Avignon and Provence Villages, France

Avignon and Provence Villages, France (5/17-5/20/2024)

Beautiful Avignon Provence France

Set on the Rhône river, the historic city of Avignon is full of history, culture, and medieval architecture. You can enjoy the relaxing Provençal atmosphere exploring Avignon’s quaint streets such as the Rue des Teinturiers and elegant squares like the Place des Corps Saints. The town center of Avignon is the Place de l’Horloge, lined with shady trees and filled with cafés where you can sit and watch the world go by. We choose Avignon because it is centrally located to visit interesting towns in Provence… see below for suggestions.

Wonderful Outdoor Restaurants

Avignon is a very walkable city. The old town, surrounded by medieval walls, is compact and flat. Its main attractions (Palais des Papes, Pont Saint-Bénézet, and the Avignon Cathedral) are located near each other. Walking is a great way to discover the Avignon’s charming streets, squares, and hidden corners. English is spoken everywhere.

Palais des Papes (Popes’ Palace)

Avignon is best known for the enormous UNESCO-listed Palais des Papes (Popes’ Palace), the seat of the Catholic papacy in the 14th century and residence of seven Popes from 1309 to 1377 (see photo). It was the largest palace in the world and considered one of the most important buildings of its time. The opulence of the palace and fortress is a testimony to the wealth and power of Christendom during the Middle Ages. Next to the Palace, the Petis Palais Museum (see photo) is free and closed on Tuesdays.

Petis Palais Museum

We found the tour of Palais des Papes underwhelming. All the furniture and paintings are gone so you see just empty rooms. Display descriptions are only in French. The iPad bland descriptions lack audio and presents little history or special antidotes to better understand the significance of this important site. During the busy season in Avignon if you do plan to do the tour you can avoid the ticket line by booking tickets in advance.

Avignon’s Main Square – Place de l’Horloge

The most happening place is Rue de la République, the main street in Avignon where you will find the popular Place de l’Horloge, the city’s main square (see photo). The square is filled with restaurants with outdoor seating and interesting shops in the streets radiating out from it. Located in front of Les Halles marketplace, Place Pie is a lively square full of sidewalk cafes, bars, and brasseries. Probably Avignon’s prettiest square, Place des Corps Saints, is a foodie’s paradise with many restaurants, a beautiful church, and plenty of shade from stately trees. Another chic square to relax is the beautiful Place Crillon.

Map – Avignon

Avignon’s Rue des Teinturiers is an atmospheric cobblestone street that follows the small channel of the Sorgue River from the Rue des Lices to the city walls. At night the street comes alive with restaurants, bars, and cafes. The medieval street Rue Peyrolerie is another worth walking, as you’ll pass under the buttresses of the Palace of the Popes. Shoppers in search of the latest designer fashions should head to the Rue Joseph Vernet.

A popular site in Avignon is Pont d’Avignon (Saint Bénezet bridge) built in the 12th century and originally spanned almost 3,000 feet with 22 arches. It was the only place to cross the Rhône between Lyon and the Mediterranean sea. Now only a small section remains after being damaged by flood waters and abandoned in the 17th century. A multi-media display and audioguide is available with descriptions about the legends and history of the bridge.

Beautiful Main Square

With such strong links to the wealthy Papacy, Avignon has several beautiful churches and religious buildings, each with its unique history and architectural style. Built in the 1100’s, one of the most impressive is the Basilica of Notre Dame des Doms, located near the Palace of the Popes. The church’s gilded lead statue of the Virgin Mary is visible from many points around the Avignon. Dating back to 1512, the Saint-Pierre church is a hidden gem.

Beautiful Avignon

Avignon has many interesting museums. Collection Lambert is a must-visit museum for contemporary art lovers featuring an outstanding collection of major works. Avignon is home to five free museums in some of the most beautiful buildings in Avignon. These include Musée Calvet, Palais du Roure, Musée Requien, Vaucluse’s Museum of Natural History, Musée Lapidaire, and the Petit Palais displaying medieval religious art.

Petit Train d’Avignon

The Petit Train d’Avignon offers a memorable 45-minute tour of Avignon’s sights with interesting narration (see photo). It climbs some hills allowing you to discover fantastic views of Avignon, Villeneuve-les-Avignon, and the Island of Barthelasse. Children can enjoy a specially designed audio commentary. The company also offers a city bus tour valid for the day where you to get on and off at your own pace to explore the city.

Les Halles d’Avignon

Avignon’s cuisine is a fusion of traditional Provençal flavors and Mediterranean influences. Local markets feature produce, herbs, and seafood, inspiring dishes like ratatouille (a hearty vegetable stew) and bouillabaisse (a flavorful fish soup). If you are a food lover, a great place to get a feel of local life is the Les Halles d’Avignon, a historic indoor market with many vendors selling traditional local products (see photo).

Villeneuve-les-Avignon

Villeneuve-les-Avignon, located on the other side of the Rhône River from Avignon, is a small charming medieval town with a rich history and plenty to see and do (see photo). Villeneuve benefited from the newfound prosperity upon the arrival of the Papacy in Avignon in 1309 and magnificent palaces were constructed on the riverbanks. Chartreuse du Val de Bénédiction, founded during the 14th century as a monastery is interesting to explore and the garden is nice. Other sites include Old Town, Pierre de Luxembourg museum, Chapel of the Pénitents Gris, and the hill of Les Mourgues. Weekly markets take place on Thursday and Saturday mornings.

Map – Provence France

Best time to visit Avignon and Provence… We visited Avignon in springtime May when the weather is beautiful and crowds are lower. Peak tourist season in Provence is during the summer months from June to August. The weather is hot and sunny. July is also when the famous Avignon Theatre Festival takes place. The crowds can be overwhelming during this time and affordable accommodations are less available.

Garden – Villa Aigarden maison d-hotes

We enjoyed staying at the Villa Aigarden maison d-hotes. The owners are very personal and go out of their way to make your stay in Avignon a great one. They provide maps and make suggestions on what to do. This bed and breakfast is located just outside of Avignon’s city walls about a 20-minute walk into the nice places in Avignon. Their garden, surrounded by tall trees, is a beautiful oasis to sit and relax after a day of exploring (see photo). The Internet was good and the bed was very comfortable. The breakfast is very nicely done with local products from the region. Not having a TV is wonderful… restaurants and cafes stay open late so go out and enjoy life like the French do.

Meeting Friends in Avignon

To offer a broader range of exploring Provence, we rented a car and picked it up at the Avignon TVG train station arriving from the 3-hour high-speed TGV train from Paris. Many neighboring towns can also be explored by using the efficient French train system that arrives near the old town areas.

Day Trips from Avignon… We found Avignon a good base to explore nearby towns and attractions in Provence.

East of Avignon

View of Provence Countryside from Gorges

We had a lot of fun exploring the Lubéron area of Provence’s countryside (about 45 minute drive) with its charming hilltop villages and picturesque landscape of rolling hills, valleys, and peaceful farmlands. The iconic Mont Ventoux in the Haut-Vaucluse is the highest mountain peak in Provence. 

Here are villages around Avignon we enjoyed as well as others…

Provence Village Gordes France

Gordes is the number one tourist-visited village for good reasons (see photo). We enjoyed purchasing a couple of treasures at their local craft market and having lunch in the main square. The view of the Provence’s countryside from Gorges is beautiful (see photo). Although there are many parking lots, parking can be difficult – have patience and arrive early if you can.

Unique Roussillon

Roussillon is one of the most beautiful villages in France uniquely known for its red ochre deposits that are reflected in its buildings (see photo). You can take an enjoyable hike through trees enjoying this unique area.

Place de L’Ormeau – Lourmarin

Visiting Lourmarin was our favorite. It is lovely with one of the most beautiful main squares we have seen. Head to the Place de L’Ormeau just inside the village where you with find outside seating restaurants and boutique shops (see photo). We liked having dinner at the L’Ormeau restaurant with good food and interesting people watching. 

Wonderful Dinner in Lourmarin

The Château de Lourmarin is one of the most beautiful Renaissance castles in Provence built in the 15th century. The interior is decorated in antique Provençal style. The drive through the nation park (Parc Natural Regional du Luberon) is beautiful.

L’Isle sur la Sorgue – Provence France

Many people enjoy visiting L’Isle sur la Sorgue, known as the ‘Little Venice of France’, located 17 miles east of Avignon (see photo). It is nice to stroll along the Sorgue river and visit the antique shops and art galleries on the banks of the peaceful canals. The water wheels on the river add real character to this little Provence town. A church to visit is Collegiale Notre Dame des Anges (Collegiate Church of Our Lady of the Angels). To get to the town center, set your GPS to Collegiale Notre Dame des Anges in Place de la Liberte.

South and West of Avignon

Roman Pont du Gard – Provence

The Pont du Gard is one of those iconic sites that shouldn’t be missed on any trip to the South of France. The Roman aqueduct and bridge built almost 2,000 years ago is an impressive sight looming over the Gardon River (see photo). Photos do not do justice in depicting the enormous Post du Gard. It is amazing, especially considering it was built 20 centuries ago.

Place aux Herbes Uzes

Nearby the Post du Gard, the medieval town of Uzès has a charming feel and the old town has been nicely restored (see photo). It’s nice to visit during Uzes’ Saturday morning market around a central fountain in the Place aux Herbes square.

Transhumance in Provence – St Remy

St. Remy - Saint-Rémy-de-Provence is a charming village known for its rich history, beautiful landscapes, and cultural heritage. It is full of gorgeous boutiques, shops, bistros, and cafes. Saint-Rémy is known for its Van Gogh associations and the well-preserved ruins of the Roman city of Glanum lie just outside the town. We visited during St. Remy’s sheep festival (Transhumance in Provence) where local shepherds move their sheep to cooler higher pastures and traditionally herd them through the town first (see photo) – great fun!

Arles Provence France

Arles has a wonderful old town and is only a 20-minute train or car ride from Avignon. The well-preserved 1st-century Roman Amphitheater and a UNESCO-listed Romanesque church are highlights (see photo). For art lovers, the Fondation Vincent van Gogh is not to be missed, along with the Van Gogh Self-Guided Walking Tour that identifies the landmarks captured by Gogh. Arles Center is Place de la Republique.

Map – Nimes Provence France

Sometimes referred to as the Rome of France, Nîmes is home to numerous historical sights dating back to 600 BC. The Roman Nimes Arena is a stately monument in the city. The Roman Amphitheatre remains wonderfully intact. It still seats around 20,000 people and hosts concerts and historic reenactments. A short walk from the arena the Maison Carrée is another incredibly well-preserved relic of the Roman era. Jardins de la Fontaine, one of the first public gardens in Europe, is great for an afternoon stroll through ponds and baroque sculptures. Nimes center: Kathedrale Notre-Dame-et-Saint (Nimes Cathedral).

Red Poppy Field – Provence, France

France’s Provence region surrounding Avignon is one of nature’s most vibrant works of art. Everything appears brighter here… the sunshine, the red poppies (see photo), yellow sunflowers, and deep purple lavender fields. Even the traditional Provençal fabrics feature prints of intense colors. From verdant rolling hills and quaint fishing ports to picturesque villages perched on rocky outcrops, each detail of the landscape is a delight, it’s no wonder this region inspired many famous painters including Picasso, Cézanne, Matisse, Chagall, Vasarely, and Fernand Léger.

Tree-Lined Roads – Provence France

The art de vivre (art of living) is a way of life in Provence… a sunny climate and slow-paced lifestyle. Two of the main Provence cities are Aix-en-Provence and Avignon where tourists and locals relax at the outdoor cafés, shop at open-air markets, and admire amazing art at top-notch museums.

Fountain – Avignon France

While in Avignon do what the French do… Stop and take a seat at an outdoor cafe, relax, have a drink or coffee, and do some people watching. So much fun. Be aware that restaurant servers are efficient but not chatty in France – they are not being unfriendly. You must ask for the check and servers do not expect a tip.

Window Paintings – Avignon

Before visiting Avignon and Provence, be sure to call your credit card providers and inform them of your travel dates and to update the security to be accepted internationally. Getting some Euros at an ATM is helpful. Although credits cards are widely accepted, be aware they take only cash Euros at the markets and some other places. Sometimes you need to use ‘Etats-Unis’ for United States when logging into the internet.

While visiting Avignon, it is nice to use some Some Essential French Words…

- Bonjour – Hello
- Merci -Thank You
- Au revoir – Goodbye
- Oui / Non – Yes / No
- S’il vous plaît – Pease
- Excusez-moi – Excuse Me
- Parlez-vous anglais? – Do you speak English?
- L’addition, s’il vous plaît – The bill, please

Enjoy Avignon and Provence – we did! 

Please see our other posts about beautiful France (click on these links):

Aix-en-Provence

Bordeaux’s Old Town, France

Bordeaux Wine Country, Saint Emilion, Paulliac, & Cognac, France

Paris, France

Loire Valley, France

Mont Saint Michel & Saint Malo, France

Strasbourg – Alsace, France 

Alsace Wine Villages, France
 
Burgundy & Cote d’Or Wine Country, France 

Chablis, Dijon, & Vezelay, France

Champagne Route, France

Reims (Champagne Capital), France

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