The “papes” who gave their name to the region in the 14th century were the nine Vatican exiles who found Rome a little too dangerous for their very medieval combination of religion and politics and relocated the centre of western Christianity to Avignon (a swift ride north from Aix on the TGV).

This is a very different, portentous Provence, more austere in contrast to Aix’s placid elegance. The mighty gothic Pope’s Palace, in the heart of the medieval town in a stark square blasted by an uncompromising mistral, is an imposing piece of paranoid architecture, unsure whether to glorify God or be on guard against enemy armies; part cathedral, part fortress.

It’s the biggest gothic palace in the world, impressive and oppressive at the same time. Borrow an audio guide to discover the intriguing contrasts in the personal styles of Benedict XII, a Cistercian monk of austere tastes, and Clement VI, an urbane aristocrat with a predilection for gaudy extravagance.

A wander through the edifice offers an accompanying narrative of medieval plotting, politics and papal caprice. Clement was in the process of getting the place how he liked it when he died, shortly after buying the entire city of Avignon.

The city’s independent history still colours its present. If Avignon has a style and atmosphere of its own, it may be because it has only been French since 1791 and feels happily semi-detached from mainstream France.

Its centuries of independence allowed Avignon to flourish as a relatively liberal and tolerant artistic and cultural hothouse. That tradition is maintained by its international theatre festival, sophisticated and highbrow enough to make Edinburgh’s seem like a provincial carnival.

In summer, the cobbled medieval streets and squares become impromptu venues for visiting theatre companies. Avignon is small and gossipy enough for word of mouth to get around swiftly about the must-see shows, although in recent years the locals have been somewhat critical of the innovations of visiting directors. The theatre productions are only part of the festival ambience, though.

The cultured crowds queue amiably outside restaurants for a midnight dinner in beautiful places like Le Grand Café, all distressed stonework, superb wine and creatively flavoured grilled fish or Provençal daubes.

For those who remember their kindergarten singsongs, you can dance a little if you fancy it sur le pont d’Avignon (although the tourists might stare at you in bemusement), but the bridge is a fine vantage point to realise that the Rhône was medieval Provence’s most significant geographical feature. A conduit for commercial and military traffic, it was also an international border between France and the papal territory, and an ancient avenue between France and Italy, via the Mediterranean.

The town of Orange, further north in the Rhône flood plain, has shrunk to about a quarter of the size it was under the Romans, when Arausio was a significant Roman city. By genealogical accident the city ended up giving its name to the Dutch royal family and, by way of a few religious wars, became synonymous with political extremists lurking on the intolerant right-wing fringes, from the Orange Free State to the Ulster Orange Order. It also happens to be the stronghold of Jean-Marie Le Pen’s Front National.

So far so off-putting, but Orange’s unmissable attraction is its immense Roman theatre with a sandstone stage screen standing 120ft high. It’s stark and impressive enough to start you speculating whether the Romans had developed some rudimentary form of Imax cinema.

The other significant Roman relic is the Arc de Triomphe to the north of Orange, a glorious soaring arch spanning the ancient Via Agrippa, dwarfing the small-minded town with a taunting reminder of its more illustrious past.

Elsewhere Provence lives more gracefully and beautifully with its past. Cézanne will attract the cultured legions this summer. See this land through his enraptured eyes and the British might at last be able to get past their Peter Mayle fascination.

Details: Easyjet (www.easyjet.com) flies from London Gatwick or Liverpool to Marseille from £19.99 single including taxes.

In Aix-en-Provence the friendly and comfortable boutique Hôtel Cézanne (00 33 442 911 111, www.hotelaix.com) has doubles from £80. In Avignon, the central Hôtel de l’Horloge (0033 490 164200) has doubles from £72. The Cézanne en Provence exhibition runs at Musée Granet (00 33 442 161 091, www.aixenprovencetourism.com) from June 9 to September 17 (admission €10).

Further information at www.visitprovence.com

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