Avignon

Provence is at its seductive best in June and the first half of July, when the lavender and sunflowers bloom and festivals are in full swing. It’s hot, but even hotter in August, when French families take their holidays and everything is packed.

April, May, September and October are delightful, uncrowded and mild. Many sights are closed down by mid-November until Easter; also in winter it’s far more likely to rain and stay overcast until the fierce mistral wind blows, often for several days in a row, gusting up to 100km per hour, but sweeping the sky crystal clear.

The Avignon Festival runs for most of July and the city heaves. If you’re not going specifically for it, it’s best to avoid this month.

From Avignon airport, take a taxi or city bus No.21 to the city’s train and bus stations. For those arriving at Marseille airport, there’s a shuttle to the nearby station in Vitrolles, where trains run directly to Avignon on the Montpellier line.

The old walled city of Avignon is compact and easy to get around on foot. Alternatively, the city’s Velopop scheme provides bicycles for rent by the hour or day; to access them you need a credit card and mobile phone. Or hop on a Velo Cite rickshaw.