Vaison-la-Romaine

The city is best known for its beautiful Roman remains including a single-arch bridge, and for its medieval city and its cathedral. What is unusual about a visit to Vaison is that you are able to see 2,000 years of history before your eyes — ancient, medieval and modern — in a single glance.

By plane

Vaison la Romaine is accessible via the Avignon-Caumont Airport, which is mainly served by low-cost airlines. The other nearest airports are Marseille Provence Airport and Nîmes-Garon Airport.

By train

The nearest TGV station is Gare d'Avignon TGV, and other lines, the Orange.

By bus

Several bus lines connect Vaison la Romaine cities with the regional (bus line) :

• Ligne 1-2 : Orange - Avignon
• Ligne 4 : Orange - Vaison la Romaine – Nyons - Buis-les-Baronnies
• Ligne 3-1 : Orange - Valréas
• Ligne 14 : Pays Voconces and Vallée du Toulourenc
• Ligne 3-2 : Malaucène - Valréas
• Ligne 3-4 : Vaison - Bollène
• Ligne 18 : Arles – Tarascon – Avignon

By car

Vaison la Romaine is accessible by RD975 from Orange and exit of Highway A7 and Highway A9 #21 - Orange Centre, as well as the RD 938 from Carpentras.

The city does not have bus service. It is not extensive, and the modern and ancient parts are easy to walk. The medieval part is a little more strenuous to walk through, as it is on a hill dominated by the medieval castle. A tourist train from the tourist office offers a motorized guided tour that lasts 35 minutes and costs 4.50 €.

Two of the most interesting aspects of the town are its geography and its ruins. The Roman ruins and the modern town are in the valley on the banks of a river which is crossed by an ancient bridge from the 1st century AD.
The medieval town is high on a rocky cliff. The valley floor was safe from attack in Roman and modern times. In the Middle Ages, attacks were frequent, and the town retreated uphill to a more defensible position.
The apse of the Church of St. Quenin, dedicated to Saint Quinidius, seems to date from the eighth century; it is one of the oldest in France. As a whole, the cathedral dates from the 11th century, but the apse and the apsidal chapels are from the Merovingian period.

• Roman bridge

  address: 2 Avenue César Geoffray
  Roman bridge spanning the Ouvèze, 17 metres above the river. During the floods of September 1992, the waves passed over the parapet.

• Archaeological site Villasse

  address: 18 Avenue Général de Gaulle
  Ancient Roman forum, with its spa and its shopping streets.

• Cathédrale Notre-Dame-de-Nazareth

  address: 78 Avenue Jules Ferry
  Cathedral with cloister.

• Castle of the Counts of Toulouse

  address: 1 Chemin de Barbanot
  Castle on top of the medieval city, partially ruined.

• Archaeological site of Puymin

  address: rue Bernard Noël

• Roman theater

  address: Avenue des Choralies

• Saint Quenin chapel

  address: Avenue de Saint-Quenin
  Romanesque chapel, with the particularity of a triangular apse.

• Old clock tower

  address: Petite Rue
  Clock tower of the medieval city, with a Provençal-style bell tower.

• Tourist Office

  phone: +33 4 90 36 02 11
  address: Avenue Chanoine Sautel
  Visit the well equipped tourist office for information and a local map.

Walk through the medieval city to the ruins of the castle. Please note that the narrow streets up are steep and that the last part is not paved. Once at the top you are rewarded with a magnificent view over the region.

• Weekly Provençal market

• Librairie Montfort

  address: 34 Grand Rue
  Very complete choice in literature and local history books.

• La Romaine

  phone: +33 4 90 36 00 43
  address: 95 Chemin de Saumelongue
  Wines of the Côtes du Rhône and Ventoux.

You can find several restaurants at Place Montfort.

• La Lyriste

  phone: +33 4 90 36 04 67
  address: 45, Cours Taulignan
  Traditional French restaurant.

• Le Logis du Chateau

  phone: +33 4 90 62 02 46
  address: Impasse du Grand Alizier
  The view from the hotel is magnificent and the service is impeccable.

• Municipal area Motorhome

  phone: +33 4 90 36 14 53
  address: Avenue Coudray
  Area for motor homes, rents mobile homes and caravans.

• Le Carpe Diem (camping)

  phone: +33 4 90 36 02 02
  address: Route de St Marcellin
  Water park, rentals of mobile homes.

• Le Théatre romain (camping)

  phone: +33 4 90 28 78 66
  address: Quartier des Arts Chemin du Brusquet,

• Hostellerie du Beffroi

  phone: +33 4 90 36 04 71
  address: rue de l'Evéché
  3-star hotel. Themed stays are available in history or oenology. Languages ​​spoken: English, German, Italian.

• Hotel Burrhus

  phone: +33 4 90 36 00 11
  address: 2 place Montfort
  In the city centre, pets allowed.

• Tourism office

  phone: +33 4 90 36 02 11
  address: Place du Chanoine Sautel

• Poste office

  address: Place du 11 Novembre

• Association to Protect the Haute Ville

  address: Located in Hotel Beffroi
  The Association is a way to keep in touch with the old city (the "Haute Ville"). There are 100 residences up there and the association fights to keep the citadel "special." It's worth it to find out the local seasonal activities.

• Avignon
• Carpentras
• Mont Ventoux
• Nyons
• Orange
• Saint-Paul-Troix-Châteaux