A former Roman city and later the capital of a principality that gave its name to the House of Orange-Nassau, Orange is home to one of France’s most spectacular ancient monuments. Its Ancient Theatre and triumphal arch have been jointly listed as UNESCO World Heritage Sites since 1981.
Choosing where to stay in Orange mainly comes down to deciding between the town, where you can get around on foot, and a farmhouse on the plain, with a garden and pool. Here are places we have chosen one by one; the full selection is on our places to stay in Orange page.
How to choose a neighbourhood
Orange has a compact centre, surrounded by a broad agricultural plain dotted with rural neighbourhoods.
- The historic centre: around the Ancient Theatre and Place aux Herbes, ideal if you’re without a car.
- The avenues around the centre: more residential and quiet in the evenings, a short walk from the monuments.
- The Orange countryside: farmhouses along paths lined with vineyards, such as in Les Crémades or Russamp. Plenty of space and pools, but a car is essential.
For a weekend or an evening at the Chorégies, the centre is the best choice: you can walk back after the performance. For a summer week among vineyards and villages, a farmhouse with a pool more than makes up for the short drive. Here are our picks.
Stay in the centre and in town
These two places let you leave the car behind for your entire stay.
Le Clos d'Orange - Hotel & ville de Provence
A three-star hotel on Rue Caristie, a few steps from the Ancient Theatre, with a garden, terrace, shared lounge and air-conditioned rooms. The station is close by: the easiest choice for a stay by train.
Maison Jacotte orange
Located on Avenue Félix-Ripert, this guest house has a pool, open in the warmer months, and a garden. The air-conditioned rooms have terraces overlooking the pool: a good compromise for anyone who wants to swim without staying far from town.
Farmhouses and guest houses in the countryside
Outside the centre, the municipality becomes a patchwork of vineyards and cypress hedges sheltering from the mistral. These three places are made for days by the water.
Justin de Provence
A restored Provençal farmhouse on Chemin du Mercadier, in the Les Crémades neighbourhood, with air-conditioned rooms facing the vineyards. Two pools, a wellness area and landscaped garden make it a relaxing place to stay, ideal for couples. A car is the easiest way to reach the centre.
chambres d hotes Le Mas Julien piscine chauffée adult only
Reserved for adults, this farmhouse on Chemin de Saint-Jean is all about peace and quiet: a seasonal heated pool, a garden and rooms with private bathrooms. Breakfast is continental or buffet-style, and one studio has a whirlpool bath. Families with children will need to look elsewhere.
La Fenière aux Hirondelles
On Chemin Dardun, in the rural neighbourhood of Russamp, this guest house has a seasonal pool, garden and terrace. Breakfast can be continental or gluten-free, and private parking makes trips to the villages of Vaucluse easy.
A holiday home for longer stays
For a week or more, a house with a kitchen gives you complete freedom to set your own schedule.
Un air de Provence climatisé, piscine disponible seulement en fin de journée - un parking gratuit - Proche de l'A7-A9
An air-conditioned house on Route du Grès, with a fully equipped kitchen, terrace and private parking, convenient for anyone arriving via the A7 or A9. The outdoor pool is shared and only accessible in the late afternoon: worth knowing if swimming is a big part of your holiday.
What to see in Orange
Start at the Ancient Theatre, built in the 1st century: its 37-metre-high stage wall is one of the best-preserved in the Roman world, and Louis XIV is said to have called it “the finest wall in my kingdom”. The same ticket includes the Art and History Museum, housed in a mansion opposite, where you can see Roman cadastral maps engraved in marble. On some evenings, the Odyssée sonore offers an immersive audio-guided performance.
To the north of the centre, the triumphal arch stands on the route of the former Via Agrippa. Between the two, stroll around Place aux Herbes and the Cathedral of Notre-Dame-de-Nazareth, then climb Saint-Eutrope Hill: from the remains of the castle of the princes of Orange, the view takes in the theatre’s tiers and reaches as far as Mont Ventoux.
Nearby
- Châteauneuf-du-Pape: the village and its famous vineyards, about 10 kilometres to the south.
- Sérignan-du-Comtat: the Harmas, home and garden of entomologist Jean-Henri Fabre.
- Vaison-la-Romaine: Gallo-Roman districts, an ancient bridge and a medieval upper town.
- Avignon: the Palais des Papes and its ramparts, easy to reach by train.
When to visit Orange
Spring and early autumn are the most pleasant seasons. Summer is hot and lively, while winter is quiet but often swept by the mistral.
Every summer, the Chorégies d’Orange, considered France’s oldest festival, stages operas and concerts in the Ancient Theatre; book early for performance nights. All year round, the Thursday morning market fills the streets of the centre.
How to get there and get around
Orange station is a short walk from the centre. The TGV from Paris takes about 3 hours 30 minutes, and trains from Avignon take around 20 minutes. By road, Orange lies at the junction of the A7, between Lyon and Marseille, and the A9, towards Montpellier.
The centre is easy to explore on foot. From the bus station, Zou! route 904 reaches Vaison-la-Romaine in under an hour. By bike, the Via Venaissia runs from Orange towards Carpentras, mostly on a dedicated greenway. Find other bases on our Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur page.
Orange is part of our guide to where to stay in Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur. You can also read our guides on where to stay in Avignon, the city of the popes, where to stay in Bédoin, at the foot of Mont Ventoux, and where to stay in Gordes, for the hilltop villages of the Luberon.
Frequently asked questions
Quick answers to the most common questions before a stay in Orange.
What is the best neighbourhood to stay in Orange?
For most travellers, the historic centre is the best base: the Ancient Theatre, museum, cathedral and restaurants are all within walking distance, and the station is close by. The nearby avenues are quieter in the evenings. Those travelling by car and looking for more space may prefer a farmhouse in the countryside, among the vineyards and a few minutes from the monuments.
Can you visit Orange without a car?
Yes. The station is a short walk from the centre, with TGVs from Paris taking around 3 hours 30 minutes and trains from Avignon taking about 20 minutes. The monuments can be visited on foot. Zou! route 904 goes to Vaison-la-Romaine, and the Via Venaissia is a cycling route towards Carpentras. A car is only necessary if you’re staying in a farmhouse or visiting several wine villages.
What can you see in Orange in one day?
Start at the Ancient Theatre and its stage wall, then cross the street to the Art and History Museum, which is included in the same ticket. Next, climb Saint-Eutrope Hill for views of the theatre’s tiers and Mont Ventoux. After lunch at Place aux Herbes, head to the triumphal arch north of the centre. If it’s Thursday, add the morning market.
When does the Chorégies d’Orange take place?
The Chorégies d’Orange takes place every summer in the Ancient Theatre, with operas and open-air concerts in front of the stage wall. Considered France’s oldest festival, it attracts visitors from far afield, and rooms in the centre book up quickly. If your stay coincides with the festival, book your room as soon as the programme is announced.
Is Orange a good base for exploring Vaucluse?
Yes, especially for the north of the department. Châteauneuf-du-Pape is about 10 kilometres away; Vaison-la-Romaine, Gigondas and the Dentelles de Montmirail are within easy driving distance, and Avignon is about 20 minutes away by train. The A7 and A9 also provide access to Drôme Provençale and Gard. For this kind of stay, a farmhouse with a pool is often the most comfortable choice.
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