Visit Avignon

About Avignon

Avignon for one extraordinary 70-year stretch was the capital of the Catholic world — Pope Clement V moved the papal court here in 1309 to escape Roman politics, and the seven Avignon Popes who followed built one of the largest and most important Gothic palaces in Europe to suit their station. The Palais des Papes still dominates the city: 25 rooms, 15,000 m² of state apartments, a colossal Grande Audience hall, and stunning Matteo Giovannetti frescoes you can wander with a HistoPad augmented-reality tablet that reconstructs the original colours and furnishings. Just below, the famous Pont Saint-Bénézet juts halfway out into the Rhône and stops in mid-river — the children's song 'Sur le Pont d'Avignon' refers to this 12th-century bridge, of which only four of the original 22 arches remain after centuries of floods. The walled medieval centre is great for wandering: the Rocher des Doms hilltop park has the best view over the Rhône and the river bridges, and the Place de l'Horloge buzzes with cafes. In July, the Festival d'Avignon (since 1947) turns the entire city into one of the largest contemporary performing-arts events in the world.