Just 45 minutes outside Avignon is the mountain village Lacoste which was home to the Marquis de Sade. Most beautiful views, history and a cedar forest for an afternoon stroll.

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Once you’ve arrived refreshed from your rail journey, don’t rush away too quickly from Avignon Station. Do take time to appreciate this innovative building completed in 2001.

A curved façade and wall of overlapping laminated glass panels has been used by the architect to impressive effect. Look upwards to fully appreciate the scale of it all.

On your return journey ticketed passengers are allocated platform space nearest their booked train seat in order to reduce the usual rush when a train pulls in. Avignon is just one of four new stations between Paris and Marseilles commissioned in 1998.

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Villeneuve lez Avignon really should be visited by anyone intending to spend more than a day in Avignon. Some 10 minutes' drive to the other side of the Rhone is this superbly preserved late medieval village with great views across to the Palais des Papes.

Apart from the Chartreuse, fort, abbey gardens and village square, there's a great restaurant in a hotel next to the church. Very good food in menus costing around 70€.The sommelier is happy to recommend wines at anything from 20€ up.

Le Prieuré, 7 pl du Chapitre, Villeneuve des Avignon. 04 90 15 90 15

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Admire the beautiful, walled city of Avignon from the viewpoint of its twin town of Villeneuve. Avignon’s Palace of the Popes was home to a number of fourteenth-century Popes and across the wide, meandering River Rhone is Villeneuve lez Avignon, the town where the papal courtiers lived. The walk to Villeneuve, which takes about half-an-hour, crosses the Rhone and involves a gentle, uphill approach to the sleepy town that boasts a medieval monastery, a fort and a citadel plus a plethora of pavement cafes. Perfect for an afternoon visit, there are regular buses if you can’t manage the walk.

Villeneuve

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Want to wake up with the best view of the river in Avignon? Try the inexpensive and friendly campsite over the bridge.

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One of the best views of Avignon is from Villeneuve les Avignon, across the Rhone. It is a lovely, quiet spot with a hotel, a fantastic tower and a well-preserved monastery (or charterhouse).

www.villeneuvelesavignon.fr/

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