Tourist information on Orange, France

Orange is a small town in southern France which is best known today for its Roman ruins, including a remarkably well-preserved Roman theatre. It belongs the department of Vaucluse in the region of Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur and lies in the Rhône valley, about 30 km north of Avignon. Apart from its Roman structures, Orange is a fairly ordinary Provençal town, possibly lacking the charm and character of similar historic towns in the region, although its jaw-dropping Théâtre Antique ensures that it is definitely worth a visit.

Orange was originally the Celtic settlement Arausio (named after the Celtic god of water), which was conquered by the Romans in the 1st century BC. In around 35 BC, the Roman emperor Augustus established a colony here for veterans of the Second Legion. The town had all the amenities of Rome and covered an area of 70 hectares, serving as the capital of a large area of northern Provence. In the 12th century, Orange grew into a small principality, which would become a possession of the Dutch Count of Nassau, William the Silent, in 1554. The House of Orange would come to prominence in the 17th century, providing not only a line of monarchs for the Netherlands (from which the present Dutch royal family descend), but also an heir to the British throne, King William III (1689-1702), the great-grandson of William the Silent. The principality also gave its name to other parts of the world under Dutch control, including the Orange Free State in South Africa. Orange was fought over in the Franco-Dutch war of the 17th century and was ultimately surrendered to the French in 1713.

Orange's principal tourist attractions are its exceptionally well preserved Roman theatre (Théâtre Antique) and triumphal arch. Built in the 1st century BC, the theatre is one of the largest surviving examples of its kind in the world and can seat an audience of 10,000. It owes its survival to Maurice Prince Orange, the son of William the Silent, since he had the foresight to incorporate its walls into the town's fortifications. The theatre's most awesome feature is its 36 metre high stage wall, which is richly adorned with columns, frescos and an imposing statue of the Emperor Augustus. The theatre is currently used each summer as the venue for the Chorégies d'Orange, an internationally renowned festival of opera and choral music. Adjacent to the theatre are the remains of a huge Roman complex which comprises a gymnasium, baths, a temple and a raised platform for gladiatorial combat. The town's other celebrated Roman monument is its triumphal arch (Arc de triomphe), which also dates from the 1st century BC. This is to be found on a roundabout on the Route Nationale 7, at the northern gateway to the town. To the south of Orange is the Parc de la colline St-Eutrope, which offers attractive views over the town and the Rhône vineyards. The town's other attractions are its 16th century Romanesque cathedral (Cathédrale Notre-Dame-de-Nazereth), which was ransacked by the Huguenots in the Wars of Religion, and the Musée Municipale, which displays various artefacts from Orange's Roman and medieval past.

The train station Gare d'Orange is situated in the centre of the town and provides a fast speed (TGV) rail connection to Paris as well as a regular train service to other destinations in the region. The nearest commercial airports to Orange are at Avignon (Avignon-Caumont Airport) and Nîmes (Nîmes-Alès-Camargue-Cévennes Airport), respectively 26 and 52 km away from the town centre.