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Avignon
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Avignon invites visitors to explore the Palais des Papes, Pont d’Avignon, medieval ramparts, Provençal culture, lively markets and Rhône-side history.

A Medieval Papal Stronghold

Avignon rises above the Rhône in Provence as a city of powerful stone walls, narrow medieval streets and monumental religious architecture. Its defining landmark is the Palais des Papes, the vast Gothic palace that became the residence of the popes during the fourteenth century. Nearby, the cathedral of Notre-Dame-des-Doms crowns the rocky Rocher des Doms, while the damaged Pont Saint-Bénézet extends partway into the river, its arches recalling the medieval crossing celebrated in the French song ‘Sur le pont d’Avignon’.
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Life Within the Ramparts

The historic centre remains enclosed by substantial ramparts, creating a compact area well suited to exploring on foot. Streets around Place de l’Horloge, Rue des Teinturiers and Place des Corps Saints combine historic façades with cafés, theatres, independent shops and restaurants. The Musée du Petit Palais holds an important collection of Italian and Provençal paintings, while the Collection Lambert introduces modern and contemporary art in elegant former hôtels particuliers. Avignon’s cultural calendar is especially associated with the Festival d’Avignon, whose theatre performances animate courtyards and stages each summer.

Provence and the Rhône

The city is also a gateway to the wider landscapes of Provence: vineyards lie to the north, orchards and villages spread across the surrounding plains, and the Rhône gives Avignon a broad geographical presence. From the Rocher des Doms, views reach towards Villeneuve-lès-Avignon and the wooded hills beyond. Markets, Provençal cooking, local wine and the changing light on the river give the city a living identity beyond its celebrated monuments.

When is the best time to visit Avignon?

Best: June–July, September · 26–29°C
Average daytime high and rainfall by month
MonthHigh (°C)Rainfall (mm)
January1150
February1348
March1653
April1967
May2370
June (best)2749
July (best)2928
August2954
September (best)2682
October21105
November1583
December1270

Getting to and around Avignon

How to get there

Avignon is served by two railway stations with different roles. Avignon Centre lies beside the historic core and handles regional trains, while Avignon TGV, outside the ramparts, connects the area with France’s high-speed network, including Paris, Lyon and Marseille; local rail or other onward transport links the two stations. Avignon-Provence Airport is nearby but has limited and variable commercial services, so many international visitors use Marseille Provence Airport or, depending on route, Nîmes or Montpellier airports before continuing by train or road. The city is also accessible by motorway and long-distance coach, although arrival by rail is often the simplest option for the walled centre.

Transportation

The historic centre within the ramparts is compact and best explored on foot, with pedestrian streets and restricted vehicle access in parts of the old town. Local buses connect Avignon with outer districts, the railway stations and nearby communities, while regional services reach towns across Vaucluse and the Rhône valley. Taxis are available, and cycling can be practical on flatter routes, although summer traffic and narrow historic streets require care. Visitors arriving by car should expect limited parking within the old centre and may find it easier to use designated car parks outside or near the ramparts, then walk into the historic core.

Best attractions in Avignon

Avignon’s principal attractions are concentrated within and around its medieval walls. The Palais des Papes dominates the historic centre, offering vast halls, chapels and defensive architecture that reveal the scale of the former papal court. The Pont Saint-Bénézet, preserved in truncated form above the Rhône, provides one of the city’s most recognisable viewpoints. The Rocher des Doms combines shaded paths and river panoramas, while the Musée du Petit Palais presents distinguished medieval and Renaissance painting in a former archbishop’s palace. Art lovers can continue to the Collection Lambert, where contemporary works occupy elegant urban buildings. Walking the ramparts brings shifting views of towers, rooftops and the surrounding plain, and Rue des Teinturiers adds waterwheels, plane trees and cafés along an old canal. During summer, the Festival d’Avignon transforms courtyards, cloisters and theatres into venues for performance.

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Best landmarks in Avignon

Avignon’s landmarks express the authority once concentrated in this Rhône-side city. The Palais des Papes is the most imposing, a fourteenth-century Gothic complex whose thick walls, ceremonial rooms and chapels reflect the needs of both a papal residence and a fortified seat of power. Beside it, Notre-Dame-des-Doms combines a medieval cathedral with later additions and a gilded statue of the Virgin visible above the old town. The Pont Saint-Bénézet is a medieval bridge famously left incomplete after repeated damage, its surviving arches extending into the river. Encircling the centre, the well-preserved ramparts form an exceptional urban boundary of towers and gates. The Hôtel de Ville on Place de l’Horloge represents later civic Avignon, while the Rocher des Doms remains the city’s principal elevated public viewpoint.

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Neighbourhoods in Avignon

Best restaurants in Avignon

Avignon’s food culture is rooted in Provençal cooking, with olive oil, garlic, herbs, tomatoes, aubergines and seasonal vegetables appearing in dishes such as ratatouille, soupe au pistou, tapenade and aioli. Local menus also draw on lamb, poultry, freshwater fish and the region’s abundant fruit, while cheese, fougasse and pastries suit a quick market lunch or café stop. Les Halles d’Avignon, the covered central market, is a focal point for produce, prepared foods and informal eating, and the streets around the old centre contain traditional bistros, cafés and contemporary restaurants. Wine from the Rhône valley is strongly represented, including appellations from the wider Vaucluse rather than the city itself. Dining around Place de l’Horloge, Rue des Teinturiers and the streets near Les Halles ranges from relaxed Provençal meals to modern interpretations of regional ingredients.

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Best bars in Avignon

Avignon’s evening scene is shaped more by cafés, wine bars, theatre and festival culture than by a large club circuit. Place de l’Horloge and the surrounding historic streets stay active with terraces, while Rue des Teinturiers is associated with informal bars, cultural venues and summer nightlife beside its old watercourse. The Festival d’Avignon brings performances to theatres, courtyards and temporary spaces across the centre, creating a particularly animated atmosphere in July. Outside the festival period, evenings may centre on a Rhône-valley wine tasting, live music, a small concert or a performance at one of the city’s theatres rather than late-night dancing. Bars near Place des Corps Saints and the railway station provide further options, though the scale remains that of a historic regional city rather than a major club destination.

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Best nightclubs in Avignon

Avignon’s evening scene is shaped more by cafés, wine bars, theatre and festival culture than by a large club circuit. Place de l’Horloge and the surrounding historic streets stay active with terraces, while Rue des Teinturiers is associated with informal bars, cultural venues and summer nightlife beside its old watercourse. The Festival d’Avignon brings performances to theatres, courtyards and temporary spaces across the centre, creating a particularly animated atmosphere in July. Outside the festival period, evenings may centre on a Rhône-valley wine tasting, live music, a small concert or a performance at one of the city’s theatres rather than late-night dancing. Bars near Place des Corps Saints and the railway station provide further options, though the scale remains that of a historic regional city rather than a major club destination.

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Best shops in Avignon

Shopping in Avignon combines Provençal food culture with independent retail inside the ramparts. Les Halles is the natural starting point for herbs, olives, cheeses, fruit, vegetables, bread and other regional ingredients, while specialist food shops offer Rhône wines, tapenade, honey and confectionery suitable for gifts. The streets around Rue de la République and Place de l’Horloge contain mainstream retailers, whereas smaller boutiques and craft shops are scattered through the historic centre. Visitors may find locally styled textiles, ceramics, soaps, prints and handmade objects, although provenance varies and should be checked when purchasing items described as regional. The area around Rue des Teinturiers has an independent, arts-oriented character, with galleries and creative businesses alongside cafés. Weekly markets and seasonal stalls add a changing layer of local trade without turning the old city into a purely souvenir-focused district.

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Avignon essentials

Currency and Payment
France uses the euro, with the international code EUR. Cards and contactless payments are widely accepted in hotels, museums, supermarkets, cafés and many restaurants, although small purchases at markets, independent stalls or temporary festival venues may still be easier with cash. ATMs are available in and around the walled centre, but visitors should use bank-operated machines where possible and be mindful of foreign-card charges. Carrying a modest amount of euros is useful for market purchases, small cafés and situations in which a minimum card spend or limited connectivity affects payment.
Safety
Avignon is a significant tourist and festival city, so sensible urban precautions are appropriate, particularly around railway stations, crowded monuments, markets and busy summer events. Keep wallets and phones secure in dense queues, avoid leaving possessions visible in parked cars and take care on narrow streets shared by pedestrians and bicycles. The area around the ramparts and main squares is active in the evening, but quieter streets should be approached with ordinary night-time awareness. During festivals, crowded performances and pop-up venues can make navigation confusing; keep accommodation details and a charged phone available.
Emergency Situations
In France, call 112 for a general emergency and 15 for urgent medical assistance, 17 for police and 18 for the fire service. Calls to these numbers are free, and 112 is useful when language or the correct service is uncertain. Give the precise street address or identify a nearby landmark, such as the Palais des Papes or a railway station, and follow the operator’s instructions. European visitors should carry their European Health Insurance Card where eligible, while travellers from elsewhere need appropriate insurance and should ask their insurer or accommodation for guidance on non-emergency healthcare.
Do's and Don'ts
Greet shopkeepers and restaurant staff with ‘bonjour’ before asking a question, and use ‘merci’ and ‘s’il vous plaît’ in everyday exchanges. Dress respectfully when entering churches and avoid touching historic stonework, artworks or religious objects. In restaurants, service is generally included, while rounding up or leaving a small additional amount for particularly good service is a personal choice rather than an obligation. Keep voices low in places of worship and museums, follow photography rules and give way to pedestrians in narrow streets. At markets, handle produce only when invited and ask before photographing vendors.
Local Tips
The area around Les Halles offers a useful introduction to regional ingredients, while the streets around Rue des Teinturiers reveal a quieter, more local side of the centre than the main papal monuments. Allow time for the Rocher des Doms, whose elevated paths provide views across the Rhône and towards Villeneuve-lès-Avignon. Avignon Centre is convenient for the old town, whereas Avignon TGV is the relevant station for high-speed travel. The city can become particularly busy during July’s theatre festival, when temporary performance spaces share streets and courtyards with ordinary city life.
Eve, your Evendo local guide

From Eve

Local phrases worth knowing

You don't need to get them perfect. A few words go a long way, and locals appreciate the effort.

6 phrase groups · English, local and pronunciation

Basics
EnglishLocalSay it
HelloBonjour[bon-zhoor]
GoodbyeAu revoir[oh ruh-vwahr]
YesOui[wee]
NoNon[nohn]
Please/You're welcomeS'il vous plaît/De rien[seel voo pleh / duh ryen]
Thank youMerci[mehr-see]
Excuse me/SorryExcusez-moi/Désolé[ehk-skew-zay mwah / day-zoh-lay]
How are you?Comment ça va?[koh-mohn sah vah?]
Fine. And you?Bien. Et vous?[byen. ay voo?]
Do you speak English?Parlez-vous anglais?[par-lay voo ahn-glay?]
I don't understandJe ne comprends pas[zhuh nuh kohm-prahnd pah]
Eating & Drinking
EnglishLocalSay it
I'd like to see the menu, pleaseJe voudrais voir le menu, s'il vous plaît[zhuh voo-dray vwar luh muh-noo, seel voo pleh]
I don't eat meatJe ne mange pas de viande[zhuh nuh mahnj pah duh vyand]
Cheers!Santé![sahn-tay]
I would like to pay, pleaseJe voudrais payer, s'il vous plaît[zhuh voo-dray pay-ay, seel voo pleh]
Emergencies
EnglishLocalSay it
Help!Au secours![oh se-koor]
Go away!Allez-vous en![ah-lay voo zahn]
Call the Police!Appelez la police![ah-play lah poh-lees]
Call a doctor!Appelez un médecin![ah-play uh may-duh-sahn]
I'm lostJe me suis perdu[zhuh muh swee pair-doo]
I'm illJe suis malade[zhuh swee mah-lahd]
Shopping
EnglishLocalSay it
I'd like to buy...Je voudrais acheter...[zhuh voo-dray zah-shay...]
I'm just lookingJe regarde juste[zhuh ruh-gard zhuhst]
How much is it?Combien ça coûte?[kohm-byen sah koot?]
That's too expensiveC'est trop cher[say troh shair]
Can you lower the price?Pouvez-vous baisser le prix?[poo-veh voo bay-say luh pree?]
Time & Numbers
EnglishLocalSay it
What time is it?Quelle heure est-il?[kel uhr ay-teel?]
It's one o'clockIl est une heure[eel ay oon uhr]
Half past (10)Dix heures et demie[dees uhr ay duh-mee]
MorningMatin[mah-tahn]
AfternoonAprès-midi[ah-pray mee-dee]
EveningSoir[swahr]
YesterdayHier[yehr]
TodayAujourd'hui[oh-zhoor-dwee]
TomorrowDemain[duh-mahn]
1Un[uhn]
2Deux[duh]
3Trois[twah]
4Quatre[kah-truh]
5Cinq[sank]
6Six[sees]
7Sept[set]
8Huit[wheet]
9Neuf[nuff]
10Dix[dees]
Transport & Directions
EnglishLocalSay it
Where's a/the...?Où est...?[oo ay...?]
What's the address?Quelle est l'adresse?[kel ay la-dress?]
Can you show me (on the map)?Pouvez-vous me montrer (sur la carte)?[poo-veh voo muh mohn-tray (sir lah kart)?]
When's the next (bus)?Quand est le prochain (bus)?[kahn ay luh pro-shahn (buss)?]
A ticket (to ....)Un billet (pour ....)[uhn bee-yay (poor ....)]

History of Avignon

Early Settlement and Roman Foundations

Avignon developed beside a strategic crossing of the Rhône, on land occupied before Roman rule by a Celtic-Ligurian community often identified with the Avenio of ancient sources. The Romans incorporated the settlement into their provincial network, and its position connected routes through southern Gaul with the river corridor. Although much of the visible medieval city came later, the relationship between Avignon and the Rhône was already central to its economic and strategic importance. The rocky rise now known as the Rocher des Doms provided a defensible position above the river, while trade and movement along the surrounding plain helped sustain urban life through successive periods of political change.

Medieval Counts and Episcopal Power

During the Middle Ages, Avignon grew as a fortified episcopal and commercial centre. Control of the city shifted among regional powers, including the counts of Provence and the counts of Toulouse, before it came under the influence of the papacy. The construction of the Pont Saint-Bénézet began in the late twelfth century, creating an important crossing and strengthening Avignon’s role in Rhône commerce, although the bridge was repeatedly damaged by floods and conflict. Medieval churches, convents and merchant streets expanded around the original hill, establishing the urban framework that remains visible within the later ramparts.

The Avignon Papacy

The decisive transformation came in the fourteenth century, when Pope Clement V settled the papal court in Avignon in 1309 and Pope John XXII established the papal residence there. From 1377, the papacy returned to Rome, yet seven popes had ruled from Avignon and two rival popes later maintained courts there during the Western Schism. The papal presence brought officials, artists, bankers and craftsmen, as well as major building projects. The Palais des Papes, begun under Benedict XII and enlarged under Clement VI, embodies the political and religious power concentrated in the city during this period.

From Papal Territory to France

Avignon remained governed by the papacy after the papal court left, while the neighbouring Comtat Venaissin formed a separate papal territory. This arrangement gave the city a distinctive political status beside the French kingdom and encouraged commercial and cultural links across the Rhône. During the French Revolution, tensions surrounding papal rule culminated in annexation by France in 1791, confirmed during the revolutionary reorganisation of territory. The former papal institutions were adapted to civic and military uses, and the city gradually assumed the administrative role within the Vaucluse that it holds today.

Modern City and Cultural Stage

The nineteenth and twentieth centuries reshaped Avignon through new roads, railway connections and urban development beyond the medieval walls, while the historic centre retained its major monuments. The arrival of the railway strengthened links with Marseille, Lyon and Paris, and the city became increasingly connected to tourism and the regional economy. In 1947, Jean Vilar founded the Festival d’Avignon, turning the city’s courtyards and historic spaces into an influential setting for theatre and performance. Contemporary Avignon therefore combines the legacy of the papal court with a cultural identity shaped by festivals, museums, Provençal commerce and its position on the Rhône.

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