Avignon overview
A landmark from the lavender fields of Provence, the imposing Pope’s Palace sits at the northern end of the walled city. Rising over the mighty Rhone, France’s fourth longest river, Avignon was home to the papacy from 1309 to 1377. Seven French popes ruled the Catholic world at a time when Italy was too dangerous. Between 1334 and 1352, they built this wonderful, extraordinary and rich structure. The largest Gothic palace in the world, it served as both a fortress and a palace. It consists of two buildings: the Palais Vieux (Old Palace) to the north and the Neuf Palace (New Palace) to the south.
Allow 4 hours to wander the courtyards that lead to the magnificent collection of small and large rooms. Its uses were diverse and necessary for what was a mini city within a city: rooms to store weapons and armor, or the abundant gold and silver that kept the papacy in operation; banquet halls decorated with tapestries for eating and drinking; chapels to pray; sleeping chambers, audience chambers to impress visitors both secular and religious, and terraces to admire the view.
The UNESCO World Heritage site is very well organized with audio guides in different languages, films and multimedia points to show you the life of the past.
There’s also a nice behind-the-scenes tour, called the Secret Palace, that takes you to areas you might not see and includes interpretation in French and English.
During the summer, the walls of the palace are illuminated with Les Luminessences D’Avignon. The sound and light show takes you back in time in a spectacular way and is worth reserving.
The small palace museum
The Petit Palais was bought by the pope in 1335 as a house, but it was neglected and later renovated in the 15th century . Used as accommodation for important visitors (such as Cesare Borgia in 1498, Francis 1 in 1533, and the Duke of Orleans in 1660), today it is the Musée du Petit Palais. The delicious palace is a museum filled with treasures: Romanesque and Gothic sculpture, and the Campana collection, with Italian paintings from the 13th to the 16th centuries.
Pass the art and you can see how perspective and realism developed from the Sienese School of the first period to the Renaissance. You can also see paintings and sculptures from the Avignon School from the 15th century .
Avignon Old Town Walking Tours
Old Avignon stretches around the imposing Palace of the Popes. Pick up a map from the Tourist Office and head out into the narrow cobbled streets that fill the old town, originally protected by the circular walls. This is a perfect medieval and renaissance city. Don’t miss King René’s house on rue Roi-René; Street of the Dyers, which follows the river Sorgue, providing the necessary water for the 18 th and 19 th century calico cloth dyers who lived here; the Quartier de la Balance that runs down to the Pont Bénézet, and the Place de l’Horloge, a vast tree-shaded square with the theater, the town hall and numerous paved cafes to pass the hours.
Stroll a little further to the 15th- century Palais du Roure through the front door and the courtyard where you can walk. If you’re there on a Tuesday at 3pm, take the guided tour that will take you to rooms of Provencal costumes and textiles, old Camargue photographs, and more.
The famous Pont St-Bénézet, Bridge of Avignon
The instantly recognizable iconic Pont St-Bénézet was built in the 12th century , according to legend, by a young shepherd after receiving a message from an angel to do so. Whatever its origins, the bridge became the only crossing point on the important Rhône between Lyon and the Mediterranean. The arched bridge survived until the 17th century and remains today one of the great symbols of the attractive city. He is famous for the children’s song Sur le Pont d’Avignon , although he was never old enough to dance.
But it was a great feat of engineering, which can be seen today in the museum’s new exhibits, films, and interactive media that show how the bridge changed over the centuries.
Calvet Museum
Esprit Calvet (1728-1810) was a successful doctor who left his considerable collections to a foundation that today runs various museums and institutions in Avignon.
Set in a beautiful 18 th -Century neoclassical palace, the Calvet Museum begins with the ancient world and especially 4th -Century AC stelae, standing stones carved with faces. Sculptures, silverware, and faience (glazed ceramic articles) sit along with French, Italian and Flemish paintings from the 16th to the 19th century.
Parque Rocher des Doms
You will find this beautiful park, an oasis of green peace, north of the Palace of the Popes. Climb manicured lawns and tinkling fountains to the top of the hill for a fabulous view over the city and river. Right below you, the golden Madonna shines in the tower of the Notre-Dame-des-Doms cathedral in front of the Pope’s Palace. Shop everything for a picnic at Halles Market Place and sit down for cold cuts and cheese, fresh bread and patés overlooking the glorious stone city below.
Markets and special purchases in Avignon
Avignon has a good selection of shops and some of those great southern French markets.
Markets
The modern covered market, Les Halles in place Pie, is the ideal place to buy food. 40 different stalls sell the local products of Provence from Tuesday to Sunday, from 6 am to 1 pm
Head to the Place des Carmes for the flower market on Saturday mornings and the flea market on Sunday. From June to September the 3rd Monday of each month at the Allées de l’Oulle a food market specialist brings smaller producers to the city.
Weekends mean numerous food markets at St-Michel and Place Crillon .
Purchasing specialist
Start with chocolates at one of the best chocolatiers, Puyricard, which has branches all over the south of France. In Avignon, the shop is at 33 rue Joseph Vernet, tel: 00 33 (0) 4 90 85 96 33.
. If you’re in Provence, lookout for brightly colored, classic textiles Try Les Indiennes de Nîmes , Mistral at 9 rue des Fourbisseurs, tel: 00 (9) 81 44 90 24 for a good selection.
Antiques, including antique pottery and Provencal furniture and kitchenware, are on display at Herve Baume , 19 Rue de la Petite Fusterie, tel: 00 33 (0) 4 90 86 37 66.
For everything lavender, most Provencal plants, head to Lavande & Co, 61 Rue Grande Fusterie, tel: 00 33 (0) 4 90 14 70 05.
Avignon Festival and Events
Of all the events that this lively city organizes, the Avignon Festival is the best known, both nationally and globally. It was started in 1947 by actor and director Jean Vilar, whose goal was to bring theater to the masses with top actors like Jean Negroni and Jeanne Moreau. Held each year in July, the 3-week-long event takes over the main courtyard of the Pope’s Palace, which can hold up to 2,000 spectators. It is a truly international event with more than 40 different theater, dance and music performances, as well as fine art exhibitions throughout the city. Companies from all over the world carry out work from Euripides to Chekhov, from Shakespeare to Mikhaïl Boulgakov.
There is also a fringe-style festival called Avignon Public Off that occupies more than 100 smaller venues. There are free performances at the place de l’Horloge.
Other events not to be missed include the Avignon Blues Festival in October with musicians from New Orleans to London and Paris.
The annual Christmas market takes over the central streets with craft stalls, musical performances, folk dancers, and nativity scenes and figures.
