Things to do near Avignon...

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ASC1951

Guru
Location
Yorkshire
There's a certain nearby hill that could be worth a look...
And while you are there, you could toddle up the Dentelles de Montmirail; look at the Fontaine de Vaucluse; visit the wineries at Baumes de Venise and Vacqueyras; drive or cycle down the Gorges de la Nesques ....
Lots of off-road and excursions à cheval all over the area. Here is one of numerous slightly turgid official websites http://www.provenceguide.co.uk/
 

Crankarm

Guru
Location
Nr Cambridge
I doesn't cost anything to visit the Pont du Gard. Go over the bridge at Remoulins, turn right up the lane with the river on your right, this will take you to the PdG bypassing the visitors centre.

Maybe you can still pass over it by car/bike as you would a normal bridge, but as soon as you stop it costs money. I was there when it had yet to be turned into a revenue generating honey pot which no one has picked up on and which was over 20 years ago when I worked in Avignon for a year and a bit. We used to go to the Pont Du Guard for lunch. It was very quiet and agreeable back then totally unspoiled or sullied by mass tourism. You were free to roam. I did revisit in 1999 I think but it had by then already been ruined.

Still a magnificent aquaduct built by the Romans to carry water from Uzes to Nime. As I say water flowed on the top which was covered by huge slabs of rock with occasional breaks so you could jump down and walk along inside. Sadly you no longer can. I guess a few people jumped killing themselves so spoilt it for the rest of us. It was pretty windy on top especially if the Mistral was blowing.

The Palais de Papes is worth visiting in Avignon and there are some lovely bars in the old town.

Orange to the north has a half decent amphitheatre and as does Nime to the south which is still used for bull fighting or it was. Then there is the beauty of the Carmargue wet lands to the south.
 
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Stig-OT-Dump

Stig-OT-Dump

Legendary Member
Thanks for the advice. Ventoux was shut just past the Chalet Reynard at Le Grave, so I ended up about 400m below the summit - but that is still 4,000' of climbing so not a bad jaunt at all. The run back down was ace too. Having failed to summit I didn't think I qualified for buying a souvenir of my day - I had quite fancied a kilometre marker thingy - but I'm sure I won't forget it for quite a while. Still - as the kids have pointed out, I have a reason to go back.
 
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Stig-OT-Dump

Stig-OT-Dump

Legendary Member
My kids keep giggling at the "Chat on Ouef" wine that can be purchased, especially the chat part.
I only took a part day bike hire but the wonderful people at France Bike Rentals, Bedoin (http://www.francebikerentals.com/Default.aspx?tabid=53) will actually deliver the bike to your holiday accommodation. I have agreement in principal from SWMBO to do this "next time" and to basically meet up in the evenings!
I cannot begin to imagine what possessed me to hire an Aluminium bike with all that carbon on offer. There were fantastic rides for both road and MTB where we were staying, and the accommodation rates for this time of year were very attractive.
 
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