Travel Bunny: [FRANCE] Avignon Travel Recommendation

Avignon, a major city in Provence, Southern France was the capital of papacy in the 14th century. The imposing monument, 'Palais des Papes' (Papal Palace), with its surrounding ramparts and the ruined Saint Benezet Bridge over the Rhone river dominates the city.

Getting there:

By train: From Paris to Avignon, the duration is about 2 hours 45 minutes.

Arriving in Gare d'Avignon-Centre (Avignon Central railway station). It is about 15 minutes walk to the heart of the city.

Take note that many other TGV trains stops at the Avignon TGV station which is more than 2km from the city centre.

By car: alternatively, you can arrive by car but driving and finding parking in the city can be difficult. Do enquire the hotel reception on the best way to park if you're staying in one of the city's hotels.

Getting Around:

All sites are walkable within the city. It is possible to cover major sites in the city within half a day, which I did. I joined a half-day tour to Nimes, Uzes and Pont du Gard in the morning and explored Avignon city on my own for the remaining hours. See map above. Gare d'Avignon-Centre is at the southern part of the city. Places of interest are marked with heart.

Accommodation:

I opted to book an apartment which is located in the heart of the city. The apartment is a studio apartment with a sofa bed, 1 kitchen and 1 bathroom. Photo above is taken from booking.com website. The apartment is within walking distance to the Papal Palace. I had a comfortable stay here. A night stay is about EUR 90. The host will give clear instructions on how to reach the apartment and how to check-in etc. on the day of your stay.

https://www.booking.com/hotel/fr/a-deux-pas-du-palais-des-papes.html

The apartment is ready for check-in at 2pm and the check-out is at 11am.

What to See:

The historic center of Avignon was designated a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1995.

1) Palais des Papes (Papal Palace)

This massive monument is where the pope of Avignon ruled from 1309 to 1377. Papal legates continued to govern Avignon until 1791, when it was annexed by the French National Assembly. The interior of the palace was wrecked but its exterior remains impressive. It is the largest medieval fortress and biggest Gothic palace in Europe.

It is recommended to buy the combined ticket of Papal Palace and Pont d'Avignon (EUR 14.50) since it is cheaper. Admission ticket to palace only cost EUR 12.

Courtyard of the palace.

Chapelle Saint Jean.

The Grand Tinel was the papal banqueting hall. In 1413, the hall was gutted by fire, and for a long time afterwards was known as the "burnt room". Its roof and terraces were rebuilt from 1414 to 1419.

This tower was the palace's highest vantage point.

View of the surrounding buildings from the tower.

On 16 October 1791, Avignon had by then united with France for a month, but the commissioners appointed to take possession of it had not yet arrived. Many people were arrested and murdered that same night, in the palace where they had been locked up. The response to this event was enormous, both in France and across Europe, as these had been the first massacres since the beginning of the Revolution.

The museum shop before exiting the palace.

2) Cathedral of Notre-Dame des Doms

Cathedral of Notre-Dame des Doms is located besides the Papal Palace. It was built in 1150 in Provencal Romanesque style. From top of its bell tower, the statue of Virgin Mary is entirely gilded in gold.

Interior of the cathedral. It was put on the first very list of historic monuments in 1840.

3) Pont d'Avignon

Not far from the Papal Palace is the Pont d'Avignon. The Saint Benezet bridge was built in the middle ages. Originally, it has 22 arches, but today only 4 of the 22 arches remains.

Saint Benezet Chapel on the bridge was formerly known as the shepherd's tomb. He was a local shepherd who was inspired by angels to build the bridge.

4) Rocher des Doms

Climb up to Rocher des Doms where you'll have the panoramic view over the entire city.

View of the bridge from the side of a busy main road.

I walked along the fortress wall before crossing the Rhone river via Pont Edouard Daladier. Some part of the wall was made hole to allow easy passage into the old city.

5) Avignon point de vue

Avignon point de vue is the best spot to view the bridge and the palace across the Rhone river.

6) Hotel de Ville

Hotel de Ville houses the city hall of Avignon. In front of it is Place de l'Horlage which is a busy square in the city where you'll find many restaurants and shops.

7) Les Halles d'Avignon

This covered market is easily recognized by its green vegetal façade. It has been a meeting place for people of the city for over a century. You can find many treats and produce typical of Provence here.

What/Where to Eat:

If you want a taste of genuine French Provincial food, head to Restaurant O'Papilles. It took me some time to find the restaurant as it was tucked away in a corner of a street. The presentation of the food made it looked really appetizing. Thankfully, the food was great too.