Cloitre St. Louis by John Borthwick

The leafy courtyard of Hotel Cloître Saint Louis seem a thousand kilometres from the sirens and shoals of commerce. Which is probably how the Jesuits who founded the establishment (as a school) in 1589 wanted it, and how their "descendants", the management of this elegant, 80-room hotel, are happy to keep it.

Where the stones of other towns might ring of mere incident, the ancient walls of Avignon, Provence shout with history. In the 14th century, among the most powerful rulers on earth were the Popes and anti-Popes who reigned here. Le Cloître Saint Louis is just a few minutes walk from their grandiose Palace, and also from the river and the famous lines Pont de Avignon.

Staying at Hotel Cloître Saint Louis is no medieval experience. On the contrary, with solarium, roof-top pool, conference rooms, bar, cable TV and very comfortable rooms, here is history enjoyed in style. All this, plus the hotel restaurant specialising in Provence's famous cuisine, and a domed chapel (dating to 1611), can keep you well and truly cloistered. And when the tides of duty tug, well, it's just 200 metres from these dreaming archways to Avignon Station and the high speed TGV train back to the 21st century.