Avignon Accommodations

Avignon is famous as it is the city to which the Popes fled when leaving the corruption of Rome in the 14th century. The Palace they built, 'Le Palais des Papes,' or the palace of popes, is the world's largest Gothic edifice. For a while, Avignon was the capital of the medieval western world. Today, it is a prestigious cultural capital with its world-renowned Theatre Festival.

Avignon is a city of history and a city of theater, and definitely not a town to stay in if you're interested in sightseeing the surrounding countryside and don't have much time. Once in Avignon, you won't want to leave, and the town is too interesting to let you go. Avignon is ancient, full of history, life, youth, art, music and activity. Just to "see" the town itself, you can wander the narrow streets inside the fortified walls for days without tiring of them. The Palace of the Popes built in the 14th century overlooks a lively square. Nearby are the museums the Petit Palais and Palais du Roure, not too far away stands the famous Pont d'Avignon.

Avignon is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Take your time wandering about the streets of Avignon, The ancient streets, the courtyards of the private mansions, the renovated facades will all charm you! One of the most elegant streets is the rue Joseph Vernet, adjacent to the Calvet museum and the Requien Museum.

However, once you are ready to venture outside the town, within a short distance, you can visit the Pont du Gard, Nîmes, Arles, the Camargue, Luberon and Ventoux, Baux de Provence, St Rémy and the Alpilles. Provence has a rich variety of attractions and sites to make your holiday even more memorable.

Avignon is famous the world over for its annual theatre festival. Founded in 1947, the Avignon Festival comprises traditional theatrical events as well as other art forms such as dance, music, and cinema, making good use of the town's historical monuments. For three or four weeks in July the city is virtually swollen with street performers, actors, musicians, and of course the tourists, approximately 100,000 people attend the festival. There are really two festivals that take place, the ‘Festival In’ are the performances which take place inside the Pope's Palace itself, and the more bohemian ‘Festival Off’, which is known for its presentation of largely undiscovered plays and street performances. The vast majority of performances are, of course, in French but a number of foreign companies perform in English. Even without attending any events, the atmosphere and street theatre give the city a carnival feeling. Many French and European thespians feel that to perform inside the Popes Palace is the crowning achievement of their careers.