Page 174 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - Provence & The Côte d'Azur

172  PROVENCE AREA B Y AREA

Exploring Avignon includes works by Simone
Martini and Botticelli, as well as
Massive ramparts enclose one of the most fascinating works from the Avignon School,
towns in southern France. A quick stroll reveals trompe l’oeil and many French and Italian
windows and mansions such as King René’s house in the religious paintings.
rue du Roi-René. This street leads to the rue des Teinturiers, E Musée Lapidaire
named after local dyers and textile-makers, where a bridge 27 rue de la République. Tel 04 90 85
for pedestrians crosses the river Sorgue to the 16th-century 75 38. Open Tue–Sun. Closed 1 Jan,
Chapelle des Pénitents Gris. 1 May, 25 Dec. & ∑ musee-
lapidaire.org
Once a 17th-century Baroque
Jesuit college, the museum
has Celtic-Ligurian, Egyptian,
Gallic and Roman artifacts,
including a 2nd-century
Tarasque monster (see p144).
E Musée Calvet
65 rue Joseph Vernet. Tel 04 90 86
33 84. Open Wed–Mon. Closed 1 Jan,
1 May, 25 Dec. & 7 restricted.
∑ musee-calvet-avignon.com
This evocative museum was
Palais des Papes in Avignon glimpsed across the river Rhône visited by the French writer
Stendhal, who left his inscrip-
+ Palais des Papes Le Grand Tinel, and La Salle du tion behind. Renovated in
Pl du Palais. Tel 04 32 74 32 74. Consistoire, where pictures of 2003 to permit the display
Open daily (times vary). & 8 9 all the popes are displayed. The of many of the treasures
- = ∑ palais-des-papes.com chapel beside it has exquisite previously stored in their
These buildings (see pp48–9) give frescoes painted by Giovanetti vaults, the highlight is the
an idea of the grand life under the between 1346 and 1348. 19th–20th-century collection,
seven French popes who built a with works by Soutine,
miniature Vatican during their rule R Cathédrale Notre- Manet, Dufy, Gleizes and
here, lasting from 1309–77. They Dame-des-Doms Marie Laurencin.
owned their own mint, baked a Pl du Palais. Tel 04 90 82 12 21.
vast number of loaves every day, Open Mon–Sat & Sun pm. E Musée Angladon
and fortified themselves ∑ cathedrale-avignon.fr 5 rue Laboureur. Tel 04 90 82 29 03.
against the French. This building beside Open Tue–Sat pm only (call ahead to
Entrance is by the Palais des Papes check). & 8 ∑ angladon.com
means of the Porte was begun in the 12th This museum cleverly combines
des Champeaux, century. Since then it modern technology with the
beneath the twin has been damaged and intimacy of a private home for
pencil-shaped turrets rebuilt several times. displaying this outstanding
of the flamboyant A gilded Madonna was private collection of 18th–
Palais Neuf (1342– Bird tile in the Chambre added to the tower in 20th-century works of art.
52), built by Clement du Pape the 19th century, and
VI, which extends the original 6th-century E Collection Lambert
south from the solid Palais Vieux altar is now in the Chapelle St-Roch, Musée d’Art Contemporain,
(1334–42) of Benoit XII. In the where two popes are buried. 5 rue Violette. Tel 04 90 16 56 20.
new palace, the main courtyard, Open Sep–Jun: Tue–Sun; Jul-Aug:
La Cour d’Honneur, is the grand E Musée du Petit Palais daily. Closed 1 May. & 8 7 =
central setting for the summer Pl du Palais. Tel 04 90 86 44 58. 0 ∑ collectionlambert.com
festival (see p229). La Chambre Open Wed–Mon. Closed 1 Jan, Opened in 2000, the Collection
du Pape in the Tour des Anges 1 May, 1 Nov, 25 Dec. & 8 Lambert is located in an 18th-
opposite the entrance has ∑ petit-palais.org century mansion, next to the
exquisite tiles, and there are Set around an arcaded court- School of Art. The museum
fine 14th-century deer-hunting yard, the “little palace”, built houses an outstanding
scenes painted by Matteo in 1318, was modified in 1474 collection of contemporary
Giovanetti and others in the to suit Michelangelo’s patron, art on loan for 20 years from
adjoining Chambre du Cerf. Cardinal Rovere, later Pope gallery-owner Yvon Lambert.
The larger rooms around the Julius II. It became a museum Paintings date from the 1960s,
Palais Vieux include the 45-m in 1958, and houses Avignon’s and represents all the major
(148-ft) banqueting hall, medieval collection, which art movements since then.
For hotels and restaurants in this region see p201 and pp215–16