Download here the map of the city centre and its car parks.
Leisurely wander the picturesque streets and take a break on one of the city’s beautiful squares: Place de l’Horloge, Place Crillon, Place Pie, Place des Corps Saints, Place St Didier, Place des Carmes…. Each one has cafe terraces with views of the architecture and the monuments of Avignon. And don’t forget the Rue des Teinturiers, a picturesque cobblestone street with its water wheels that in the past powered the silk spinning mills. As you stroll through this history-filled city you will probably see the beautiful sights such as:
• The Popes’ Palace & Notre-Dame des Doms cathedral
• The St-Pierre Basilica
• The St-Didier collegiate church
• The St Agricol church
• The Square Agricol Perdiguié
Avignon is also a cultural city with a wide selection of museums:
• The Popes’ Palace Colossal edifice of gothic architecture, the Popes’ Palace in Avignon is an essential spot in medieval European history. Built in the 14th century and listed as a World Heritage Site, this exceptional building is one of the most visited monuments in France. From the Rocher des Doms, the Palace dominates the city of Avignon with all its magnificence. Price: 12€/adult – 10€/child from 8 to 17 years – Free for children under 8 years The Avignon Theatre Festival, each year since its creation, offers diverse contemporary or lesser known works in the main courtyard of the Popes’ Palace, which becomes for the occasion a veritable open-air theatre (Festival IN). New immersive experience : “Vibrations” is the sound and light show in 360° that transforms the Popes’ Palace into a universe of sensations and vibrations that takes you on a dreamlike and palpitant sensorial journey.
Length 25-30 min.
Full Price: 12€, Reduced price: 10€ – Free for children under 8 years.
• The Musée Calvet Situated in an 18th century town mansion in Avignon, the Calvet Museum brings together works from different domaines including the fine arts, archaeology and ethnography and the decorative arts. The museum’s works belong to the Calvet Foundation, which possesses numerous collections. The collection of paintings and sculptures comprises several hundred paintings and sculptures from the 15th to the 20th century celebrating the artistic creation of the Avignon School but you will also find an impressive Egyptian collection presented in three different halls.
Free admission.
• The Petit Palais The Petit Palais is a museum devoted to works from the Middle Ages and the start of the Renaissance. Listed as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO, it gets its name from the fact that this smaller palace was reserved for the archbishops, compared to the “Great Palace” which was reserved for the Popes. You will find here works by Italian and Provençal painters, Avignonnais sculptors, and theme exhibitions or particular artists or works such as Botticelli or the Triptych of Venasque.
Free admission
Where to dine in Avignon?
Not far far from the Popes’ Palace, here are some restaurants that we can recommend:
Avenio: 19 Rue Des Trois Faucons, 84000 Avignon
Christian Etienne: 10 Rue de Mons
La Fourchette: 17 Rue Racine
La Mirande: 4 Place de l’Amirande
• Between Avignon and Villeneuve-Lez-Avignon, in the middle of the Rhône sits Barthelasse Island, the city’s green lung.
There you can dine at Le Bercail: 162 Chemin des Canotiers – La Barthelasse.
You can also discover Avignon during a river cruise. Our advice: a few minutes from Avignon, take a break far from the hustle and bustle of the city and enjoy a different setting!
Le Prieuré Baumanière hôtel-restaurant, a stone’s throw from Avignon. In the heart of the historic village of Villeneuve-lez-Avignon, it is a haven of peace in a charming little jardin de curé situated 7 Place du Chapitre – Villeneuve-Lez-Avignon. When you’re there, take the time to visit the treasures of Villeneuve-Lez-Avignon: the Chartreuse monastery and the Fort St-André.
