Provins Things to Do

The view from the top of Tour Cesar is great, as well as the construction of the tower. You can see it from the train when you're coming in, on the left side. The walls are also not to be missed.

The undergrounds tour was in French, the guide tried to translate some of it for us, but not understanding it made it looong and boring, one hour to go 250m. I'm not sure I'd go there again...

Take the train from Paris, it's great to see the city changing from old and dense, to newer, to single family houses, then to farmland. There aren't that many trains there, so check ahead. See links for train info.

Print a map from the city web site before going...there's none at the train station and the tourist office in the lower town isn't that easy to find.

Coinstruction on this church started in the 12th Century and was never finished. Various things got in the way: the 100 Years War, a fire, the decline of the Champagne Fairs that had brought people and economic power to Provins...

A much bigger cathedral had been envisioned, with two bell towers, stretching out to where the metal cross appears in front of the existing church. The existing facade is rather unattractive; it was constructed with the idea of its being a temporary step.

The unusual design of the church interior necessitated some spectacular vaults and arches. The current interior is, in one sense, a mish-mash of styles. On the other hand, there remain some incredible stone carvings. There is a touching statue of Jeanne d'Arc, who attended mass here.

The term "collegiate" stems from the fact that a college of canons was associated with this church. The role of a canon is to sing; seven times each day, the canons would sing proaise to God. If you are lucky (as we were on our most recent visit), you will hear this tradition continue.

The medieval walls are a definite must-see. This was what protected the town from its enemies. It is possible to go up the walls. The view up there is beyond words! Better still, catch the sunset on the top of the walls or at the foot of it, where you can look across a huge field. It is a nice walk outside the perimeter of the walls, down tree-lined roads.

Tour Cesar was built in the beginning of the 12th century as a symbol of the Counts of Champagne's power. Once used as a lookout tower, it was also a prison and a money mint. The views from the top of the tower is nice, offering a 360 degrees view of Provins. Note though that the steps leading to the tower are very narrow.

Adult: 3,40 euros
Child (5 to 12 years): 1,90 euros

This tower post-dates Caesar by hundreds of years. (Still, it is 800 years old, so it has a bit of history even though its name is misleading.) But legend has it that there was an older tower on the site. Climb up for awesome views.

During the Middle Ages, Provins served as a center of European commerce. Inside the Grange aux Dimes you will learn about the European artisians who sold their wares at the Champagne Fairs. Wax figures represent the various trades and merchants that were found in Provins. A recorded history is available in several languages; the recording explains each craft and the various merchants and their wares.

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Part of the "skyline" of the lower town is contributed by the bell Tower of Notre Dame (1544). This is all that is left of the cloistered church. It is just north of St.-Ayoul.

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We jumped in for a look.
The area is very quiet.