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Sign in with FacebookLatest Provins hotel reviews
Pro
A day trip from Paris
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none
In a nutshell
Go back in time...
Martinewezel Says: The limy soil of Provins was a perfect dirth to scour the Medieval wool. So the whole town has been excavated underneath the existing house cellars.During history, the excavated galleries have been used for different purposes, such as hiding places, store rooms, dark...
The tithe barn (la Grange aux dîmes)
carolerica Says: This XIIIth century edifice was used as a covered market during the Fairs of Champagne. Visit this place not only for its beautiful civil architecture (cross-ribbed vaulting, sculpted pillars...), but also to discover the different types of trades and merchants that existed...
La tour César (Caesar's Tower)
carolerica Says: Caesar's Tower is the symbolic monument of Provins!Built in the XIIth century by the Counts of Champagne, on the edge of a rocky spur, this tower protected the former palace of the counts.The tower is a magnificent and outstanding illustration of the history of medieval...
Underground Galleries (Les Souterrains)
carolerica Says: Originally these galleries were probably used as a quarry to extract a earth that was needed for degreasing woollen cloth. Later they became hiding places, storerooms during the fairs, places of worship., or meeting places for the freemasons!You will also visit two two...
ExGuyParis Says: Make this your first stop. The Visitor Center is next to the main parking area at the entrance to the walled town. Pick up a map of the town so you will have a sense of the location of the attractions (Caesar's Tower, the Grange, the Underground tour, etc.). But in this...
Examine the Military Construction of the Walls
hquittner Says: The walls are very thick and the towers are ether round or square with lookout area on the tops. The bases are broad and sloping to inhibit scaling. It looks like there was even a moat and there may have been wooden hoardings . At the North corner was a large tower with...
hquittner Says: We walked along the 12-13C ramparts as sunset approached in order to stimulate our appetite for the gourmet meal ahead. We exited the walls through the Porte St.-Jean with the remnants of a "murder-hole" in the gate. Outside there was not yet a tourist office, but only a...
hquittner Says: When we visited Provins 10 years ago, the Tourist Office had not yet learned how to trap tourists but was moving in the right direction. Critically the Michelin rated the Tour 2* in a 1* town. At the time the tower and ramparts were undergoing extensive repairs (not the...
Walk Through the Place du Chatel
hquittner Says: You have to walk through or by the Place if you are going between the Grange aux Dimes and the Tour de Cesar or Eglise St.-Quiriace. For us it was "out-back" behind the Hostellerie where we were staying (See Hotel Tip). The Place is for sitting and viewing old houses and...
Church Ste.-Croix Is in the Lower Town
hquittner Says: Like many others this church was built to house a fragment of the True Cross brought back by Thibaut IV on his Crusade adventure. It is amazing how many were taken by the Near Eastern salesmen even then. Luckily he also introduced rose plants to Europe while he continued to...
Hostellerie Aux Vieux Remparts
2 Reviews and 8 Opinions The hotel is in the upper town and has parking and grounds on which to relax (and dine). It is...
1 Review and 10 Opinions Very Basic but Friendly staff. It's a good 15 minutes walk though from the medieval town centre.
La Fleur de Sel: Try the rose flavors
rexvaughan Says: This is a homey but attractive little creperie in a lovely little square in the upper town. I don't know what the name means but I think it translates the Flower of Salt. Go figure. We thoroughly enjoyed a light lunch which featured a couple of the gormet rose specialties of...
Crêperie "Chez Mamie": Lovely, but...
Martinewezel Says: This restauarant was definitely not a very good idea, however a lovely location on the plaza. We ordered salty crêpes with bacon and salad. The plates and the cutlery were not clean and the food was a bit slimy. It was just edible. Perhaps the cook had a bad day? The service...
twiggy321 Says: hi there i am going to provins in August and having looked at all the good info posted here my only concern is which pass to get. i believe you can get a combined ticket for the attractions ie tithe barn etc and also for the shows. however as mentioned before i believe that...
meccas Says: if you cross the road from the train station , walk right for 50 yard and then turn left you will find an english speaking cafe the chap who owns it is v ery helpfulalternatively as you come out of the station bear right until you get to the level crossing, cross over it and...
La Ronde des Abeilles: Artistry in Honey and Rose
ExGuyParis Says: Carla Renault's shop is my favorite shop in Provins. Carla is delightful, and her products are outstanding. She produces a honey flavored with Rose of Provins. This honey is sublime. She also produces rose jam, and a rose-flavored spice bread, using medieval recipes as...
Librairie Delvaux: A medieval library in a vaulted cave
carolerica Says: This library specialised in the Middle Age is set in a stunning vaulted cave, one of the most beautiful of the upper city.You must stop in this little shop, just for the setting! If, like me, you are passionate about midieval time, than you will find hundreds of books on...
The Eglise St.-Loup-de-Naud is 8 km away
hquittner Says: This masterpiece of early European Sculpture is nearby. If you are in Provins by car be sure to see it. It is hard to realize that in the 12C Provins (today 12.5K pop) was the capital of Brie (and with a pop. of 80K) in which the Thibaults (Counts) resided and wrote poetry...
rexvaughan Says: Provins has two rivers but you might not know it from looking at them as they both appear to be small streams. One is La Fausse Riviere (the false river) which follows the line of the old city walls around the old lower town. The other runs through the lower town and is very...
rexvaughan Says: I know toilets are everywhere but wanted to put this photo up as this style is dying out. I call them "squatty potties" as there is no seat. Fifteen years ago we encountered this kind very frequently but they seem to be dying out in most of Western Europe. This one was in a...
rexvaughan Says: Walking the whole city of Provins is fairly easy. However, you should be aware that, as there are the Ville Basse and the Ville Haute, there are some hills to climb. If you have problems walking up inclines, take it slow and easy. They are not very high but can be steep in...
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Provins was a major European trade center in the 12th and 13th centuries. At the “Champagne fairs, “ merchants from across the continent would offer a variety of goods. Today, Provins retains much of...
In the Middle Ages, Provins was located on the crossroad of the European trade roads. The town became famous during the 12th and the 13th century , thanks to the famous fairs of Champagne. Today,......
A couple of years ago I picked up Annabel Simms' book, An Hour From Paris. It suggests about 20 destinations within an hour of Paris so we decided to give Provins a try and found it wonderful....
Located 80 km southeast of Paris, I came to this town by chance. This was not where I intended to go at first, but my trip to Provins had proved to be one of my most memorable. Provins became part of...
A romantic medieval village near Paris
The town's influence was at its highest point during the 12th and 13th centuries, the time of the celebrated Champagne Fairs. Famed for its troubadours, safe behind its fortified walls, Provins was a...
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