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Why you're safe with the holiday experts

DERTOUR is part of the DERTOUR GmbH group of Frankfurt - one of the world's leading tour operators . We also hold our own ATOL and are members of ABTA.

We've been creating perfect tailor-made holidays to the heart of Europe for 50 years. A lot has changed in that time, but one thing that has always remained the same is our total focus on serving you in the very best way that we can. This includes ensuring your satisfaction and security. It's why DERTOUR is fully licenced with our own ATOL and is also adheres to all the rules and principles of ABTA.

ATOL is a financial protection scheme for holidaymakers travelling on an air inclusive holiday, which is managed by the Civil Aviation Authority. This protects you from losing your money or from being stranded overseas in the very unlikely event that DERTOUR should go out of business. Our Air Travel Organiser's Licence (ATOL) number is ATOL 1839.

When you buy an ATOL protected air inclusive holiday* from us, you will receive a confirmation invoice from us (or via our authorised agent through which you booked) confirming your arrangements and your protection under our ATOL.

* The air inclusive holidays we arrange are ATOL protected providing either the person who pays for the booking is present in the UK when the booking is made or the first leg of any flight or flights we arrange for you commences in the UK. For further information, visit the ATOL website at www.atol.org.uk

ABTA was created in 1950 by 22 leading travel companies. It now represents over 5,000 travel agencies and more than 900 tour operators, right across the British Isles. ABTA helps to maintain the highest standards of trading practice for the travel industry and its customers. The ABTA logo is a sign that you can expect choice, value and high levels of service from DERTOUR.

DERTOUR is also fully committed to always try to provide an alternative holiday or route in times of disruption that is out of our control, such as in the event of volcanic ash, disruption to air travel due to heavy snowfall or an airline strike grounding aircraft.

If you have any questions about our ABTA membership or the financial protection provided under our ATOL, please don't hesitate to call us on 020 7290 1104.

Dertour gives you ATOL protection with every flight

Avignon Travel Guide

Avignon is idyllically situated on the River Rhône in the heart of the Vaucluse region in the south of Franc. It's characterized by quiet streets, secluded courtyards and secret gardens, cosy pavement cafes and fantastic restaurants. All these make Avignon the perfect place for a romantic weekend away. The place is famed for two celebrated attractions - Le Palais des Papes and Pont St Bénezet (the bridge made famous in the ditty 'Sur le pont d'Avignon, on y danse, on y danse...'). Around every corner of the narrow, winding cobbled streets, elaborately decorated chapels, churches and convents are revealed. Most date from the 14th century, when Avignon became the centre of Christendom and the Palais des Papes was home to a series of popes. The annual Avignon Festival takes place during July and attracts aspiring performers and aficionados of the arts and displays the city at its best.

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The main shopping street is rue de la République. Elegant boutiques line rue Joseph-Vernet, which runs east off rue de la République, opposite the main tourist office. Rue St Agricol is lined with various little boutiques, including designer outlets Christian Lacroix Boutique at number 10.
Avignon is an ideal town for buying presents. Provençal specialties include olive oil, lavender, brightly printed fabrics, sugared fruits, and chocolate, fig or melon jam. Lovers of the mustard yellow and olive green of Provençal pottery will be spoilt for choice at Terre et Art, 29 rue des Fourbisseurs, or Terre et Provence, 26 rue de la République.

A market with 40 stalls selling local and regional food and wine is open Monday to Saturday at Les Halles d'Avignon. In addition to the covered market at Les Halles, there are colourful outdoor markets at the Rempart St Michel (a food market on Saturday and Sunday) and place des Carmes (a flower market on Saturday and flea market on Sunday).

For a souvenir in silver or gold, shoppers should head for Vincent Joaillier, 12 place du Change, a jewellery design shop founded in 1897.

A journey to Avignon is a journey through provençale gastronomy and taste specialties with vegetables, meat, game, simmered fish with herbs and spices or cooked in olive oil, tomatoes.

Le Jardin De La Tour 9 Rue Tour, 84000 Avignon

This is an excellent restaurant run by Jean-Marc Larrue, an experienced and creative chef who also offers cookery courses here. The cuisine is classic French with a Provençal twist, and occasionally elements from other culinary traditions are mixed in as well.

La Compagnie Des Comptoirs 83 rue Joseph Vernet, Avignon

This restaurant is situated in a 14th-century cloister previously occupied by Benedictine nuns. Run by expert chefs and twins Jacques and Laurent Pourcel, this trendy and popular restaurant offers southern-style dishes in beautiful surroundings. Vegetarians are well catered for. Closed Sunday and Monday

Cubanito Café 51 rue Carnot, Avignon

This is a lively Cuban-style cafe and restaurant which is known for its great ambience and gorgeous menu. The dishes are combinations of Cuban, Peruvian, Spanish and French, to name but a few.

Palais des Papes (Palace of the Popes)

The palace's fortress dominates Avignon. The palace took over 30 years to build, during the reign of three popes - Bénédict XII, Clément VI and Innocent VI. The palace is based on the fusion of two buildings - the austere 'Old Palace' (1334-42) and the extravagant Gothic 'New Palace' (1342-52). It is a frowning mass of elaborate architecture, covering some 15,000 sq m (166,660 sq ft), which dominates the city's other buildings. A guided tour (in French only) through the 'Secret Palace', with a chance to see St Michel Chapel and rooms that are normally closed to the public, with a convivial brunch is available every Saturday (1230) and Sunday (1030) from September to May. On the whole, however, it is best for visitors to make a trip to the Palais des Papes in the afternoon, when it is cooler and there are fewer tourists.

Pont St Benezet (St Benezet Bridge)

Spanning the two channels of the River Rhône and the island in between (Ile de la Barthelasse), the bridge was built between 1177 and January 1185. Originally made of wood, it had to be continuously rebuilt, as it was the only crossing, providing a link between the Mediterranean and Lyon, an important trade hub in the Middle Ages. The river finally won the day, washing away the bridge in the mid 1600s. Today, only four of its original 22 arches and the tiny Chapelle St Nicholas remain. This delicate Romanesque chapel, dedicated to St Nicholas, patron saint of barge men, should not be missed. A small museum, situated beneath the ticket office, contains images of the bridge as it looked in the past.

Musee du Petit Palais (Little Palace Museum)

The museum is located on the northern end of place du Palais and was built for Cardinal Béranger Frédol between 1318 and 1320. Today, its 19 rooms host an impressive collection of frescoes, sculptures and Italian religious paintings from the 13th to 16th centuries, including works by Botticelli, Carpaccio and Giovanni di Paolo. One of the most remarkable paintings is The Angel of the Annunciation, by Sano Di Pietro (1406-1481) as the golden-haired angel has all the beauty of a pre-Raphaelite woman.

Rocher des Doms

The Rocher des Doms used to be Avignon's earliest settlement. In the 18^th century the rocky area was landscaped into a pleasant plateau with an artificial rock garden. Later on during the 19^th century additions include a lake and the statues of prominent Provençal figures, such as writer Félix Gras and artists Paul Saïn and Paul Vaysan followed. Terraces were laid out in the 20th century, offering sweeping views of the River Rhône, Pont St Bénézet, Villeneuve-lès-Avignon and the Alpilles.

Boat tours

Grands Bateaux de Provence provides a variety of river cruises on the Rhône, including boat trips between Avignon and Villeneuve-lès-Avignon. A return journey takes about 1 hour 15 minutes. Tickets can be bought at the Allées de l'Oulle landing stage, tourist offices, Pont St Bénezet or on board.

In addition, a frequent five-minute ferry service crosses the river from the Pont St Bénezet to the Ile de la Barthelasse. Visitors can take their bikes with them and ride around while enjoying magnificent views over the Palais des Papes and city ramparts.

Avignon Festival

Since 1947 Avignon's cultural highlight - the Avignon Festival - has taken place in July each year as the oldest and most famous of the festivals in France. Originally presenting pure theatre performances, the event nowadays includes contemporary and religious music, dance, poetry, circus, films, exhibitions and debates involving up to 600 separate organisations. The most prestigious productions are performed in the vast Palais des Papes courtyard, others within theatres, churches and sports halls.