Region
Vaucluse
Base in Avignon 2‑3 nights; day‑trip to Luberon villages, Vaison‑la‑Romaine, Gordes and the Fontaine‑de‑Vaucluse spring.
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Key facts · France
- Currency
- Euro (EUR, €)
- Language
- French
- Plugs
- C · E · 230 V
- Time zone
- CET, UTC+1
Rules in force · 10Non-EU visitors get 90 days in any rolling 180-day window…
- Europe ↗Non-EU visitors get 90 days in any rolling 180-day window, counted across all 29 Schengen states together — not per country; the Entry/Exit System now logs each crossing, so an overstay is detected automatically.
- Europe ↗On the first Schengen entry since EES began, non-EU travellers give four fingerprints and a face photo at the border instead of a passport stamp; there is nothing to apply for or pay in advance.
- France and Monaco ↗France has run temporary identity checks at its internal Schengen land borders since 2015; carry a passport or EU/EEA national ID on trains and buses from Italy, Spain, Belgium, Germany, Switzerland and Luxembourg.
- France and Monaco ↗Nights in France and Monaco draw on the same Schengen 90-in-180-day allowance as the rest of the area; Monaco does not reset or pause it.
- France ↗France is in the Schengen area. Check the entry rules for your passport on official sources; the EU's Entry/Exit System registers non-EU visitors' fingerprints and photo at the first Schengen border, and further pre-travel authorisation rules are being introduced.
- France ↗TGV (including the low-cost Ouigo) and Intercités night trains need a seat reservation: a rail pass alone does not let you board.
- France ↗Paris, Lyon and other large cities run low-emission zones that require a Crit'Air sticker on cars; check before you drive a hire car or your own car into a city.
- France ↗Carry your passport or national ID card: police can ask for identification, and hotels register foreign guests.
- Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur ↗TER regional trains cover the coast and the Rhône valley; buy at the station or on the SNCF app. Local trains are delay-prone — leave margin before a TGV or a flight.
- Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur ↗Several city centres are low-emission zones (ZFE); check your vehicle sticker before driving into Marseille, Nice or Toulon.
Vaucluse offers a mix of papal heritage, the deep Fontaine‑de‑Vaucluse spring and the Luberon villages. Use Avignon as a base (2‑3 nights) and make day‑trips to the spring, Luberon hill towns, Vaison‑la‑Romaine and Gordes.
Where to sleep
Sleep base
- AvignonCity guide
Historic centre, good train links, mid‑range hotels.
Best May–Jun, Sep–Oct
JFMAMJJASOND
Also here
- L'Isle‑sur‑la‑SorgueGuide: planned
Market town with B&Bs; good for exploring the Sorgue valley.
Page planned: listed so the region plan is complete.
Plan the nights
How to split the nights, day-trips and what to do with your bags
Open Plan the nightsClose Plan the nights3 partsNights · Day-trips · Bags
Night sequences
- 2 nights
- Avignon 2 nights, day‑trips to Luberon, Vaison‑la‑Romaine and Fontaine‑de‑Vaucluse
- 3 nights
- Avignon 3 nights, add a night in L'Isle‑sur‑la‑Sorgue for market visits
- Summer festivals (Avignon, Orange) draw crowds; book accommodation early.
- Mountain roads to Gordes can be narrow; allow extra driving time.
Day-trips door to door
| To | From | Door-to-door p50 | Last return | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Luberon (Gordes, Roussillon, Bonnieux) | Avignon | 45 min | unknown | Scenic drive; most villages have parking on outskirts. |
| Vaison‑la‑Romaine | Avignon | 40 min | unknown | Roman ruins and market on Tuesdays. |
| Fontaine‑de‑Vaucluse spring | Avignon | 30 min | unknown | Walk or short bus; spring is the deepest in Europe. |
Bags between cities
Luggage forwarding between Avignon and L'Isle‑sur‑la‑Sorgue is available via local courier services; arrange at hotel reception.
When to go
Months and weather
Open When to goClose When to go2 partsSeasons · Climate
Seasons at a glance
Pick a month to see where to go.
Show all 12 months, country by countryHide the 12-month table
| Country | JJan | FFeb | MMar | AApr | MMay | JJun | JJul | AAug | SSep | OOct | NNov | DDec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Avignon | ok | ok | ok | ok | go | go | × | × | go | go | ok | ok |
| Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur (country-wide) | ok | ok | ok | go | go | go | ok | ok | go | go | ok | ok |
Computed from each country’s own data; hover a country name for the source. Advisory countries are left out.
Climate strip
Getting in and passes
Arrival times and regional passes
Open Getting in and passesClose Getting in and passes1 partGet in
Get in
| From | To | How | p50 | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ≈ 2 h from Marseille via A7 | A7 Autoroute du Soleil from the north; A8 and A9 from east/west. | |||
| ≈ 2 h 40 min from Paris by TGV | Regional TER and TGV services connect to Paris, Lyon and Marseille. | |||
| ≈ 1 h 30 min flight from London Gatwick | Seasonal summer flights from UK (Birmingham, Bournemouth). |
Eat and move on
Regional food and where to go next
Open Eat and move onClose Eat and move on1 partGo next
Go next
Avignon travel guide
Base city for Vaucluse attractions
Luberon travel guide
plannedHill villages and vineyards north of Vaucluse
France travel guide
Broader national context
Planning aids
Built from this guide's own data
Open Planning aidsClose Planning aids1 partIn numbers
Region in numbers
- Where to sleep
- 1 base
- Day trips
- 3, 30 min to 45 min
- Nights suggested
- 2–3 nights
- Ways in
- 3 listed
Deep dive
Photos, reading and every source
Open Deep diveClose Deep dive1 partSources
Sources
Ask about Vaucluse
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