Provence, France Photo Gallery

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2. Avignon, France: Wine
Picturesque rolling hills, pleasant weather, and some of the best cuisine on the planet make a good enough reason to go to idyllic Provence. Add 4,000 wineries to that list and visiting the Cotes du Rhone wine region graduates from a want to a need. Avignon, the capital of the region, is a wine enthusiast's paradise and also offers tastings of olive oils, chocolates, and, of course, Provencal cuisine. The village of Châteauneuf du Pape is a must-see. Just a few miles north of Avignon, this beautiful medieval town where popes used to summer produces the region's most famous full-bodied red wine. If you manage to push away from wine tasting and eating foie gras and camembert on baguettes, visit the Palace of the Popes, the largest Gothic structure in Europe with 49,000 square feet of floor space. The behemoth palace was built in the mid-1300s when Avignon was among the Pontifical States. Or take a drive to picturesque medieval ruins in the tiny village of Les Baux-de-Provence. Or visit the working village market in Eygalières. Or…ah, maybe tomorrow. For now, another glass?
Avignon Travel Guide
France Photo Gallery