Avignon
« Who has not seen Avignon in the time of the Popes, has seen nothing » - Alphonse Daudet
Famed for hosting the largest arts festival in France each year, the sleepy, walled town of Avignon draws thousands of visitors in the summer months to explore its many theatres, boutiques and restaurants. But the year-round attraction of the quiet city is its cobbled streets and leafy squares, all centred around the Gothic fortress called the Palais des Papes, which became a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1995. The city is home to the Pont Saint-Bénézet, nostalgically known as the inspiration behind the song Sous le pont d’Avignon, and to a lively indoor market called Les Halles where you can buy artisanal food from a range of different stalls. On sunny days, make a trip to see the spectacular views from the Rocher des Doms, or see the city from the perspective of a cruise on the Rhône river. If you’re staying for a long time, make the most of the city’s excellent transport system and visit some of the charming neighbouring towns and cities, like Nîmes, Isle-sur-la-Sorgue and Orange.
Activities
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Avignon Cathedral, Provence
The Romanesque cathedral was built in 1111 on the site of a 4th-century basilica, allegedly destroyed by the Saracens in 731 AD, of which no trace remains.
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Jean Cocteau Museum, Menton, Provence
Located at the foot of the old town of Menton, opposite the covered market and on the seafront, the Musée Jean Cocteau Collection Séverin Wunderman opened its doors in November 2011.
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L'Isle-sur-la-Sorgue, Avignon
This beautiful commune, just 25km southeast of Avignon city centre, is home to some of the best antique shops, cafés and restaurants in Provence.
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La Compagnie des Chats, Avignon
This kitty café is the perfect place to relax, dine, and have fun surrounded by feline friends
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Louis Vouland Museum, Avignon, Provence
Sheltered by the ramparts, the beautiful mansion of the rich industrialist Louis Vouland houses the only museum of decorative arts in Avignon. Discover its 18th-century collections, its rare and unusual pieces, its Provençal paintings before strolling through the garden...
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Musée Calvet, Avignon
Discover one of Avignon's best kept secrets - Musée Calvet is the home of fine art and sculpture in Avignon, featuring works by Châlons, Mignard and Levieux in a divine private setting.
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Musée Renoir de Cagnes-sur-Mer, Provence
The Renoir Museum offers the chance to experience the atmosphere in which Renoir lived at the end of his life. The house-museum presents, in addition to intimate places charged with emotion (bathroom, bedrooms, garden...), a collection of exceptional works, some of which are the property of the commune, others of which have been deposited by national and local museums and private collections.
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Musée Requien, Avignon, Provence
The Requien Museum owes its name to its creator Esprit Requien (1788 - 1851) who, in 1840, bequeathed his collections and his library to the Calvet Museum. Esprit Requien devoted himself very early on to botany and then to malacology and palaeontology.
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Musée du Petit Palais, Avignon
The Musée du Petit Palais is a historically significant building turned art gallery, featuring a collection of paintings and sculptures of the Italian Renaissance and the Avignon school.
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Palais des Papes, Avignon
This 14th-century palace is the cultural centrepiece of Avignon. The UNESCO World Heritage site is home to priceless frescoes, one-of-a-kind architecture and breathtaking views of the medieval Provencal city and its surroundings.
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Rocher des Doms, Avignon: All Year
The South of France is world renowned as a place of natural beauty, dramatic landscapes and balmy summer weather; and there is no better place to soak up the sunshine in Avignon than at the Rocher des Doms.
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Vivotto, Restaurant, Avignon
Just around the corner from the popular foodie square of Place des Corps Saints in Avignon, Vivotto is a ‘fast-food’ restaurant with a healthy, sophisticated twist.
