I have passed through Avignon several times, especially to come and discover different Côtes du Rhône wine appellations like Lirac, Vacqueyras, or even Cairanne, which are located in the vicinity of the city. In July 2022, my favorite photographer and I decided to spend two days in the City of the Popes so we would have time to enjoy it a bit more and put together this little Avignon city guide, as I usually do. The city of Avignon is located in the Vaucluse department in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur region.
However, I won’t be talking about the Avignon Festival (which takes place every year in July) in this article because I only stopped by once briefly a few years ago, but it is obviously one of the city’s must-attend events. It is also a period when the city is invaded by festival-goers and prices skyrocket.
Table of Contents
What to see and do in Avignon?
The city has an exceptional monumental ensemble listed as a UNESCO World Heritage site that you absolutely must see! The city’s historic center, located behind the ramparts, is ultimately quite small, and it’s easy to do everything on foot in Avignon if you manage to stay inside the city walls.
Also worth seeing: the Rocher des Doms (which overlooks the city and the Rhône) covered with a garden and offering a stunning view of the Saint-Bénézet Bridge; the Metropolitan Basilica Notre-Dame des Doms; the Place de l’Horloge…
Tip: The 5 municipal museums of Avignon are free (Musée du Petit Palais; Calvet Museum; Lapidaire Museum; Palais du Roure; Requien Museum).
Avignon Tourist Office
41 cours Jean Jaurès 84000 Avignon
_
Tip: the Avignon City Pass
This prepaid online pass provides free access to the main sites of Avignon and Villeneuve-lès-Avignon, and also offers quite a few discounts. There is also another version of this pass that includes public transport.
Avignon City Pass
Available in 24h version for €24 or 48h for €32 (without public transport)
_
Visiting the Collection Lambert
This contemporary art museum was born on the initiative of an art dealer and collector, Yvon Lambert, who donated to the French State an exceptional collection of major works from the second half of the 20th century and the beginning of the 21st century. Housed since 2015 within two magnificent 18th-century private mansions (the Hôtel de Montfaucon and the Hôtel de Caumont), the Collection Lambert (founded in 2000) regularly presents ambitious exhibitions and a varied cultural program. The artists featured in the collection are as varied as Basquiat, Warhol, Buren, Boltanski, Serrano, Twombly… What I really appreciated about this museum is that you have the possibility to ask for explanations about the works from the mediators present in the rooms.
During our visit in 2022, we discovered the temporary exhibition “Dan Flavin, Epiphanies“. Nearly 50 years after his exhibition at Yvon Lambert’s gallery, the master of minimal art was honored at the Collection Lambert, where his fluorescent tube installations reinvent our experience of the works and the places that host them.
Collection Lambert
5 rue Violette 84000 Avignon
Rates: €10 / reduced €8 / young people 12 to 25 €5 / children 6 to 11 €2 / free under 6Free with the Avignon City pass
Open Tuesday to Sunday from 11 am to 6 pm and every day from 11 am to 7 pm in July and August
_
Visiting the Angladon Museum
This museum houses the collection of fashion designer Jacques Doucet. During our visit in 2022, we discovered the temporary exhibition “The Desire for Line. Henri Matisse in the Doucet collections“. The Angladon Museum is located in the historic center of Avignon and features works by great masters like Van Gogh, Picasso, Degas, or Cézanne, as well as furniture and art objects. The museum is housed in an 18th-century private mansion, which has preserved its charm and atmosphere of yesteryear. We particularly appreciated the careful museography and the richness of the collections.
Angladon Museum
5 rue Laboureur 84000 Avignon
Open Tuesday to Sunday from 1 pm to 6 pmRates: €8 / €6.50 reduced / €3 young people 15 to 25 / €1.50 children 4 to 14
Free with the Avignon City pass
_
Visiting the Palais des Papes
This imposing UNESCO World Heritage-listed monument is a marvel of Gothic art, which has inspired many writers. It is the city’s emblematic monument and it hosted nine popes over a century because it was the residence of the sovereign pontiffs in the 14th century. The history begins on March 9, 1309, when Pope Clement V stops in Avignon, marking the beginning of a great period of prosperity for the city. Built from 1335 in less than 20 years, the Palais des Papes is mainly the work of two building popes: Benedict XII and his successor Clement VI.
During the tour (allow about 1 hour and 30 minutes), you discover 25 locations in the Palais des Papes: state rooms, chapels, cloister, private apartments of the pope with priceless frescoes by the Italian artist Matteo Giovannetti, gardens that pleasantly complement the visit outdoors… The tour is done with a digital tablet (histopad) for a dive into the discovery of the largest Gothic palace in the world. During our visit in July 2022, we also discovered the temporary exhibition “Amazônia” with the photographs of Sebastiao Salgado and the music of Jean-Michel Jarre.
Palais des Papes
Place du Palais
Rates: €12 / reduced €10 / free under 8 / Palais + garden ticket €14.50 / reduced €11.50Free with the Avignon City pass
_
Visiting the Saint-Bénézet Bridge
This famous bridge is one of the major witnesses to the history of Avignon. And it is known all over the world thanks to the famous song “Sur le Pont d’Avignon”. Built in the 12th century, it was washed away several times by the floods of the Rhône, and its reconstruction was definitively abandoned in the 17th century, hence its current incomplete state with only 4 arches still spanning the Rhône. We discovered during this visit that, in reality, this bridge is called the Saint-Bénézet Bridge, named after the legendary figure who is said to be at the origin of its construction. Visiting this site is an opportunity to learn more about the mysteries of this unique monument…
Saint-Bénézet Bridge
Rue Ferruce
Rates: €5 / €4 reduced / free under 8Free with the Avignon City pass
_
Visiting the Lapidaire Museum
The Antique gallery of the Calvet Museum presents Greek, Roman, Gallo-Roman, Egyptian, and Early Christian collections. Since 1933, the Lapidaire Museum of Avignon has been located in the chapel of the Jesuit College. This former college now houses an important collection of objects from various ancient civilizations such as the Romans, Gallo-Romans, Greeks, or even the Egyptians. The museum also offers temporary exhibitions and cultural events. Not very big and free for everyone, we can only warmly recommend that you take a look if you are in the area.
Lapidaire Museum
27 rue de la République
free for everyone
Open every day except Monday
My top food recommendations in Avignon
As usual, you will find below my selection of great addresses in Avignon (several restaurants) that we had the opportunity to test during our stay with the favorite photographer. These addresses often offer the chance to discover local products and some regional specialties to taste if you come to the region.
_
Where to have lunch on a terrace in Avignon? At Café Roma
This address has a charming shaded terrace at the foot of one of the towers of the Palais des Papes. It is installed in the former stables of the Palais des Papes. We really liked its short menu and its cuisine made from fresh products with an Italian touch.
Tested in 2022
Restaurant Café Roma
4 rue des Escaliers Sainte Anne 84000 AvignonPrice: menu appetizer + main course + dessert at €35
_
Where to have a gastronomic dinner in Avignon? L’Agape
We dined one evening on the lovely terrace of this gastronomic restaurant. We really liked the table of chef Julien Gleize with his starred career, which has existed since 2014 and has been rewarded with a Bib Gourmand in the Michelin Guide. You can find generous cuisine that elevates local products through revisited classics and more daring dishes. And we were particularly blown away by the desserts. A great address that I warmly recommend if you are passing through Avignon.
Tested in 2022
L’Agape
21 place des Corps Saints 84000 Avignon
Price: meal for 2 for a total of €77 (in 2022) / Initiation menu in 3 courses (3 dishes) at €39
Tip: lunch menu from Tuesday to Saturday with appetizer + main course at €25 / main course + dessert at €25 / appetizer + main course + dessert at €30
_
Where to taste wine in Avignon? Le Carré du Palais
This establishment is located right next to the Palais des Papes in Avignon. It houses both a cellar offering tastings, a wine bar / restaurant, and also a Wine School. The cellar of this establishment has a beautiful collection of 10,000 bottles in an exceptional location: the former vault of the Banque de France. I therefore really recommend that you go to Le Carré du Palais for a tasting of Côtes du Rhône. The tastings (of 3 AOC Côtes du Rhône wine vintages) are carried out by knowledgeable and passionate sommeliers.
Tested in 2019
Le Carré du Palais
1 place du Palais des Papes 84 000 Avignon
Where to stay in Avignon?
As usual, you will find below my selection of great accommodation options (a hotel and a guest house) in Avignon that we had the opportunity to test during our stays in the city with the favorite photographer.
_
Hôtel de Cambis
This 4-star boutique hotel opened in 2022 is located in the historic center of the city and is decorated by Julie Gauthron around the theme of the colors of Côtes du Rhône wines. It contains 41 rooms from golden yellow to terracotta, with 4 chromatic ambiances that differentiate the 41 keys, declined in 3 categories (Premier Cru, Grand Cru, Millésime). We appreciated the neat decoration of our colorful room with good bedding (obviously, I took the opportunity to jump on the bed a little!). What’s more, this 18th-century private mansion is well located (within the city walls) and allows you to quickly reach the heart of the city.
As for breakfast, it is served on the second floor of the hotel, in a beautiful, bright space. It is a buffet that makes room for local and quality products, which I always appreciate. A beautiful establishment that I recommend to you especially for a comfortable stay in Avignon.
Tested in 2022
Hôtel de Cambis
89 Rue Joseph Vernet, 84000 Avignon
Room rates: from €119
_
Guest house Les Jardins de Baracane
This charming guest house is located in the heart of Avignon (right next to the Place des Corps Saints) in a 17th-century mansion. You feel a bit like at home in this establishment, and it is extremely pleasant. I stayed in this accommodation during my getaway to Lirac in 2019. All rooms and the 2 suites face the garden, which is very appreciable. In any case, it is an address that I highly recommend if you are looking for accommodation in Avignon. My room: the Majorelle room (19m2).
The little extra: The lush garden at the back of the house, away from prying eyes, with its pool at the very end. We were even able to have lunch outside in this beautiful garden despite the fact that it was mid-October when I went… Incredible!
The tip: the owners of the house provide refreshments (with or without alcohol) and hot drinks in the kitchen (perfect for my little evening herbal tea since there was dried verbena from the garden).
Tested in 2019
Les Jardins de Baracane
12 rue Baracane 84000 Avignon
Room rates: between €170 and €250 depending on the season / breakfast extra for €15
I hope that with all this, I have made you want to discover Avignon, and if you too have your own favorite addresses and advice for this destination, do not hesitate to share them in the comments below!
Photo credits: Nicolas Diolez and MelleBonPlan Photos not royalty-free, photographer's authorization mandatory before any use
