If
you’re looking for nice accommodations in Avignon, then I suggest
staying at Le Prieure. This Relais & Chateaux hotel, located in
Villeneuve Les Avignon, was once an abbey. Now, it’s a classy,
comfortable hotel. From the moment you arrive at this establishment,
you feel its charm envelop you.Making your way from the treed
parking lot, which is under constant electronic surveillance, to the
reception area, the first things you notice are two clay tennis courts
on your left. Continuing on to the reception, you walk along a
delightful path, surrounded on all sides by an arched trellis covered
with roses. To the left is a pretty little garden full of flowers; to
the right is the pool. Leaving the garden, you walk through the outdoor
dining area which, depending on the time of day, can be filled with
guests enjoying the hotel’s tasty offerings.
And when I say
tasty, I mean tasty. The dinners at Le Prieure are very good. They
serve usually three flavors of breads each night for dinner, and all
are interesting and homemade. It was at Le Prieure that I had the best
fish of the trip: a John Dory in a light, creamy mint sauce with fresh
peas and favas. For desert, I recommend the orange caramel soufflé. The
huge breakfast buffet is also very attractive for breakfast-lovers.
Among the items offered are sausage, turkey, cereal, muffins, apple
sauce, eggs, bacon, and yogurt.
After checking in and being
shown to your rooms, you’ll notice that they’re immaculately kept. The
beds are comfortable, and the bathrooms are exceptional. In fact, the
bathrooms are the best of any hotel on this trip. Our bathroom had a
bath, shower, bidet, full-length mirror, very nice sinks, etc. And to
top it off, the pressure was good and the water was hot. (I don’t know
about the bidet.)
Even though the bathrooms are really nice, the
balcony is undoubtedly the best part of the hotel. Each balcony has a
table, some chairs, and a retractable sun shade. This allows you to sit
on your balcony in comfort, even on hot, sunny days. (I might add that
this is a very good amenity for looking down at the attractive ladies
at the pool.)
Being based at Le Prieure, you have access to
Villeneuve Les Avignon. Although the town is little, there are a few
bars and ice cream shops. There are also at least two barber shops, a
few bakeries, and a post office (for those people who, like me, still
send “snail mail”). Secondly, you are close to two train stations,
three airports, and two golf courses. Lastly, you are only minutes from
Avignon.
Avignon is really a neat place. This fully walled,
fortified city is where the popes were housed for a while after the
French kidnapped one of the them and moved the Papacy. If you enjoy
history, then you should definitely visit the Papal Palace. This
building is incredible. In previous articles, I mentioned that I don’t
like audio guides, but I really enjoyed the audio guide at the Papal
Palace. I recommend taking one when you buy tickets.
Shopping in
Avignon is OK, but nothing to write home about. There are a few good
stores, such as Calvin Klein, but the majority of them are not too
great. There are, however, plenty of cafes. In fact, the first things
we saw when entering Avignon were cafes.
Continue to the center
of Avignon and you’ll find a big square filled with cafes—along with a
double-decker merry-go-round, which looks mighty fun. I’ve forgotten
the French name, but in English it is something like “The Square of the
Clock.” This is due to the large clock in the top of one of the
prominent buildings of the square.
I enjoyed Avignon, yet I’m
glad I only stayed for a few days. Frankly, it was a little hot, and
there wasn’t a whole lot to do beyond wandering around and seeing the
Papal Palace. I am very glad that we stayed at Le Prieure: it really is
an excellent establishment, and it made our stay in the area very
enjoyable.
Contact info for Le Prieure:
7, Place du Chapitre
30400 Villeneuve Lez Avignon
Tel: 04 90 15 90 15
Fax: 04 90 25 45 39
E-mail:
