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With its bridge, famous the world over in the beloved children's song, the Palace of the Popes, testimony to its prestigious past as Capital of Christianity in the Middle Ages, Avignon offers grandiose architecture, ranked among UNESCO's World Heritage.
The Avignon theatre festival in the summer has been the international meeting point for contemporary creation for the 60 years.
Avignon is also the ideal base for exploring Provence, the Luberon, the Apilles, Camargue and all the beauty of Provence. Avignon also means Provencal cuisine and Côtes du Rhône wines, discovery and lifestyle.
Heritage
Avignon, a strategic site in the Rhone Valley, owes its origine to the Doms rock. With the arrival of the popes in the 14th Century, the city became a second Rome. It was enriched by art ine the 17th and 18th Centuries, and it remained papal property up to the French revolution.
Le Palais des Papes
Popes’ residence in the 14th Century is the most important gothic palace in Europe. The visitor can discover 25 different rooms : reception halls, cloister, chapels and Pope’s private apartment with invaluable frescoes. Ranked by UNESCO as World Heritage for Humanity.
Le Pont St Bénezet
St Bénezet bridge, the bridge of legend. Major witness of Avignon history, is known all over the world thanks to its famous song.
Built from the 12th C., it was several times damaged by the floods of the Rhône river, and had been rebuilt up to the 17th C. Ranked by UNESCO as World Heritage for Humanity.
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Le musée du Petit Palais
An outstanding collection of Italian and provençal paintings from the last 13th C. to the beginning of 16th C. as well as Roman and Gothic Avignon’s sculpture.
Le musée Calvet
In a 18th C. magnificent private mansion, varied collections as paintings or sculptures from the 15th C. to the 20th C. Marcel Puech donation: furniture, decorative arts and goldsmith craft.
Collections Rignault and Victor Martin : Soutine, Manet, Sisley, Camille Claudel, Chabaud…
Le musée Lapidaire
It presents a collection of sculptures from the Calvet museum, this collection consists of Egyptian, Greek and Roman statuary and also a large collection of usual objects.
The premises are currently being renovated, with the objective of clearer understanding through the itinerary through Mediterranean civilizations.
Be sure to see :
- The churches: Notre Dame des Doms Cathedral, Saint Agricol, Saint Didier, Saint Pierre, Saint Symphorien les Carmes,
- St Martial Temple
- The Synagogue
- The Place de l'Horloge, the Opera, the Town Hall with its Jacquemart,
- St Louis cloister
- Ceccano palace (now the mediatheque)
- The ramparts,
- The Rocher des Doms,
- The old streets lined with city mansions, the Carmes neighbourhood, the Teinturiers neighbourhood
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