Walking and Eating in Provence

Walk & Eat Series: AVIGNON (15/1/2019); updated 07/05/24

Updates for walks and restaurants around Avignon given below supplement those provided in the 3rd edition of the guidebook. It is vital that this Update is read in conjunction with the text of the book, but note that the Update applies only to the edition stated and not to any earlier editions. (If you have an older edition of this book you can “upgrade” to the latest edition at half price.)

Information has been forwarded to us by users of the book, and Sunflower Books offers the data in good faith but cannot be held responsible for any misleading or inaccurate content in the Update. Unless indicated otherwise, what appears here has not been verified by the author or publisher (unless so stated), so please allow due caution when new or amended routes are suggested. Each piece of information is dated; bear in mind that some of the older observations may have since been overtaken by events or further changes. If, during your holiday, you are using the current edition of the guide and are able to provide any additional updating to add to this page, we will be pleased to hear from you. Please send information, preferably by e-mail, to info@sunflowerbooks.co.uk.

GENERAL
The fire hazard runs from 1 June until 30 September now, but it was so hot some days in April ’24 that we think it may be extended…
ALL CHANGE! The bus line numbers and the websites have all changed since 2019. It is easier to just repeat the reprinted edition below:
Avignon by train: Log on to seat61.com and search ‘London to Avignon‘ for full details — this is an excellent website, and includes details of how to use trains in France and indeed the sncf website shown below.
Walks 1, 2 and 3: While there are buses between Avignon, Nîmes and Arles, the fastest way of getting between these cities is by train. See page 12 for hints on using the websites sncf-connect.com and ter.sncf.com. Otherwise, for buses, see the following sites:
from Avignon: see Walk 4 below;
from Nîmes: see Walk 7 below;
from Arles: see Walk 4 below.
The tourist office websites for these three cities all have English versions, sometimes with a link to public transport information:
Avignon: avignontourisme.com;
Nîmes: nimes-tourisme.com;
Arles: arles-tourisme.com
Trains are operated by TER (Transports Express Régional), part of the SNCF (Société Nationale des Chemins de Fer). You can use journey planners (in English) at sncf-connect.com/enen.But printed timetables are not available on the sncf website; you have to go to the TER website to download them. Key in ter.sncf.com/sud-provence-alpes-cote-d-azur-se-deplacer/fiches-horaires. Then you can download Ligne 08 (Marseille–Avignon via Arles), Ligne 09 (Marseille–Avignon via Cavaillon) and Ligne 11 (Marseille–Nîmes–Montpellier). It is not necessary to pre-book tickets on the TER trains; just go to the station, buy the ticket (there is only one class of travel) and hop on the train.
Walk 4: To get bus timetables for St-Rémy log on to zou.maregionsud.fr (English pages) and click on ‘Download timetables in pdf‘ > ‘Mouth of the Rhône‘ > ‘Proximity lines‘ > ‘Secteur Arles — Alpilles‘ and download timetable 707 or 704 as appropriate. (Bus 707 runs to Les Baux and Arles in July and August only).
Walk 5: Les Baux‘s website is lesbauxdeprovence.com, but there are no timetables. Click on ‘Practical info‘ > ‘Getting here‘. See Walk 4 for timetables from St-Rémy for the return.
Walk 6: Barbentane is served by bus line 705 (Avignon–Tarascon line); log on to zou.maregionsud.fr (English pages) and click on ‘Download timetables in pdf‘ > ‘Mouth of the Rhône‘ > ‘Proximity lines‘ > ‘Secteur Avignon — North Bouches du Rhône‘ and download timetable 705. The Barbentane tourist office can be accessed at barbentane.fr (in French).
Walk 7: Timetables for bus lines 121 (Nîmes–Pont St-Esprit) and 115 (Avignon–Alès) can both be found at lio-occitane.fr (French only): click on the menu, then ‘Se déplacer‘ > ‘Horaires et plans‘ > ‘Gard‘ > ‘Ligne 115 (for Avignon) or ‘Ligne 121‘ (for Nîmes). The Vers tourist office site can be accessed at vers-pont-du-gard.fr (only in French but, if you read French, there is a lot of information under ‘Découvrir Vers’). Another website, uzes-pontdugard.uk (!) testifies to the popularity of this area and all its sights; the official website for the Pont du Gard complex itself (and its amenities) is at pontdugard.fr (of course in English too).
Walk 8 and 9: Timetables for bus line 702 (Arles–Salon route) can be found at zou.maregionsud.fr (follow instructions in Walk 4, but download timetable for Ligne 702). Surprisingly, Aureille no longer has a website.
Walk 10: Getting to Gordes means two buses, but timings are very convenient, provided you are willing to get up early! They run Mon-Fri. The entire journey only takes about 1h20min, including the change of buses at Cavaillon bus station (the timetables are synchronised). Go to zou.maregionsud.fr and proceed as for Walk 4, but download timetables for Vaucluse and under ‘Proximity lines‘ choose ‘Secteur Avignon — Sorgues‘ and ‘Secteur Apt — Sault‘. You want timetables for lines 907 (Avignon–Cavaillon) and 917 (Apt–Gordes–Cavaillon). The website for the Gordes Tourist Office is gordes-village.com (with English version). The website for the Abbaye de Sénanque is senanque.fr. At the very end of the (long) page in French, there is an British flag, which translates the site to English.

Walk 1, Avignon: When we visited at the end of April 2024 the ramparts were not accessible. A new restaurant in the Place de l’Horloge has replaced Le Forum: the Basseries de l’Horloge — right at the centre of things and delicious! Opposite the theatre and carousel. (Authors, 5/24)

Walk 2, Nîmes: The suggested restaurant is now called ‘Tables de la Fontaine’ (lestablesdelafontaine.com). We’ve had excellent reports of another restaurant as well – Le Cheval Blanc, in the eponymous hotel opposite the coliseum (1, Place des Arènes). Website: winebar-lechevalblanc.com. (Sunflower, 7/19) • The tourist office has moved – it is now opposite Les Arènes on Blvd des Arènes. (Sunflower, 2/23) • There is a new museum in Nîmes, Musée de la Romantié. It incorporates the old archaeological museum and displays 5000 artefacts relating to 25 centuries of local history. It is in a very modern building opposite the arena at the start of the walk – but leave it till later, or you may not do the walk at all! Pat loves the railways station in Nîmes, and now it has a new café, opposite Paul’s (on the left as you enter). It’s called La Pause, has armchairs, a library, hot and cold food to eat in or take away … and uses tea leaves for a wonderful cuppa. (Authors, 5/24)

Walk 3, Arles: The Place Lamartine at the start of the walk is being rebuilt. The Foundation van Gogh has moved: it is now at 35 Rue du Dr Fanton. (Authors, 5/24)

Walk 4: No major changes. (Authors, 5/24)

Walk 5: There are plenty of shaded picnic tables at Glanum, outside the paid area. The ‘Universe of Vincent’ with all the numbered  reproductions of his paintings is no more. The reproductions are on the D5 now, and there’s a GR6 ‘X’ beside the path off the Chemin des Carrières. This path and lane are still viable, but the main walk now follows the D5 to finish. The reproductions carry excepts from letters that the artist wrote to his family and sponsors (in France and English). The Bistrot Découverte has been taken over by a lady called Olga, and now has outdoor seating — including on the pavement outside the restaurant. The food is still terrific. (Authors, 5/24)

Walk 6: This walk suffered terrible forest fires in summer 2022, and the area south of the Draille du Mas de la Dame is a mass of tracks, firebreaks and burnt-out scrub. We suggest doing the walk to the draille, then going direct to waypoint 7. But the Abbaye de Frigolet survived the flames, and we suggest going to La Traille for lunch if you have a car … because La Romarin in Barbentane is closed permanently and the Hotel St-Jean only serves lunch and dinner at the appointed hours! So unless you have time on your hands, this is a walk to miss. (Authors, 5/24)

Walk 7: The railway tracks at the start and near the end of the walk have been turned into a cycle path. There is no longer a ‘barrage of signposts’ at waypoint 3, just a ‘Pont Roupt’ sign, indicating that the Post du Gard is 0,9km ahead. As of 5/24 there was no signpost opposite indicating the path through the garrigues (the return route). Having viewed the Rive Droite Panorama, and crossed to the left bank, the sign doesn’t mention the GR6/63 or PR41; it now indicates the left bank viewpoint, and you still go straight ahead up steps; nearing the top they are wooden. At the top of the steps there is a wooden platform. If you are feeling peckish in Vers and nowhere is open, go to the bakery in the Place du Marche on the road to Castillon, where you can get something savoury or sweet to eat and a drink. The restaurant we mention in Uzès is closed. (Authors, 5/24)

Walks 8, 9: The Table des Alpilles in Aureille has closed, it is now replaced by L’Atelier de Moulin, which has terrific reviews on Trip Advisor. We were too late arriving to try it out. We thought that Bar Soler around the corner would have something to eat, but it only serves lunch and only from Mon-Fri. Other than that there are not even any crisps or bread.

Walk 9: The moto-cross circuit has been closed since 2010! But no one cleared it. In 2023 its was decided to clean it up but this will take a lot of time, since they’ve identified no fewer than 1400 tires and other rubbish! The ‘cultivated fields’ before and after the 2h30min point are now more olive groves.