Carpentras

It has the look and feel of a sleepy place in the shadow of Mont Ventoux, but it’s also the Wall Street of the truffle market.

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You can download and print a copy of the strolls here

A wander around town (3k blue)

Upon leaving the station turn left, but avoid the Avenue de la Gare which runs parallel to the tracks and is a bit of a long way into town (if you do accidentally take it, as I did my fisrt time, just turn right at the next big road)

Instead, take the right hand fork onto the imaginatively named D49, which was/is Avenue Wilson (there is the occasional painted out sign), which leads into the centre of town and at the end of that road, turn right into the equally inspired D942/Avenue Clemenceau.

At the end of that road, cross over at the crossing to the grand(ish) building in front of you. This is the former hospital (Hôtel-Dieu) which is now home to the Museum l’Inguimbertine (opening March 2023).

Go through into the courtyard which is hosts the professional truffle market. Inside the building are plaques to each of the donors. The oldest are simply coats of arms but the more recent ones act as memorials to the donor often depicting a scene that typified their lives.

On the left is access to the chapel (Chapelle de l’Hôtel-Dieu) through the grand doors, but there is also a little door to the right which has revolving hatch, where mothers would leave the children they could not afford to keep.

After leaving the building, turn right and cross the road. The square in front is where tuffles (along with other produce) are sold to the general public on Fridays. You can buy truffle produce and other local goodies at the back of the Office de Tourisme on the right hand side.

Leave the square on the far side along the Rue de la République.

Continue all the way until it opens out onto the main town square, Place Charles de Gaulle.

On the right is the Cathedral of Saint-Siffrein, which is worth a nosey, but probably the feature most intriguing feature is on the Porte des Juifs, which is round the right hand side of the Cathedral (Place Saint-Siffrein). No one knows why there is a ball of rats above the door.

Follow the path which leads around the cathedral and behind the former episcopal palace (now Palais de Justice) where there is a Roman triumphal arch.

At the far end of the park/playground turn right (Rue d’Inguimbert) which wends round to another square that contains the Hotel de Ville. This is the Place de la Juiverie - the former Jewish ghetto of the town, which still contains the Synagogue (on the right), the oldest in France still in use. Details of opening times are here.

On the far side of the square runs the covered Rue des Halles. Turn left and walk down it, turning right onto the Rue Porte d’Orange which leads to the 14th Century Port d’Orange.

Turn left onto Rue de la Tour and then turn left on to Rue des Frères Laurens and turn right at the end on to Rue Raspail.

Continue down the street which becomes Rue du College and passes the Chapelle du Collège, which often has exhibitions. Note the Liberte Egalie, Fraternite which has been chiseled into the stonework (the same as the Cathedral) and is a reminder of the strained relationship between the republic and the church over the 19th Century

Turn right onto Rue de la République which brings us out to the square with the Office de Tourisme.

Cross the road and follow the path round onto the D942 and then left onto the D49 which has a sign for Gare Routiere.

Then follow the road back to the station. If you have any time free, perhaps you could grab a drink from the friendly people at Train de Petit Vitesse cafe.

River and canal loop (3k red)

Leave through the port d’Orange, cross the road and take the little street to your left heading down the hill (Chem. de la Roseraie). A footpath crosses the road take it to the right and follow the course of the river as far as the weir where it meets the canal. follow the canal to the left until you reach the roundabout where you turn left to head back to town and the tower of the Port d’Orange