With a population of around 30,000, CARPENTRAS is a substantial city for this part of the world. It's also a very old one, its known history commencing in 5 BC as the capital of a Celtic tribe. The Greeks who founded Marseille came to Carpentras to buy honey, wheat, goats and skins, and the Romans had a base here. For a brief period in the fourteenth century, it became the papal headquarters and gave protection to Jews expelled from France.For all its ancient remains, Carpentras seems incapable of working up an atmosphere to imbue the present with its past. The local history museum – the Musée Comtadin on boulevard Albin-Durand (daily except Tues: July & Aug 10am–noon & 2–6pm; Sept–June 10am–noon & 2–4/6pm; €0.50) – is dark and dour. The erotic fantasies of a seventeenth-century cardinal frescoed by Nicolas Mignard in the Palais de Justice, formerly the episcopal palace, were effaced by a later incumbent. The palais is attached to the dull Cathédrale St-Siffrein, behind which, almost hidden in the corner, stands a Roman arch inscribed with scenes of prisoners in chains. Fifteen hundred years after its erection, Jews – coerced, bribed or otherwise persuaded – entered the cathedral in chains to be unshackled as converted Christians. The door they passed through, the Porte Juif, is on the southern side and bears strange symbolism of rats encircling and devouring a globe. The synagogue (Mon–Fri 10am–noon & 3–5pm; closed Jewish feast days; free), near the Hôtel de Ville, is a seventeenth-century construction on fourteenth-century foundations, making it the oldest surviving place of Jewish worship in France. Carpentras cheers up, however, every Friday for the market, which from mid-November to March specializes in truffles, and during festival time in the second half of July. It also makes a useful base for excursions into the Dentelles, Mont Ventoux and the towns and villages south towards Apt. Buses (trains are freight only) arrive either on avenue Victor-Hugo or place Terradou, a short walk away from place Aristide-Briand, where the tourist office is located (July & Aug Mon–Sat 9am–7pm, Sun 9.30am–1pm; Sept–June Mon–Fri 9am–1.30pm & 2–6.30pm, Sat 9am–noon & 2–6pm; tel 04.90.63.00.78, www.tourisme.fr/carpentras). If you want to stay, rock-bottom options include Le Théâtre, 7 bd Albin-Durand (tel 04.90.63.02.90; €30–40; closed Jan–March), and Univers, 10 place A.-Briand (tel 04.90.63.00.05, fax 04.90.63.19.71; €30–40). For something much more pleasant, try Le Fiacre, 153 rue Vigne (tel 04.90.63.03.15, fax 04.90.60.49.73; €55–70), an old town house with a garden, or Safari Hotel, 1 av J.-H.-Fabre (tel 04.90.63.35.35, www.nid-provencal.com; €70–85), which is a bit characterless but has a pool and tennis courts. The local campsite, Lou Comtadou, is open year-round (tel 04.90.67.03.16). As far as eating goes, Le Marijo at 73 rue Raspail (tel 04.90.60.42.65; closed Sun) is excellent, with menus from €16, while Le Vert Galant, 12 rue Clapies (tel 04.90.67.15.50; closed Sat lunch, Sun eve, Mon lunch & weekends from May–Sept), serves more sophisticated fare, with menus from €25.50. Once the sun goes down in Carpentras, the only place with any semblance of life is Le Club, a pizzeria/bar at 106 place Aristide Briand. Besides this, takeaway Thai, Chinese and Vietnamese food is available from La Perle d'Asie on place du Théâtre. Café-crawling is best done on place Aristide-Briand or around the cathedral.
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