Near Avignon, in Villeneuve-lès-Avignon
Near Avignon’s Centre-Ville Station
In the Center, near Place de l’Horloge
Map: Avignon Hotels & Restaurants
Famous for its nursery rhyme, medieval bridge, and brooding Palace of the Popes, contemporary Avignon (ah-veen-yohn) bustles and prospers behind its mighty walls. During the 94 years (1309-1403) that Avignon starred as the Franco Vaticano (the temporary residence of the popes) and hosted two antipopes, it grew from a quiet village into a thriving city. With its large student population and fashionable shops, today’s Avignon is an intriguing blend of medieval history, youthful energy, and urban sophistication. Street performers entertain the international throngs who fill Avignon’s ubiquitous cafés and trendy boutiques. If you’re here in July, be prepared for big crowds and higher prices, thanks to the rollicking theater festival. (Reserve your hotel far in advance.) Clean, sharp, and popular with tourists, Avignon is more impressive for its outdoor ambience than for its museums and monuments.
The cours Jean Jaurès, which turns into rue de la République, runs straight from the Centre-Ville train station to place de l’Horloge and the Palace of the Popes, splitting Avignon in two. The larger eastern half is where the action is. Climb to the Jardin du Rochers des Doms for the town’s best view, consider touring the pope’s immense palace, lose yourself in Avignon’s back streets (you can follow my “Discovering Avignon’s Back Streets” self-guided walk), and find a shady square to call home. Avignon’s shopping district fills the traffic-free streets near where rue de la République meets place de l’Horloge. As you wander through this energetic city, look for signs in Occitan—the language of the Occitania region; you might see the name of the city written as “Avinhon” or “Avignoun.”
The main TI is between the Centre-Ville train station and the old town, at 41 cours Jean Jaurès (April-Oct Mon-Sat 9:00-18:00—until 19:00 in July, Sun 9:45-17:00; Nov-March Mon-Fri 9:00-18:00, Sat 9:00-17:00, Sun 10:00-12:00; tel. 04 32 74 32 74, www.avignon-tourisme.com). From April through mid-October, branch TI offices are open inside the St. Bénezet Bridge entrance (daily 10:00-13:00 & 14:00-18:00) and inside Les Halles market (Fri-Sun 10:00-13:00, closed Mon-Thu). At any TI, get the helpful map. If you’re staying awhile, pick up the free Guide Pratique (info on bike rentals, hotels, apartment rentals, events, and museums).
Sightseeing Pass: Everyone should pick up the free Avignon Passion Pass (valid 15 days, for up to 5 family members). Get the pass stamped when you pay full price at your first sight, and then receive reductions at the others (for example, €2 less at the Palace of the Popes and €3 less at the Petit Palais). The discounts add up—always show your Passion Pass when buying a ticket. The pass comes with the Avignon “Passion” map and guide, which includes several good (but tricky-to-follow) walking tours.
Avignon has two train stations: TGV (linked to downtown by frequent shuttle buses) and Centre-Ville. While most TGV trains serve only the TGV train station, some serve Centre-Ville—verify your station in advance.
TGV Station (Gare TGV): This shiny new station, on the outskirts of town, has no baggage storage (bags can be stored only at the Centre-Ville train station).
To get to the city center, take the navette/shuttle bus (marked Navette/Avignon Centre; €1.20, buy ticket from driver, 3/hour, 15 minutes). To find the bus stop, leave the station by the north exit (sortie nord), walk down the stairs, and find the long bus shelter to the left. In downtown Avignon you’ll arrive at a stop just inside the city walls, in front of the post office on cours Président Kennedy (see map on here). From here you’re three blocks from the city’s main TI and two blocks from the Centre-Ville train station. A taxi ride between the TGV station and downtown Avignon costs about €20 (to find taxis, exit the TGV station via sortie nord).
To pick up a rental car at the TGV train station, walk out the south exit (sortie sud) to find the location de voitures in the parking lot. If you’re driving directly to Arles, St. Rémy-de-Provence, Les Baux, or the Luberon, leave the station, following signs to Avignon Sud, then La Rocade. You’ll soon see exits to Arles (best for St. Rémy and Les Baux) and Cavaillon (for Luberon villages).
If you’re heading from the Avignon TGV train station to the Arles train station, catch the direct SNCF bus from the TGV station’s bus stop (10/day, 1 hour, schedule available at any information booth inside the TGV station).
Centre-Ville Station (Gare Avignon Centre-Ville): All non-TGV trains (and a few TGV trains) serve the central station. You can stash your bags here—exit the station to the left and look for the consignes sign (confirm closing time when you leave your bag). To reach the town center, cross the busy street in front of the station and walk through the city walls onto cours Jean Jaurès. The TI is three blocks down, at #41.
The dingy bus station (gare routière) is 100 yards to the right as you leave the Centre-Ville train station, beyond and below Hôtel Ibis (info desk open Mon-Sat 8:00-19:30, closed Sun, tel. 04 90 82 07 35, staff speaks a little English).
Drivers entering Avignon follow Centre-Ville and Gare SNCF (train station) signs. You’ll find central pay lots (about €10/half-day, €14/day) in the garage next to the Centre-Ville train station, at the Parking Jean Jaurès under the ramparts across from the station. Two less pricey options are the Parking Les Halles in the center of town, on place Pie (“pee”), and the Parking Palais des Papes. Hotels have advice for smart overnight parking, and some offer small discounts in the municipal parking garages.
Free or Cheap Parking: Two free lots have complimentary shuttle buses to the center (follow P Gratuit signs): One is just across Daladier Bridge (pont Daladier); the other is along the river past the Palace of the Popes, just northeast of the walls. Parking on the street is free in the bleu zones 12:00-14:00 and 19:00-9:00. It’s €2 for 3 hours 9:00-12:00 and 14:00-19:00 (hint: if you put €2 in the meter after 19:00, it’s good until 14:00 the next day). No matter where you park, leave nothing in your car.
Book Ahead for July: During the July theater festival, rooms are sparse—reserve very early, or stay in Arles or St. Rémy.
Local Help: David at Imagine Tours (a nonprofit group whose goal is to promote this region) can help with hotel emergencies or tickets to special events (mobile 06 89 22 19 87, www.imagine-tours.net, imagine.tours@gmail.com). If you get no answer, leave a message.
See “Festival d’Avignon”
Internet Access: The TI has a current list of Internet cafés, or you can ask your hotelier. The bigger cafés provide free Wi-Fi to anyone who buys a drink.
English Bookstore: Try Shakespeare Bookshop (Tue-Sat 9:30-12:00 & 14:00-18:30, closed Sun-Mon, 155 rue Carreterie, in Avignon’s northeast corner, tel. 04 90 27 38 50).
Baggage Storage: You can leave your bags at Centre-Ville train station (see “Arrival in Avignon,” earlier).
Laundry: The launderette at 66 place des Corps-Saints, where rue Agricol Perdiguier ends, has English instructions and is handy to most hotels (daily 7:00-20:00). Another is located at 9 rue Chapeau Rouge (behind place Pie).
Grocery Store: Carrefour City is central and has long hours (Mon-Sat 7:00-21:00, Sun 9:00-12:00, next to McDonald’s, 2 blocks from the TI, toward place de l’Horloge on rue de la République).
Bike Rental: You’ll see many Vélopop city bikes stationed at key points in Avignon, making one-way and short-term rental a breeze—if you can pay for them. Sadly, these machines only accept American Express and chip-and-PIN cards (described on here). Several rental options are near Centre-Ville Station: You can rent bikes at Provence Bike (7 avenue St. Ruf, tel. 04 90 27 92 61, www.provence-bike.com) and scooters at Holiday Bikes (52 boulevard St. Roch, tel. 04 90 27 92 61, holidaybikes84@gmail.com). You’ll enjoy riding on the Ile de la Barthélasse, but biking is better in Isle-sur-la-Sorgue (described in the Hill Towns of the Luberon chapter) and Vaison la Romaine (described in the Orange and the Côtes du Rhône chapter).
Car Rental: The TGV train station has car-rental agencies (open long hours daily).
Shuttle Boat: A free shuttle boat, the Navette Fluviale, plies back and forth across the river (as it did in the days when the town had no functioning bridge) from near St. Bénezet Bridge (3/hour, daily July-Aug 11:00-21:00, Sept-June roughly 10:00-12:30 & 14:00-18:00). It drops you on the peaceful Ile de la Barthélasse, with its recommended riverside restaurant, grassy walks, and bike rides with terrific city views. If you stay on the island for dinner, check the schedule for the last return boat—or be prepared for a pleasant 25-minute walk back to town.
Commanding City Views: For great views of Avignon and the river, walk or drive across Daladier Bridge, or ferry across the Rhône on the Navette Fluviale (described above). I’d take the boat across the river, walk the view path to Daladier Bridge, and then cross back over the bridge (45-minute walk over mostly level ground). You can enjoy other impressive vistas from the top of the Jardin du Rochers des Doms, from the tower in the Palace of the Popes, from the end of the famous, broken St. Bénezet Bridge, and from the entrance to Fort St. André, across the river in Villeneuve-lès-Avignon.
Walking Tours—On mid-season Mondays, the TI offers informative English walking tours of Avignon, which include a visit to the Palace of the Popes (€17, discounted with Avignon Passion Pass, April-June and Aug-Oct Mon at 10:30, no tours in July or Nov-March).
Tourist Trains—The little train leaves regularly from in front of the Palace of the Popes and offers a decent overview of the city, including the Jardin du Rochers des Doms and St. Bénezet Bridge (€7, 2/hour, 40 minutes, mid-March-mid-Oct daily 10:00-19:00, English commentary).
Guided Excursions—Several minivan tour companies based in Avignon offer transportation to destinations described in this book, including Pont du Gard, the Luberon, and the Camargue (about €65-75/person for all-day tours). See “Tours of Provence” on here (note that guides Madeleine Vedel, François Marcou, and Daniela Wedel, as well as Imagine Tours, are all based in Avignon).
See “Avignon at a Glance”
For a fine overview of the city, combine these two walks. “Welcome to Avignon” covers the major sights, while “Discovering Avignon’s Back Streets” leads you along the lanes less taken, delving beyond the surface of this historic city.
Before starting this walk—which connects the city’s top sights—be sure to pick up the Avignon Passion Pass at the TI, then show it when entering each attraction to receive discounted admission (explained earlier, under “Tourist Information”).
• Start your tour where the Romans did, on place de l’Horloge, in front of City Hall (Hôtel de Ville).
This café square was the town forum during Roman times and the market square through the Middle Ages. (Restaurants here offer good people-watching, but they also have less ambience and low-quality meals—you’ll find better squares elsewhere to hang your beret in.) Named for a medieval clock tower mostly hidden behind City Hall (find plaque in English), this square’s present popularity arrived with the trains in 1854. Walk a few steps to the center of the square, and look down the main drag, rue de la République. When the trains came to Avignon, proud city fathers wanted a direct, impressive way to link the new station to the heart of the city (just like in Paris)—so they plowed over homes to create rue de la République and widened place de l’Horloge. This main drag’s Parisian feel is intentional—it was built not in the Provençal manner, but in the Haussmann style that is so dominant in Paris (characterized by broad, straight boulevards lined with stately buildings).
• Walk uphill past the carousel (public WCs behind). Follow the golden statue of Mary, floating high above the buildings. Veer right at the street’s end, and continue into...
This grand square is lined with the Palace of the Popes, the Petit Palais, and the cathedral. In the 1300s the entire headquarters of the Catholic Church was moved to Avignon. The Church bought Avignon and gave it a complete makeover. Along with clearing out vast spaces like this square and building this three-acre palace, the Church erected more than three miles of protective wall (with 39 towers), “appropriate” housing for cardinals (read: mansions), and residences for its entire bureaucracy. The city was Europe’s largest construction zone. Avignon’s population grew from 6,000 to 25,000 in short order. (Today, 13,000 people live within the walls.) The limits of pre-papal Avignon are outlined on city maps: Rues Joseph Vernet, Henri Fabre, des Lices, and Philonarde all follow the route of the city’s earlier defensive wall.
The Petit Palais (Little Palace) seals the uphill end of the square and was built for a cardinal; today it houses medieval paintings (museum described later). The church just to the left of the Palace of the Popes is Avignon’s cathedral. It predates the Church’s purchase of Avignon by 200 years. Its small size reflects Avignon’s modest, pre-papal population. The gilded Mary was added in 1854, when the Vatican established the doctrine of her Immaculate Conception. Mary is taller than the Palace of the Popes by design: The Vatican never accepted what it called the “Babylonian Captivity” and had a bad attitude about Avignon long after the pope was definitively back in Rome. There hasn’t been a French pope since the Holy See returned to Rome—over 600 years ago. That’s what I call a grudge.
Directly across the square from the palace’s main entry stands a cardinal’s residence, built in 1619 (now the Conservatoire National de Musique). Its fancy Baroque facade was a visual counterpoint to the stripped-down Huguenot aesthetic of the age. During this time, Provence was a hotbed of Protestantism—but, buried within this region, Avignon was a Catholic stronghold. Notice the stumps in front and nearby. Nicknamed bites (slang for the male anatomy), they effectively keep cars from double-parking in areas designed for people. Many of the metal ones slide up and down by remote control to let privileged cars come and go.
• You can visit the massive Palace of the Popes (described on here) now, but it works better to visit that palace at the end of this walk, then continue directly to the “Back Streets” walk, described later.
Now is a good time to take in the...
This former cardinal’s palace now displays the Church’s collection of mostly medieval Italian painting (including one delightful Botticelli) and sculpture. All 350 paintings deal with Christian themes. A visit here before going to the Palace of the Popes helps furnish and populate that otherwise barren building, and a quick peek into its courtyard (even if you don’t tour the museum) shows the importance of cardinal housing.
Cost and Hours: €6, €3 English brochure, some English explanations posted; June-Sept Wed-Mon 10:00-13:00 & 14:00-18:00, closed Tue; Oct-May Wed-Mon 9:30-13:00 & 14:00-17:30, closed Tue; at north end of Palace Square, tel. 04 90 86 44 58.
• From Palace Square we’ll head up to the rocky hilltop where Avignon was first settled, then drop down to the river. With this short loop, you can enjoy a small park, hike to a grand river view, and visit Avignon’s beloved broken bridge—an experience worth ▲▲.
Start by climbing to the church level (you can fill your bottle with cold water here), then take the central switchback ramps up to...
Though the park itself is a delight—with a sweet little café (good prices for food and drinks) and public WCs—don’t miss the climax: a panoramic view of the Rhône River Valley and the broken bridge. For the best views (and the favorite make-out spot for local teenagers later in the evening), find the terrace behind the odd zodiac display (across the grass from the pond-side park café, near the statue of Jean Althen). If the green fence is ruining it for you, stand on the short wall behind you, or detour a few minutes through the park (to the right, with the river on your left) to find a bigger terrace.
On a clear day, the tallest peak you see, with its white limestone cap, is Mont Ventoux (“Windy Mountain”). Below and just to the right, you’ll spot free passenger ferries shuttling across the river (great views from path on other side of the river), and—tucked amidst the trees on the far side of the river—a fun, recommended restaurant, Le Bercail. The island in the river is the Ile de la Barthélasse, a nature preserve where Avignon can breathe.
Fort St. André (across the river on the hill; see the info plaque to the left) was built by the French in 1360, shortly after the pope moved to Avignon, to counter the papal incursion into this part of Europe. The castle was across the border, in the kingdom of France. Avignon’s famous bridge was a key border crossing, with towers on either end—one was French, and the other was the pope’s. The French one, across the river, is the Tower of Philip the Fair (described later, under “More Sights in Avignon”).
Cost and Hours: Free, park gates open daily April-Sept 7:30-20:00, Oct-March 7:30-18:00.
• From the smaller viewpoint (with the zodiac), take the stairs to the left (closed at night) down to the tower. You’ll catch glimpses of the...
The only bit of the rampart you can walk on is accessed from St. Bénezet Bridge (pay to enter—see next). Just after the papacy took control of Avignon, the walls were extended to take in the convents and monasteries that had been outside the city. What you see today was restored in the 19th century.
• When you come out of the tower on street level, take the right-side exit and walk left along the wall to the old bridge. Pass under the bridge to find its entrance shortly after.
This bridge, whose construction and location were inspired by a shepherd’s religious vision, is the “pont d’Avignon” of nursery-rhyme fame. The ditty (which you’ve probably been humming all day) dates back to the 15th century: Sur le pont d’Avignon, on y danse, on y danse, sur le pont d’Avignon, on y danse tous en rond (“On the bridge of Avignon, we will dance, we will dance, on the bridge of Avignon, we will dance all in a circle”).
But the bridge was a big deal even outside of its kiddie-tune fame. Built between 1171 and 1185, it was the only bridge crossing the mighty Rhône in the Middle Ages—important to pilgrims, merchants, and armies. It was damaged several times by floods and subsequently rebuilt, until 1668, when most of it was knocked down by a disastrous icy flood. Lacking a government stimulus package, the townsfolk decided not to rebuild this time, and for more than a century, Avignon had no bridge across the Rhône. While only four arches survive today, the original bridge was huge: Imagine a 22-arch, 3,000-foot-long bridge extending from Vatican territory to the lonely Tower of Philip the Fair, which marked the beginning of France (see displays of the bridge’s original length).
The ticket booth is housed in what was a medieval hospital for the poor (funded by bridge tolls). Admission includes a small room dedicated to the song of Avignon’s bridge and your only chance to walk a bit of the ramparts (enter both from the tower). A Romanesque chapel on the bridge is dedicated to St. Bénezet. Though there’s not much to see on the bridge, the audioguide included with your ticket tells a good enough story. It’s also fun to be in the breezy middle of the river with a sweeping city view.
Cost and Hours: €4.50, €13 combo-ticket includes Palace of the Popes, same hours as the Palace of the Popes (next), tel. 04 90 27 51 16.
• To get to the Palace of the Popes from here, exit left, then turn left again back into the walls. Walk to the end of the short street, then turn right following signs to Palais des Papes. Next, look for brown signs leading left under the passageway. After a block of uphill walking, find the stairs to the palace square.
In 1309 a French pope was elected (Pope Clément V). At the urging of the French king, His Holiness decided that dangerous Italy was no place for a pope, so he moved the whole operation to Avignon for a secure rule under a supportive king. The Catholic Church literally bought Avignon (then a two-bit town), and popes resided here until 1403. Meanwhile, Italians demanded a Roman pope, so from 1378 on, there were twin popes—one in Rome and one in Avignon—causing a schism in the Catholic Church that wasn’t fully resolved until 1417.
Cost and Hours: €10.50 (more for special exhibits), €13 combo-ticket includes St. Bénezet Bridge, daily mid-March-Oct 9:00-19:00, until 20:00 July and Sept, until 21:00 in Aug, Nov-mid-March 9:30-17:45, last entry one hour before closing, tel. 04 90 27 50 74, www.palais-des-papes.com.
Touring the Palace: A visit to the mighty yet barren papal palace comes with an audioguide that leads you along a one-way route and does an OK job of overcoming the complete lack of furnishings. It teaches the basic history while allowing you to tour at your own pace. A small museum inside the palace also helps add context. Still, touring the palace is pretty anticlimactic, given its historic importance.
As you wander, ponder that this palace—the largest surviving Gothic palace in Europe—was built to accommodate 500 people as the administrative center of the Holy See and home of the pope. This was the most fortified palace of the age (remember, the pope left Rome to be more secure). Nine popes ruled from here, making this the center of Christianity for nearly 100 years. You’ll walk through the pope’s personal quarters (frescoed with happy hunting scenes), see many models of how the various popes added to the building, and learn about its state-of-the-art plumbing. The rooms are huge. The “pope’s chapel” is twice the size of the adjacent Avignon cathedral.
The last pope (or, technically, antipope, since by then Rome also had its own rival pope) checked out in 1403 (escaping a siege), but the Church owned Avignon until the French Revolution in 1789. During this interim period, the pope’s “legate” (official representative, normally a nephew) ruled Avignon from this palace. Avignon residents, many of whom had come from Rome, spoke Italian for a century after the pope left, making it a linguistic ghetto within France. In the Napoleonic age, the palace was a barracks, housing 1,800 soldiers. You can see cuts in the wall where high ceilings gave way to floor beams. Climb the tower (Tour de la Gâche) for grand views and a rooftop café with surprisingly good food at very fair prices.
Wine Room: A room at the end of the tour (called la boutellerie) is dedicated to the region’s wines, of which they claim the pope was a fan. Sniff “Le Nez du Vin”—a black box with 54 tiny bottles designed to develop your “nose.” (Blind-test your travel partner.) The nearby village of Châteauneuf-du-Pape is where the pope summered in the 1320s. Its famous wine is a direct descendant of his wine. You’re welcome to taste here (€6 for three to five fine wines and souvenir tasting cup). If it’s only wine you want, go directly to the back entrance of the palace and enter the boutique.
• You’ll exit at the rear of the palace, where my “Back Streets” walking tour begins (described next). Or, to return to Palace Square, make two rights after exiting the palace.
Use the map in this chapter or the TI map to navigate this easy, level, 30-minute walk. This self-guided tour begins in the small square (place de la Mirande) behind the Palace of the Popes. If you’ve toured the palace, this is where you exit. Otherwise, from the front of the palace, follow the narrow, cobbled rue de la Peyrollerie—carved out of the rock—around the palace on the right side as you face it.
• Our walk begins at the...
Hôtel La Mirande: Located on the square, Avignon’s finest hotel welcomes visitors. Find the atrium lounge and consider a coffee break amid the understated luxury (€13 afternoon tea served daily 15:00-18:00, includes a generous selection of pastries). Inspect the royal lounge and recommended dining room; cooking demos are offered in the basement below. Rooms start at about €400 in high season.
• Turn left out of the hotel and left again on rue de la Peyrollerie (“Coppersmiths Street”), then take your first right on rue des Ciseaux d’Or. On the small square ahead you’ll find the...
Church of St. Pierre: The original chestnut doors were carved in 1551, when tales of New World discoveries raced across Europe. (Notice the Indian headdress, top center of left-side door.) The fine Annunciation (eye level on right-side door) shows Gabriel giving Mary the exciting news in impressive Renaissance 3-D. Now take 10 steps back from the door and look way up. The tiny statue breaking the skyline of the church is the pagan god Bacchus, with oodles of grapes. What’s he doing sitting atop a Christian church? No one knows. The church’s interior holds a beautiful Baroque altar. For recommended restaurants near the Church of St. Pierre, see “Eating in Avignon,” later.
• With your back to the church, follow the alley to the right, which was covered and turned into a tunnel during the town’s population boom. It leads into...
Place des Châtaignes: The cloister of St. Pierre is named for the chestnut (châtaigne) trees that once stood here (now replaced by plane trees). The practical atheists of the French Revolution destroyed the cloister, leaving only faint traces of the arches along the church side of the square.
• Continue around the church and cross the busy street to the Banque Chaix. Across little rue des Fourbisseurs find the classy...
15th-Century Building: With its original beamed eaves showing, this is a rare vestige from the Middle Ages. Notice how this building widens the higher it gets. A medieval loophole based taxes on ground-floor square footage—everything above was tax-free. Walking down rue des Fourbisseurs (“Street of the Animal Furriers”), notice how the top floors almost meet. Fire was a constant danger in the Middle Ages, as flames leapt easily from one home to the next. In fact, the lookout guard’s primary responsibility was watching for fires, not the enemy. Virtually all of Avignon’s medieval homes have been replaced by safer structures.
• Turn left from rue des Fourbisseurs onto the traffic-free rue du Vieux Sextier (“Street of the Old Balance,” for weighing items); another left under the first arch leads 10 yards to Avignon’s...
Synagogue: Jews first arrived in Avignon with the Diaspora (exile) of the first century. Avignon’s Jews were nicknamed “the Pope’s Jews” because of the protection that the Vatican offered to Jews expelled from France. Although the original synagogue dates from the 1220s, in the mid-19th century it was completely rebuilt in a Neoclassical Greek-temple style by a non-Jewish architect. This is the only synagogue under a rotunda that you’ll see anywhere. It’s an intimate, classy place dressed with white colonnades and walnut furnishings. To enter the synagogue, you’ll have to email in advance of your visit (free, closed Sat-Sun, 2 place Jerusalem, tel. 04 90 55 21 24, rabinacia@hotmail.fr).
• Retrace your steps to rue du Vieux Sextier and turn left, then continue to the big square and find the big, boxy...
Market (Les Halles): In 1970, the town’s open-air market was replaced by this modern one. The market’s jungle-like green wall reflects the changes of seasons and helps mitigate its otherwise stark exterior (open Tue-Sun until 13:00, closed Mon, small TI inside open Fri-Sun). Step inside for a sensual experience of organic breads, olives, and festival-of-mold cheeses. The rue des Temptations cuts down the center. Cafés and cheese shops are on the right—as far as possible from the stinky fish stalls on the left. Follow your nose away from the fish and have a coffee with the locals.
• Exit out the back door of Les Halles, turn left on rue de la Bonneterie (“Street of Hosiery”), and track the street for five minutes to the plane trees, where it becomes...
Rue des Teinturiers: This “Street of the Dyers” is a tie-dyed, tree- and stream-lined lane, home to earthy cafés and galleries. This was the cloth industry’s dyeing and textile center in the 1800s. The stream is a branch of the Sorgue River. Those stylish Provençal fabrics and patterns you see for sale everywhere were first made here, after a pattern imported from India.
About three small bridges down, you’ll pass the Grey Penitents chapel on the right. The upper facade shows the GPs, who dressed up in robes and pointy hoods to do their anonymous good deeds back in the 13th century (long before the KKK dressed this way). As you stroll on, you’ll see the work of amateur sculptors, who have carved whimsical car barriers out of limestone.
Trendy restaurants on this atmospheric street are recommended later, under “Eating in Avignon.”
• Farther down rue des Teinturiers, you’ll come to the...
Waterwheel: Standing here, imagine the Sorgue River—which hits the mighty Rhône in Avignon—being broken into several canals in order to turn 23 such wheels. In about 1800, waterwheels powered the town’s industries. The little cogwheel above the big one could be shoved into place, kicking another machine into gear behind the wall. (For more on the Sorgue River and its waterwheels, see my self-guided walk of Isle-sur-la-Sorgue on here.)
• To return to the real world, double back on rue des Teinturiers and turn left on rue des Lices, which traces the first medieval wall. (Lice is the no-man’s-land along a wall.) After a long block you’ll pass a striking four-story building that was a home for the poor in the 1600s, an army barracks in the 1800s, a fine-arts school in the 1900s, and is a deluxe condominium today (much of this neighborhood is going high-class residential). Eventually you’ll return to rue de la République, Avignon’s main drag.
Most of Avignon’s top sights are covered earlier by my self-guided walks. With more time, consider these options.
Fondation Angladon-Dubrujeaud—Visiting this museum is like being invited into the elegant home of a rich and passionate art collector. It mixes a small but enjoyable collection of art from Post-Impressionists (including Paul Cézanne, Vincent van Gogh, Honoré Daumier, Edgar Degas, and Pablo Picasso) with re-created art studios and furnishings from many periods. It’s a quiet place with a few superb paintings.
Cost and Hours: €6, Tue-Sun 13:00-18:00, closed Mon, 5 rue Laboureur, tel. 04 90 82 29 03, www.angladon.com.
Calvet Museum (Musée Calvet)—This fine-arts museum impressively displays its collection, highlighting French Baroque works. This museum goes ignored by most, but you’ll find a few diamonds in the rough upstairs: Géricault, Soutine, and one painting each from Manet, Sisley, Bonnard, Dufy, and Vlamnick.
Cost and Hours: €6, includes audioguide, Wed-Mon 10:00-13:00 & 14:00-18:00, closed Tue, in the quieter western half of town at 65 rue Joseph Vernet, antiquities collection a few blocks away at 27 rue de la République—same hours and ticket, tel. 04 90 86 33 84, www.musee-calvet.org.
▲Tower of Philip the Fair (Tour Philippe-le-Bel)—Built to protect access to St. Bénezet Bridge in 1307, this massive tower offers a terrific view over Avignon and the Rhône basin. It’s best late in the day.
Cost and Hours: €2.10; April-Sept daily 10:00-12:30 & 14:00-18:30; Oct-Nov Tue-Sat 10:00-12:30 & 14:00-17:00, closed Sun-Mon; closed Dec-March.
Getting There: To reach the tower from Avignon, drive 5 minutes (cross Daladier Bridge, follow signs to Villeneuve-lès-Avignon), or take bus #11 (2/hour, catch bus in front of post office on cours Président Kennedy—see map on here).
Hotel values are better in Arles, though I’ve found some good values in Avignon and have listed them below. Avignon is crazy during its July festival (see sidebar on here), when you must book long ahead (expect inflated prices). Drivers should ask about parking deals.
These listings are a five-to-ten-minute walk from the Centre-Ville train station.
$$$ Hôtel Bristol*** is a big, professionally run place on the main drag, offering predictable “American” comforts, including spacious public spaces, large rooms decorated in neutral tones, duvets on the beds, a big elevator, air-conditioning, and a generous buffet breakfast (standard Db-€88-103, bigger Db-€126, Tb/Qb-€153, breakfast-€12, parking-€12, 44 cours Jean Jaurès, tel. 04 90 16 48 48, fax 04 90 66 22 72, www.bristol-hotel-avignon.com, contact@bristol-avignon.com).
$$ Hôtel Colbert** is a solid two-star hotel and a good midrange bet, with richly colored, comfortable rooms in many sizes. Your efficient hosts—Patrice, Annie, and le chien Brittany—care for this restored manor house, with its warm public spaces and sweet little patio. It’s a popular place, so it’s best to book in advance (Sb-€65, small Db-€78, bigger Db-€88, some tight bathrooms, no triples, rooms off the patio are a bit musty, creative homemade breakfast-€12, continental breakfast-€6.50, air-con, Wi-Fi, closed Nov-mid-March, turn right off cours Jean Jaurès on rue Agricol Perdiguier to #7, tel. 04 90 86 20 20, fax 04 90 85 97 00, www.lecolbert-hotel.com, contact@avignon-hotel-colbert.com).
$$ Hôtel Ibis Centre Gare** offers no surprises—just predictable two-star comfort at the central train and bus stations. This well-priced place offers generous public spaces, a café, and a bar (Db-€90, free Internet access and Wi-Fi, 42 boulevard St. Roch, tel. 04 90 85 38 38, fax 04 90 86 44 81, www.ibishotel.com, h0944@accor.com).
$ Hôtel le Splendid* rents 17 acceptable rooms with faux-wood floors, most of which could use a little attention (Sb-€48, Db-€62, bigger Db with air-con-€72, Tb with air-con-€82, three Db apartments-€92, Internet access and Wi-Fi, turn right off cours Jean Jaurès on rue Agricol Perdiguier to #17, tel. 04 90 86 14 46, fax 04 90 85 38 55, www.avignon-splendid-hotel.com, splendidavignon@gmail.com).
$ Hôtel Boquier**, run by engaging managers Madame Sendra and husband Pascal, has 12 quiet, good-value, and homey rooms under wood beams in a central location (small Db-€59, bigger Db-€70, Tb-€79, Qb-€90, air-con, Internet access and Wi-Fi, steep and narrow stairways to some rooms and no elevator, parking-€7, near the TI at 6 rue du portail Boquier, tel. 04 90 82 34 43, fax 04 90 86 14 07, www.hotel-boquier.com, contact@hotel-boquier.com).
See “Sleep Code”
$$$ Hôtel d’Europe****, with Avignon’s most prestigious address, lets peasants sleep royally without losing their shirts—but only if you land one of the 10 surprisingly reasonable “standard” rooms. Enter a shady courtyard, linger in the lounges, and savor every comfort. The hotel is located on the handsome place Crillon, near the river (standard Db-€200, superior Db-€360, prestige Db-€495, breakfast-€17, elevator, Internet access, garage-€17, near Daladier Bridge at 12 place Crillon, tel. 04 90 14 76 76, fax 04 90 14 76 71, www.heurope.com, reservations@heurope.com). The hotel’s restaurant is Michelin-rated (one star) and serves an upscale €48 menu in its formal dining room or front courtyard.
$$$ Hôtel de l’Horloge***, situated in the heart of town, offers 66 warmly colored rooms, some with terraces and panoramic views of the city and the Palace of the Popes (standard Db-€100-120, bigger Db with terrace-€150-200, terrace rooms also work as Tb or Qb, 1 rue Félicien David, tel. 04 90 16 42 00, fax 04 90 82 17 32, www.hotel-avignon-horloge.com, hotel.horloge@hotels-ocre-azur.com).
$$$ Hôtel Mercure Cité des Papes*** is a modern chain hotel within spitting distance of the Palace of the Popes. It has 89 small, smartly designed rooms (Sb-€135, Db-€145-180, promotional deals, best if booked 15 days ahead, many rooms have views over place de l’Horloge, air-con, elevator, 1 rue Jean Vilar, tel. 04 90 80 93 00, fax 04 90 80 93 01, www.mercure.com, h1952@accor.com).
$$$ Hôtel Pont d’Avignon***, just inside the walls near St. Bénezet Bridge, is part of the same chain as the Hôtel Mercure Cité des Papes, with the same prices for its 87 rooms (direct access to a garage makes parking easier than at the other Mercure hotel, elevator, on rue Ferruce, tel. 04 90 80 93 93, fax 04 90 80 93 94, www.mercure.com, h0549@accor.com).
$$ Hôtel Médiéval** is burrowed deep a few blocks from the Church of St. Pierre. Built as a cardinal’s home, this massive stone mansion has a small garden and 35 wood-paneled, air-conditioned, unimaginative rooms, with friendly-as-they-get Régis at the helm (Sb-€51, Db-€64-81, bigger Db or Tb-€88-95, kitchenettes available but require 3-night minimum stay, Wi-Fi, 5 blocks east of place de l’Horloge, behind Church of St. Pierre at 15 rue Petite Saunerie, tel. 04 90 86 11 06, fax 04 90 82 08 64, www.hotelmedieval.com, hotel.medieval@wanadoo.fr).
If you’re in a pinch, one of these central places may work as a port in a storm.
$$$ Hôtel Kyriad Palais des Papes**, a tall, skinny hotel on happening place de l’Horloge, lacks personality but offers modern comforts (Db-€90-110, 26 place de l’Horloge, tel. 04 90 82 21 45, www.kyriad-avignon.com, hotel@kyriad-avignon.com).
$$ Hôtel Danieli**, a basic two-star hotel on the main drag, is popular with groups (Db-€82-88, 17 rue de la République, tel. 04 90 86 46 82, www.hoteldanieli-avignon.com, hotel.danieli.avignon@gmail.com).
$ Hôtel Mignon* is an acceptable one-star place with basic comfort and no air-conditioning (Db-€55-75, 12 rue Joseph Vernet, tel. 04 90 82 17 30, www.hotel-mignon.com, contact@hotel-mignon.com).
$$$ La Banasterie, a well-located refuge in a historic building a block behind the Palace of the Popes, has five spacious rooms—two with decks—and welcoming owners (Db-€100-170, cash only, includes breakfast, air-con, 11 rue de la Banasterie, tel. 04 32 76 30 78, www.labanasterie.com).
$$$ At Le Clos du Rempart, a 10-minute walk from the center, Madame Assad rents two comfortable rooms and one apartment on a peaceful courtyard with Middle Eastern decor (Db-€120-160 depending on season and room size, 2-bedroom apartment for 4 with kitchen-€800-1,100/week, includes breakfast, cash only, air-con, Wi-Fi, 1 parking spot in garage, inside the walls east of the Palace of the Popes at 35-37 rue Crémade—call or check website for directions, tel. & fax 04 90 86 39 14, www.closdurempart.com, aida@closdurempart.com).
$$$ Lumani provides the ultimate urban refuge just inside the city walls, a 15-minute walk from the Palace of the Popes. In this graceful old manor house, gentle Elisabeth and Jean welcome guests to their art-gallery-cum-bed-and-breakfast that surrounds a fountain-filled courtyard with elbow room. She paints, he designs buildings, and both care about your experience in Avignon. The five rooms are decorated with flair; no two are alike, and all overlook the shady garden (small Db-€100, big Db-€140, Db suites-€170, extra person-€30, includes breakfast, credit cards OK except American Express, Internet access and Wi-Fi, music studio, parking-€10 or easy on street, 37 rue de Rempart St. Lazare, tel. 04 90 82 94 11, www.avignon-lumani.com, lux@avignon-lumani.com).
$ Auberge Bagatelle’s hostel offers dirt-cheap beds, lively atmosphere, café, grocery store, launderette, great views of Avignon, and campers for neighbors (D-€44, Ds-€48, T-€60, Ts-€67, Tb-€82, Q-€73, Qb-€100, dorm bed-€18, includes breakfast, across Daladier Bridge on Ile de la Barthélasse, bus #10 from main post office, tel. 04 90 86 71 31, fax 04 90 27 16 23, www.aubergebagatelle.fr, auberge.bagatelle@wanadoo.fr).
$$$ At Jardin de Bacchus, just 15 minutes northwest of Avignon and convenient to Pont du Gard, enthusiastic and English-speaking Christine and Erik offer three rooms in their rural farmhouse, which overlooks the famous rosé vineyards of Tavel (Db-€90-120, €30 extra for one-night stays, includes breakfast, fine dinner possible, Wi-Fi, swimming pool, tel. 04 66 90 28 62, www.jardindebacchus.fr, jardindebacchus@free.fr). For details on their cooking classes, see here. Check their website to learn about their small-group food and wine tours. For bus connections, see www.edgard-transport.fr.
Skip the overpriced, underwhelming restaurants on place de l’Horloge and find a more intimate location for your dinner. Avignon has many delightful squares filled with tables ready to seat you.
The church stands between two enchanting squares: quiet and intimate place St. Pierre (where L’Epicerie sits alone), and, just under the nearby arch, lively and enchanting place des Châtaignes, with a fun commotion of tables—peruse your options.
La Vache à Carreaux venerates cheese and wine (while offering a full range of cuisine). The colorful decor is as warm as the welcome, and the wine list is extensive and reasonable. This place is a hit with locals, who gather around outside, sipping €4 glasses of good wine, reluctant to leave (€12-18 plats, open daily, just off place des Châtaignes at 14 rue de la Peyrollerie, tel. 04 90 80 09 05).
L’Epicerie, homey inside and out, serves top cuisine with a focus on products from the south of France—expect lots of color and a dash of spice (€35 menu, €18-25 plats, closed Sun off-season, 10 place St. Pierre, tel. 04 90 82 74 22).
Other Place des Châtaignes Options: The Crêperie du Cloître makes mediocre dinner crêpes and salads (daily, cash only). Next door and across from La Vache à Carreaux is the family-run Vietnamese Restaurant Nem (menus from €12, cash only). Pause Gourmande is a small, lunch-only eatery with €9 plats du jour, and always has a veggie option (closed Sun, around the corner and behind the church).
Place Crillon: This more refined square, just off the river, attracts a stylish crowd and houses a variety of dining choices. Traditional French Restaurant La Scène (tel. 04 90 86 14 70) and italiano La Piazza (tel. 04 90 82 23 54) are both popular and in about the same price range (€11 lunch deals, €17 dinner menus with fine choices, open daily). La Comédie serves €9 crêpes and salads with mod seating (closed Sun).
Place des Corps-Saints: This untouristy, yet welcoming square is my favorite place for simple outdoor dining in Avignon. You’ll find several youthful and reasonable eateries with tables sprawling under big plane trees. Bistrot à Tartines specializes in—you guessed it—tartines (big slices of toast smothered with toppings), and has the coziest interior and best desserts on the square (€8 tartines and salads, €9 lunch menu, daily, tel. 04 90 85 58 70). Zeste is a friendly, modern deli offering fresh soups, pasta salads, wraps, smoothies, and more. Get it to go, or eat inside or on the scenic square—all at unbeatable prices (closed Sun, tel. 09 51 49 05 62).
Here you’ll find a good selection of eateries with good prices. Restaurant Françoise is a pleasant café and tea salon, where fresh-baked tarts—savory and sweet—and a variety of salads and soups make a healthful meal, and vegetarian options are plentiful (€7-12 dishes, Mon-Sat 8:00-19:00, closed Sun, free Wi-Fi, 6 rue Général Leclerc, tel. 04 32 76 24 77).
This “tie-dye” street has a wonderful concentration of eateries popular with the natives, and justifies the long walk. It’s a trendy, youthful area, spiffed up with a canalside ambience and little hint of tourism.
La Cave des Passages makes a colorful pause before dinner. The owners enjoy serving you a fragrant and cheap glass of regional wine. Choose from the blackboard by the bar that lists all the bottles open today, then join the gang outside by the canal. In the evening, this place is a hit with the young local crowd for its wine and weekend concerts (Mon-Sat 10:00-15:00 & 18:00-1:00 in the morning, closed Sun, no food in evening, across from waterwheel at 41 rue des Teinturiers).
Restaurant Numéro 75 is worth the walk (just past where the cobbles end on rue des Teinturiers). It fills the Pernod mansion (of pastis liquor fame) and a large, romantic courtyard with outdoor tables. The menu is limited to Mediterranean cuisine, but everything’s très tasty. It’s best to go with the options offered by your young black-shirted server (€27 two-course lunch menu with wine and coffee, dinner menus: €34/appetizer and main course or main course and dessert, €43/three courses; Mon-Sat 12:00-14:00 & 20:00-22:00, closed Sun, 75 rue Guillaume Puy, tel. 04 90 27 16 00).
At L’Isle Sonnante, join chef Boris and wife Anne to dine intimately in their formal and charming one-room bistrot. You’ll choose from a small menu offering only fresh products and be served by owners who care (menus from €30, closed Sun-Mon, 100 yards from the carousel on place de l’Horloge at 7 rue Racine, tel. 04 90 82 56 01, best to book ahead).
At Le Petit Bedon you can savor fine, gourmet Provençal cuisine served with elegance in a romantically snug setting. All 10 tables are inside (€28-40 menus, open daily, 70 rue Joseph Vernet, tel. 04 90 82 33 98).
Le Caveau du Théâtre is a welcoming place where Richard invites diners to have a glass of wine or dinner at a sidewalk table, or inside in one of two carefree rooms (€13 plats, €18 menus, fun ambience for free, closed for lunch Sat and all day Sun, 16 rue des Trois Faucons, tel. 04 90 82 60 91).
Le Fou de Fa Fa sits across from Le Caveau du Théâtre. Its friendly British owners are making a splash with locals, serving top-notch crêpes and inexpensive dishes in a warm setting (closed Mon, 17 rue des Trois Faucons, tel. 04 32 76 35 13).
Hôtel La Mirande is the ultimate Avignon splurge. Reserve ahead here for understated elegance and Avignon’s finest cuisine (€35 lunch menu, €115 dinner tasting menu; closed Tue-Wed—but for a price break, dine in the kitchen with the chef on these “closed” days for €110 including wine; behind Palace of the Popes, 4 place de la Mirande, tel. 04 90 14 20 20, www.la-mirande.fr).
At L’Epice and Love (the name is a fun French-English play on words, pronounced “lay peace and love”), English-speaking owner Marie creates a playful atmosphere in her inviting restaurant, where the few colorfully decorated tables (inside only) greet the hungry traveler. The small menu changes daily, and Marie cooks it all: tasty meat, fish, and vegetarian dishes, some with a North African touch, all served at good prices (€16 menus, closed Sun, 30 rue des Lices, tel. 04 90 82 45 96).
Restaurant Au Jardin de la Tour, tucked away on a little street, is well worth finding. Internationally renowned chef Jean-Marc Larrue transformed this old factory and its courtyard into one of the most popular and affordable gourmet destinations in Avignon (€20-60 menus, closed Sun-Mon, cooking classes available, 9 rue de la Tour, tel. 04 90 85 66 50, www.jardindelatour.fr).
Le Bercail offers a fun opportunity to get out of town (barely) and take in le fresh air with a terrific riverfront view of Avignon, all while enjoying fun Provençal cooking served in big portions (menus from €25, serves late, daily April-Oct, tel. 04 90 82 20 22). Take the free shuttle boat (located near St. Bénezet Bridge) to the Ile de la Barthélasse, turn right, and walk five minutes. As the boat usually stops running at about 18:00 (except in July-Aug, when it runs until 21:00), you can either taxi home or walk 25 minutes along the pleasant riverside path and over Daladier Bridge.
Remember, there are two train stations in Avignon: the suburban TGV station and the Centre-Ville Station in the city center (€1.20 shuttle buses connect to both stations, buy ticket from driver, 3/hour, 15 minutes). TGV trains usually serve the TGV train station only, though a few depart from Centre-Ville train station (check your station). Only Centre-Ville has baggage storage (see “Arrival in Avignon,” earlier). Car rental is available only at the TGV station. Some cities are served by slower local trains from Centre-Ville Station as well as by faster TGV trains from the TGV station; I’ve listed the most convenient stations for each trip.
From Avignon’s Centre-Ville Station by Train to: Arles (11/day, 20 minutes, less frequent in the afternoon), Orange (15/day, 15 minutes), Nîmes (14/day, 30 minutes), Isle-sur-la-Sorgue (10/day on weekdays, 5/day on weekends, 30 minutes), Lyon (10/day, 2 hours, also from TGV station in 1 hour—see below), Carcassonne (8/day, 7 with transfer in Narbonne, 3 hours), Barcelona (2/day, 6-9 hours, transfer in Montpellier).
From Avignon’s TGV Station to: Arles (by SNCF bus, 10/day, 1 hour), Nice (20/day, most by TGV, 4 hours, most require transfer in Marseille), Marseille (10/day, 35 minutes), Cassis (7/day, 2 hours), Aix-en-Provence TGV (10/day, 25 minutes), Lyon (12/day, 1 hour, also from Centre-Ville Station—see above), Paris’ Gare de Lyon (9/day direct, 2.5 hours; more connections with transfer, 3-4 hours), Paris’ Charles de Gaulle airport (7/day, 3 hours).
The bus station (gare routière) is just past and below Hôtel Ibis, to the right as you exit the train station. Nearly all buses leave from this station (a few leave from the ring road outside the station—ask, buy tickets on bus, small bills only). The biggest exception is the SNCF bus service from the Avignon TGV train station to Arles (explained on here). The Avignon TI has schedules. Service is reduced or nonexistent on Sundays and holidays. Check your departure time beforehand, and make sure to verify your destination with the driver.
From Avignon to Pont du Gard: Buses go to this famous old aqueduct (3-5/day, 40-50 minutes, departs from bus station, usually from stall #11); I’d also consider a taxi one-way and bus back. For a more worthwhile day trip, see my suggested train/bus excursion that combines Nîmes and Pont du Gard (see “Planning Your Time,” next chapter).
By Bus to Other Regional Destinations: Uzès (3-5/day, 60-80 minutes, stops at Pont du Gard); St. Rémy-de-Provence (6/day, 45 minutes, stall #2, handy way to visit its Wed market); Orange (Mon-Sat hourly, none Sun, 45 minutes—take the train instead); Isle-sur-la-Sorgue (6-8/day Mon-Sat, 3-4/day Sun, 45 minutes, stall #13, some leave from ring road); Chateauneuf-du-Pape (2/day Mon-Sat, none Sun, 45 minutes). For the Côtes du Rhône area, the bus runs to Vaison la Romaine, Nyons, Sablet, and Séguret (5/day during the school year—called période scolaire, 3/day otherwise, and 1/day from TGV station; 1.5 hours, all buses pass through Orange—faster to take train to Orange, and transfer to bus there). For the Luberon area—including Lourmarin, Roussillon, and Gordes—take the bus to Cavaillon, then take bus #8 toward Pertuis for Lourmarin (3/day) or bus #15 for Gordes/Roussillon (only 1/day).
▲▲Jardin du Rochers des Doms Park and ramparts at the hilltop where Avignon was first settled, with great views of the Rhône River Valley and the famous broken bridge. Hours: Daily April-Sept 7:30-20:00, Oct-March 7:30-18:00. See here.
▲▲St. Bénezet Bridge The “pont d’Avignon” of nursery-rhyme fame, once connecting the Pope’s territory to France. Hours: Daily mid-March-Oct 9:00-19:00, until 20:00 July and Sept, until 21:00 in Aug, Nov-mid-March 9:30-17:45. See here.
▲▲Scenic Squares Numerous hide-and-seek squares ideal for postcard-writing and people-watching—pick your favorite: place des Corps-Saints, place St. Pierre, place des Châtaignes (adjacent to place St. Pierre), place Crillon, place St. Didier (near the recommended Caveau du Théâtre restaurant), and the big place Pie (see map on here). Hours: Always open.
▲Palace of the Popes Fourteenth-century Gothic palace built by the popes who made Avignon their home. Hours: Daily mid-March-Oct 9:00-19:00, until 20:00 July and Sept, until 21:00 in Aug, Nov-mid-March 9:30-17:45. See here.
▲Tower of Philip the Fair Massive tower across St. Bénezet Bridge, featuring the best view over Avignon and the Rhône basin. Hours: April-Sept daily 10:00-12:30 & 14:00-18:30; Oct-Nov Tue-Sat 10:00-12:30 & 14:00-17:00, closed Sun-Mon; closed Dec-March. See here.
Petit Palais Museum “Little palace” displaying the Church’s collection of medieval Italian painting and sculpture. Hours: June-Sept Wed-Mon 10:00-13:00 & 14:00-18:00, closed Tue; Oct-May Wed-Mon 9:30-13:00 & 14:00-17:30, closed Tue. See here.
Synagogue Thirteenth-century synagogue rebuilt in a Neoclassical Greek-temple style (requires advance notice, closed Sat-Sun). See here.
Fondation Angladon-Dubrujeaud Museum with a small but enjoyable Post-Impressionist collection, including art by Cézanne, Van Gogh, Daumier, Degas, and Picasso. Hours: Tue-Sun 13:00-18:00, closed Mon. See here.
Calvet Museum Fine-arts museum with a good collection and English audioguide. Hours: Wed-Mon 10:00-13:00 & 14:00-18:00, closed Tue. See here.
