces monuments et bien d'autres à travers le dépliant "Découverte du patrimoine", disponible à l'office de tourisme de Pernes-les-Fontaines et de Monteux ! Mais aussi sur le lien suivant : fr.calameo.com/read/002770132e2934891264c

Avignon has a magnficent urban landscape. The Rocher des Doms overlooks the city and the Rhône. Here there is an exceptional architectural group which includes the Pont d'Avignon (also known as Pont Saint Bénezet, the Ramparts, the Petit Palais, the Doms Cathedral and the massive walls of the Palace of the Popes, with four impressive towers in each corner. This unique architectural ensemble has been ranked as a UNESCO World Heritage site. The biggest Gothic palace in the world: tour 24 rooms! Museum space, priceless frescoes. Audioguide in 11 languages. See all the hours and prices on our website: >>> www.palais-des-papes.comThe Popes'Palace is one of the 10 most visited monuments in France. A UNESCO World Heritage Site, it is the largest Gothic palace in the world (15,000 m2 of floor space, equivalent to the volume of 4 Gothic cathedrals). More than twenty rooms are on display, including the pope's private apartments with their fabulous fresco decorations by Italian artist Matteo Giovannetti. PRACTICAL INFORMATION Babies and strollers: strollers may not be used inside the monument and must be left at the cloakroom. Baby carriers available on loan. TICKETS: Avignon Tourisme invites you to book your visit online by choosing your time slot. Reservations at www.avignon-tourisme.com Tickets can be purchased on site and at the tourist office for slots that are not fully booked. HISTOPAD: an immersive digital tour to go back in time and see the invisible! With the Histopad (digital tablet), step back in time and relive the splendors of the pontifical court in the 14th century in multimedia immersion. Thanks to augmented reality, you can visualize many of the rooms in the Papal Palace as they might have been in the 14th century. The Histopad allows you to take a virtual tour of 9 of the palace's main rooms, which have been re-imagined in their 14th-century settings using augmented reality. THE PALACE GARDENS Recently restored, the gardens are a new attraction for visitors, providing a space for relaxation and a better understanding of the entire Palais des Papes, an exceptional historic monument listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The Jardin du Pape and the Jardin du Palais thus join the Verger Urbain V, inaugurated on September 14, 2018, and freely accessible to the public, to complete the triptych of the Gardens of the Palais des Papes. This redevelopment is structured into two zones: the Jardin du Palais (or Jardin Benoît XII, 1250m2) and the Jardin du Pape (662m2). The 14th-century hydraulic network was chosen as the structuring element for the design of the Palace Garden, delimiting the large rectangles where Mediterranean plant species attested to in the 14th century in these pontifical gardens are planted. The Jardin du Pape is an intimate garden, with direct access from the papal apartments. Its redevelopment has restored its precious character, with the re-creation of the griffin fountain and the surrounding flower meadow. The famous and imposing Roma building, of which only a trace remains on the ground, has been reconstituted in the form of a monumental pergola, which will eventually be entirely covered with plants. Restoration work has been undertaken by the City of Avignon and Avignon Tourisme with the support of the French government, the DRAC, the Southern Region, the Crédit Agricole Foundation and the L'Occitane Foundation. The gardens can be visited on their own, or combined with the Pont d'Avignon or Palais des Papes. Free for Avignon residents every day of the year, upon reservation and presentation of proof of address. Tours close 1 hour before the monument closes. IH : Due to a large number of steps, the tour of the Palais des Papes is partially inaccessible to wheelchair users. However, we are happy to assist you with your personalized visit. All our teams are mobilized to accompany you and provide you with a "tailor-made" experience at the heart of the greatest Gothic palace. Your visit will take you through the main areas of the monument, allowing you to discover the history of the Popes, armed with your Histopad. Bonus: access to the Sant-Martial chapel. Open all year round: Tuesdays, Fridays and Sundays, 4pm-6pm. Length of visit: 2 hours. Free admission for you and your companion (guided tour recommended). Reservations required on 04 32 74 32 74 or by e-mail: officetourisme@avignon-tourisme.com Numerous guided tours of the monument are offered throughout the year. Information and reservations at www.avignon-tourisme.com The boutique-bookshop is open all year round. See the store video: youtu.be/17jxnfkn7cc Pets are not allowed (except guide dogs). The Palais des Papes has been awarded the "Accueil vélo" label. Subject to change without notice.