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Voykit pocket guide · France
Orange
Give Orange one night, or a half-day from Avignon: the Roman theatre and arch take 3 hours, and the town is quiet after that.
Orange is a small Rhône-valley town with two Roman monuments on the UNESCO list: a theatre from the reign of Augustus that still seats an audience, and a triumphal arch on the road north. The old centre is walkable in an afternoon. Most travellers see it as a stop between Avignon and the northern Vaucluse, and the town fills only in July and August, when the Chorégies festival uses the theatre.
- Country
- France
- Best months
- Apr–Jun, Sep–Oct
- Avoid
- Jul–Aug (heat, festival crowds), Nov–Feb (many closures)
- Stay
- 1 night
Checked 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change; anything marked (check) is not confirmed.
Essentials
- Currency
- EUR
- Money
- Currency is the euro (EUR, €). Contactless cards work in most shops, cafés and restaurants.
- Daily spend
- Budget €55–85 excl. bed · Mid €90–140 excl. bed · High €150+ excl. bed (estimate; check)
- SIM and data
- Orange, SFR, Bouygues Télécom and Free sell prepaid SIMs in their shops and at tabacs; ID is required to register.
- Emergency
- European emergency number 112 · Ambulance (SAMU) 15 · Police 17 · Fire 18
- Plugs
- Types C, E · 230 V · 50 Hz · Round two-pin plugs; type E sockets have an earth pin sticking out, so Schuko (type F) plugs need a C/E hybrid or an adapter.
- Tipping
- Café or bar: Leave small change, €0.20–1.; Restaurant: Service is included; leave 5–10% in cash for good service.; Taxi: Round up to the next euro or two.; Hotel porter or housekeeping: €1–2 per bag or per night.; Tour guide: €5–10 per person for a half day, more for private guides.
- Water
- Tap water is safe everywhere unless signed otherwise. Restaurants must serve a free carafe of tap water on request.
- Toilets
- Paris has free automatic public toilets (sanisettes); elsewhere use cafés (buy a coffee), museums and stations, where some charge €0.50–1.
What things cost
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| Coffee at a bar | €1.50–3 |
| Sandwich or takeaway lunch | €6–10 |
| Menu du jour at lunch | €16–24 |
| Dinner, mid-range restaurant | €25–40 per person |
| Glass of local wine | €4–7 |
| 5 km taxi3.1 mi taxi | €12–18 |
| eSIM or data SIM, about a week | €15–30 |
Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.
Get in
By air
- MRS · Marseille Provence
- About 100 km south; TGV or TER to Orange via Avignon, or 1 h 15 min by car.About 62 mi south; TGV or TER to Orange via Avignon, or 1 h 15 min by car.
- AVN · Avignon-Caumont
- About 30 km south; few routes, mostly low-cost carriers. Check current service.About 19 mi south; few routes, mostly low-cost carriers. Check current service.
- NCE · Nice Côte d'Azur
- About 250 km east; TGV along the coast to Avignon, then a local train.About 155 mi east; TGV along the coast to Avignon, then a local train.
Typical fares
- TER Avignon → Orange
- about €8, 20 min
- TGV Paris → Orange
- about 3 h 20 min, 2 direct trains a day
- Taxi station → old centre
- €10–15
Get around
The centre is flat and small: theatre, arch, museum and market are all within a 15-minute walk. Use the town bus network for the station and outer hotels, or walk. A car helps only for the surrounding vineyards and villages.
See and do
Known for
- Roman Theatre (UNESCO)
- Triumphal Arch (UNESCO)
- Chorégies d'Orange festival
- Rhône-valley wines
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Avignon | TER train from Orange station, about 20 min, or 30 km by car on the A7TER train from Orange station, about 20 min, or 19 mi by car on the A7 | About 45 min |
| Vaison-la-Romaine | Car, about 40 min north-east; bus routes are limited, check locally | About 1 h |
| Carpentras | Car or bus, about 35 min east | About 1 h |
| Arles | Train via Avignon, about 1 h 15 min total, or 70 km by carTrain via Avignon, about 1 h 15 min total, or 43 mi by car | About 1 h 30 min |
| L'Isle-sur-la-Sorgue | Car, about 45 min south-east | About 1 h |
| Apt | Car, about 1 h south-east | About 1 h 15 min |
Sleep
- Old centre (around place de la République and cours Aristide Briand)
- Walk to the theatre, arch and restaurants; the only area worth booking if you are here for one night.
- Near the train station (avenue Frédéric Mistral)
- 5–10 min walk to the centre; practical for an early departure.
- Route de Caderousse / north edge
- Chain and roadside hotels with parking; 20–25 min walk to the centre, so a car or taxi is needed.
Phrase card
| English | Say or show |
|---|---|
| Hello / Good day | Bonjourbon-ZHOOR |
| Thank you | Mercimair-SEE |
| Please | S'il vous plaîtseel voo PLEH |
| How much is it? | C'est combien ?say kom-BYEN |
| The bill, please | L'addition, s'il vous plaîtla-dee-SYON seel voo PLEH |
| Where is the theatre? | Où est le théâtre ?oo ay luh tay-AH-truh |
Etiquette, safety and scams
Etiquette
- Greeting: Say 'bonjour madame/monsieur' on entering any shop, bus or office; avoid: Asking a question before saying bonjour — it is read as rude
- Cheek kisses (la bise): Follow the other person's lead; one to four kisses depending on region; avoid: Initiating la bise with strangers or in business
- Addressing people: Use 'vous' and titles until invited otherwise; avoid: First names and 'tu' with older people or staff
- Restaurants: Wait to be seated in restaurants; call the waiter 'monsieur' or 'madame'; avoid: 'Garçon', snapping fingers, asking for the bill before you are finished
- Conversation: Debate is a pleasure; food, politics and philosophy are fair game; avoid: Asking about salary or religion; loud voices on trains
- Dinner at a home: Bring flowers (not chrysanthemums), chocolates or a good bottle; arrive 10–15 minutes late; avoid: Cutting the tip off a cheese wedge or asking for ketchup
- Dress: Smart-casual in cities; covered shoulders in churches; avoid: Beachwear in town centres
Scams and watch-outs
- July and August are hot: plan the theatre and the hill for the morning or after 17:00.
- The theatre hosts rehearsals and events: check the official site before you travel if the monument is your main reason.
- Some restaurants close one or two days a week and in winter; check before you walk out.
- Parking in the old centre is limited: use the signed car parks at the edge and walk in.
Orange is a calm small town and the centre is safe on foot by day and evening. The real risks are summer heat, uneven Roman stone underfoot, and pickpockets only in the festival crush: keep bags zipped and drink water.
One and two days
No timed day plan for Orange yet. Suggested stay: 1 night. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.
- Roman Theatre (UNESCO)
- Triumphal Arch (UNESCO)
- Chorégies d'Orange festival
- Rhône-valley wines
Sources
Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.
- Orange city website: www.ville-orange.fr/
- Wikivoyage: Orange (France), revision 5042329 (CC BY-SA 4.0): en.wikivoyage.org/w/index.php?oldid=5042329
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
Orange
À cette adresse, s'il vous plaît
To this address, please
My hotel (write the name and address in the local script)
No embassy in Orange; the US and UK have consulates in Marseille and the embassy is in Paris. For other countries, check your embassy in Paris.
Service is included by law; round up or leave 5–10% for good service.
Voykit · checked 2026-09
Printed from Voykit (/orange-france). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.