Avignon

The old papal city and capital of the Vaucluse department, Avignon, is beautifully situated on the banks of the Rhône River, midway between Nîmes, Arles and Orange. The area offers fantastic nature experiences in the very lush and mountainous surroundings. There are great opportunities to explore the Provençal hinterland and the area offers numerous outdoor activities such as walking and hiking, climbing, cycling, paragliding, horse riding, canoeing, fishing or golf.

Avignon is one of the most exciting cities in the south of France. The city centre is still enclosed by its 5 km long fortifications with 39 towers and seven gates. Within its walls is a culturally rich city with its own opera, university, foreign schools and several theatre companies. The historic city centre has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1995.

The city's greatest attraction is undoubtedly the mighty Papal Palace, which towers high above the Rhône River. Due to unrest and anarchy, the popes favoured Avignon over Rome for almost a hundred years (1309-77). It takes about an hour to walk through the palace, which is divided into two sections, the old palace built by Pope Benedict XII between 1334 and 1342, and the new palace begun under Benedict's successor, Pope Clement VI, and completed in 1348. The difference in style is quite striking. The older part has an almost monastic purity and rigour, while the new one is brilliantly decorated with stunning frescoes and richly ornamented ceilings.

Next to the Papal Palace is the 12th-century cathedral, Notre-Dame-des-Doms, where Pope John XXII is buried. It has since been destroyed and rebuilt several times, but has always retained its original, simple style. In the 19th century, a gilded Virgin Mary was added to the top of the tower.

Another of the city's famous landmarks is the Pont St-Benezet from the early 12th century, immortalised in the children's song Sur le Pont d'Avignon. Today, only 4 of the original 22 arches remain.

Other major sights include the church of St Didier. It was the largest church built in Avignon during the papacy and its pure style is heavily influenced by Pope Benedict's old palace. It features a Renaissance work by Francesco Laurana and a hexagonal pulpit placed in the centre of the church as a sign of the important role that preaching played in the 14th century. Also worth a visit is the Musée Calvet, which houses a large art collection with works from the 14th to the 20th century. David, Gericault, Delacroix, Corot and Manet are just a few of the great painters represented.

Avignon is a city where culture is truly cultivated. Avignon's past is celebrated in many ways during the city's major summer festivals in July with theatre, mime and cabaret. Created in 1947 on the initiative of Jean Vilar, they reflect the city's ancient culture. Today they are one of Europe's biggest cultural events.

Inspiration for your holiday:

Attractions:

The historic centre, a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1995.

Palais des Papes: This imposing fortress-like palace was built by the Popes in the 14th century.

Pont Saint-Benezet (Pont d'Avignon): The famous bridge over the Rhône River.

Chapelle St-Nicolas: A 16th century building on a 13th century foundation. Entrance is via the Tour du Châtelet.

Cathédrale Notre-Dame-des-Doms: The city's 12th-century cathedral.

Church of St Didier.

Rocher des Doms: The park on the mountain behind Notre-Dame-des-Doms is where the first settlements were located.

Eglise St-Pierre: Church built from the 14th to early 16th century.

Place de l'Horloge: The main square, built in the 15th century. Many of the buildings you see now are from the 19th century.

Musée Calvet

Musée Théodore Aubanel: Museum of printing, Provençal furniture and literature.

Musée du Petit Palais: Small palace built in 1318 around a colonnaded courtyard, remodelled in 1474. Today, the former bishop's offices house Avignon's medieval collection, which includes works by Siena painter Simone Martini (1280-1344). There are also examples of frescoes and sculptures from the Avignon School and many French and Italian paintings of the Virgin and Child.

Musée Lapidaire: Located in a former 17th-century Jesuit collogium, this museum exhibits Egyptian, Celtic-Ligurian, Gallic and Roman artefacts.

Musée en Images: More than 1000 pictures of Avignon are on display here.

Activities in Avignon

The annual summer festivals in July: www.festival-avignon.com

Theatre.

Opera.

Art galleries.

Excursion trips on the Rhône River.

There are great opportunities for outdoor activities in the Vaucluse area, see for example the following websites: http://www.provenceguide.com/gbcdt/index.asp; http://www.hautvaucluse.com/pdf/guidea.pdf
(Guide to activities and attractions in the Haut Vaucluse area).

Cycling: challenges for everyone, from elite athletes to families with children. There are several great tours to other towns in the area, a wealth of less demanding mountain routes and the tough Mont Ventoux.

Golf - There are a wealth of golf courses in the area, 4 in the department of Vaucluse and several in the neighbouring southern department of Bouhes du Rhône. The French Golf Union has a website where most courses are presented. Unfortunately, the website is in French. Go to Guide de golfs and search here under the Provence Alpes Côte d'Azur region: http://www.ffgolf.org/

Ski resorts within a reasonable distance: http://www.skifrance.fr/default-a.htm

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