Hotel Avignon la Mirande - 4, place de la Mirande

 

Hotel Avignon la Mirande Built in the shadow of the Papal Palace in Avignon, the austere frontage of this former 18th-century cardinal's mansion conceals a treasure box of delights. Artfully arranged birdcages, leather-bound volumes placed on mahogany sideboards and tiered displays of jewel-like tarts in the covered courtyard dining room have the inspiring impact of still lifes. Yet for all the impressive artwork and antiques, this is no museum, but a uniquely comfortable hotel that has been welcoming guests since 1990. There are various treats in store for those who stay here, such as the secret walled garden with its giant huckleberry tree (where you can dine in warm weather), the historically re-created kitchens, which are sometimes used for communal dinners and cookery courses, and the small boutique selling objects (linen cushion covers, copper pots and bronzes) that personify the Mirande lifestyle and outlook. After exploring the cultural delights of Avignon, ensconce yourself in the oasis of the Rose garden with a preprandial Kir while you take time over the menu. Will it be tuna carpaccio with caviar, or pigeon stewed in the traditional aromatic herbs of Provence, served with artichoke and arugula? Guests find the menus so inspiring that many of them sign up for the cookery courses held in the authentic 19th-century-style kitchens below. And the perfect place to present these meals is the dining room; with candlelight illuminating the Aubusson tapestry and the finely carved Renaissance ceiling, it allows for basking in the atmosphere of rarefied elegance.

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