Avignon is a city in France. Avignon. Provence - Alpes - Cote d'Azur, Vaucluse department

The city of Avignon in France is mentioned in a cheerful children's song. Everyone who studies French has heard these funny verses set to a simple melody at least once. The song constantly repeats the phrase sur le pont d'Avignon on y dance, which means dancing on the bridge of Avignon.

The Rhone is considered a great river in France. It originates in the glacier of the same name, located on the territory of Switzerland. Most of the bed of the Rhone is on French soil. The river flows in Lyon and Avignon.

The latter arose on its left bank in ancient times. Tradition says that a simple shepherd Benedict offered to build a bridge across the river so that people and animals could freely cross to the other side. The townspeople decided that this was an impossible task, but, seeing that the angels were helping the shepherd, they set to work with zeal.

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The Pont Saint-Bénézet, named after Benedict, was built in the 12th century. It consisted of 22 spans and was considered a very solid structure for its time. However, constant floods gradually destroyed the bridge frame. Only 4 spans of Saint-Benezet have survived to this day, which are a local landmark along with ancient castles and museums.

Despite the available information about the construction and reconstruction of this structure, vacationers in Avignon, whose reviews are always positive, sometimes wonder why they don’t dance on the St. Benedict Bridge.

Annecy France

Location of the city

If you look for Avignon on the map of France, then it can be found in the southeastern part. It is the prefecture of the district of the same name and the department of Vaucluse. These administrative-territorial units belong to the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region.

You can get to the city from almost anywhere in France by rail. A high-speed TGV line passes through Avignon, so the road, even from remote regions of the country, will not take very long.

The Paris-Avignon train is on the way for about 3 hours. He stops at a suburban station. It's called the Avignon TGV. Here you need to make a transfer to get to the city center. The journey takes only 5 minutes.

Avignon is located in such a way that it is easy to get to other large and interesting cities in the region. Of particular interest to lovers of France is Marseille. This major port is considered the capital of Provence.

You can get to the ancient center of French sailors and merchants in just 1-1.5 hours by train. The distance from Marseille to Avignon is just under 100 km. You can also overcome it by bus or car.

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A 20-minute drive from Avignon is the ancient city of Arles. It contains the best examples of Roman architecture, including fragments of fortress walls and an amphitheater that have survived to this day. Arles-Avignon trains run regularly between these cities. Therefore, getting to the neighboring canton is not difficult.

Proximity and small size these cities were the reason that even the local football club has a double name. The Arles-Avignon team is officially considered the latter's national team. Players perform at the Parc du Spor stadium. However, in last years FC Arles-Avignon experienced difficulties and was relegated to Championnat de France amateur, meaning the club's amateur rather than professional status.

Climate and nature of Avignon

The ancient city stands on the banks of the river, which has a certain effect on weather conditions. In addition to the full-flowing Rhone, Avignon is under the influence of the Mediterranean Sea. The climate here is temperate continental, with pronounced seasons. In summer, it gravitates more towards the Mediterranean type.

Saint Paul de Vence

From June to August, the weather in Avignon for 14 days or more can please with high temperatures. However, often the summer heat is suddenly interrupted by heavy rains, accompanied by strong gusts of wind. In autumn and spring, the city also receives a lot of precipitation. In winter, the temperature usually drops to 0°C, but a strong wind creates a feeling of real hard frost.

Tourists like to visit these places in summer. As the weather allows, Avignon bathes in the greenery of parks and gardens during the warm season, creating excellent conditions for leisurely walks and romantic evenings in the open air.

But the most favorable month for a trip to the city is September. Summer heat with the onset of early autumn is already subsiding, and dank days still do not make themselves felt. Although the ancient medieval architecture, which attracts hundreds of history buffs every year, is beautiful at any time of the year.

What to see in Avignon?

On weekends, it is almost impossible to find a parking space here. The number of people coming here is so great that sometimes it is even impossible to quickly disperse with oncoming pedestrians in the narrow streets of the Old Town. Streams of people tend to lead to the Papal Palace in Avignon.

This is a unique medieval building that has been under construction for over 30 years. The monumental architecture of the facade fully meets the requirements of the richest people of its time. We are talking about the pontiffs who made Avignon the center of the Christian Catholic Church and ruled it from here for almost 70 years.

Cap Ferrat

This period of history is called the Avignon captivity of the popes. Fleeing from the danger threatening in Rome, the religious leaders, at the invitation of the king, moved the Holy See to a more peaceful place. Thus the Catholic Church received security, and the French monarch strengthened his power.

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The papal palace in Avignon is a well-fortified castle with towers and a courtyard. The inside of the building is not as luxurious as the outside. After another fire that engulfed the city, only 1 room survived almost in its original form. But it also conveys well the luxury in which the Roman Catholic Church bathed in the Middle Ages. On the walls, amazingly beautiful paintings dating back to the 14th century have been preserved.

The papal palace in Avignon is very large. It will take several hours to inspect it. This is one of the 3 main attractions of the city, which is worth paying a visit to. Special attention. The residence of the pontiff is one of the three monuments included in the UNESCO World Heritage List. Together with her in this list are the cathedral of the XII century. Notre-Dame-de-Dome and the famous Saint Benedict Bridge. Its 4 remaining spans were reconstructed in the 14th century, and in the center of the bridge, the church of St. Nicholas was preserved.

Other iconic places and events of the city

Avignon, whose sights can be seen from the large observation deck, belongs to a small number of ancient cities that have preserved the walls. Some of their fragments belong to the era ancient rome. The main part was built in the 12th-14th centuries.

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Avignon, located in southern France, is the capital city of the Vaucluse department. The charming city center, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is home to the Palais des Papes, the rock gardens of Rocher de Dome and the Pont d'Avignon.

The historic Papal Palace, located on the square of the same name, is one of the most imposing medieval Gothic buildings in Europe. Here you can see the private chambers of the Pope and frescoes by Matteo Giovannetti.

According to legend, the Avignon Bridge was built in the Middle Ages by a young shepherd named Benese, who was inspired by angels. A popular children's song about him is known all over the world - "Sur Le Pont D" Avignon "(" On the bridge in Avignon ").

The beautiful gardens of the Rocher de Dome are perfect for a stroll or a picnic. In a green park with a large pond, swans and ducks and lush vegetation, you can relax and have a good rest. From the top of the gardens there is a beautiful view of the Rhone River.

You can stay in one of the hotels, apartments and bed and breakfasts offered by the site. Avignon - Caumont Airport, located in the village of Montfavet, is only 8 km from Avignon.

Avignon is the main city of the district of the same name in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region. The city is located in the southeast of France, on the left bank of the river Rhone. (Ron). The name comes from the name Avennius of one of the Gallic tribes.

City `s history

A trading settlement on the site of present-day Avignon has been mentioned since the 5th century. BC e. Then the city belonged to the Gauls, Romans (Avenio), Burgundians, Ostrogoths, Franks. Entering from the 11th century. to the Holy Roman Empire, ruled by the Counts of Provence.

Most of the 14th century Avignon was the residence of the popes who bought the city. This circumstance contributed to its flourishing. During the period called the "Avignon captivity of the popes", the famous Papal Palace, churches, houses for church hierarchs were built, and a university was founded. After the return of the papal throne to Rome, the Italian clergy maintained a strong position in the city. In the Middle Ages, it controlled the sale of sand, located near the city, used to make glass.

Hard times for Avignon came at the end of the 18th century. The city was occupied by the French revolutionaries, pushing out the Italian church hierarchs. The bloody conflict of supporters and opponents of the revolution was even called the "Avignon massacre." The population of the city has decreased several times.

Then, as part of France, Avignon was an ordinary provincial city with developed silk weaving. After the construction of the railway in the XIX century. the trade in agricultural products revived, urban transformations were carried out. In the city, a movement of writers writing in Provençal gained momentum.

In the XX century. continued growth of the city. After the war, a major theater festival began to be held in Avignon, the university reopened, and tourism infrastructure began to develop.

City today

Avignon is home to 90,000 people. Part of the population is made up of descendants of immigrants, mainly from Algeria, who appeared in the city in the 60s of the last century.

The Mediterranean climate of Avignon is characterized by dry, hot summers and often snowless winters. Spring and autumn, on the contrary, are rainy. September, which is comfortable for many other cities, is characterized by heavy rains accompanied by stormy winds. Windy weather is generally characteristic of the city.

Transport and fares

Russian tourists usually get to Avignon by train from Marseille or Paris, which have direct flights to Moscow. The nearest (105 km) international airport is located in Marseille. From Aéroport de Marseille Provence, high-speed TGV trains take passengers to the Avignon TGV train station at Place de l'Europe in 35 minutes. Ticket price - 20-30 EUR. From Marseille to the Avignon bus station Gare Routière (5 boulevard Saint-Roch) can also be reached by bus. The trip will cost about half the price, but will take 1.5 hours.

Arriving at another Centre-ville train station (42 boulevard Saint-Roch) high-speed TGV trains from Paris. But Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport is located 600 km from Avignon, so TGV trains travel about 3 hours, and you will need to pay about 60 EUR for a ticket from Paris.

The convenient location of the city and an extensive bus network makes Avignon a convenient starting point for visiting many nearby Provencal cities.

Intracity transport is represented by 23 bus routes. The ticket costs 1.3 EUR. After composting, it is valid for an hour. A subscription of 10 tickets will cost 10 EUR, and a day pass - 3.6. You can rent a bike for 1 EUR per day (and 5 EUR per week).

Accommodation and accommodation

Hotel search on Booking.com according to traditional criteria - price segment 50 EUR - 100 EUR, 3 stars, an ordinary hotel in the center, brought 7 hotels. The most advantageous discount offer - 55.3 EUR per day, was at the Kyriad Avignon-Palais des Papes hotel, whose name indicates an excellent location (26, Place de l "horloge). I paid another 9.5 EUR for morning breakfast.

Even better is the location at the Hôtel du Palais des Papes (3, Place Du Palais). But you had to pay 80 EUR for it, plus 12.5 for breakfast. Other search results:

Hotel Danieli;
Hôtel Central;
ibis Avignon Center Pont De L "Europe;
ibis Avignon Center Gare;
Hotel d'Angleterre.

Those wishing to visit Avignon during the summer theater Festival d "Avignon should do this months in advance. They should also be prepared for increased prices.

Where to eat tasty and inexpensive

The cuisine of Avignon is relatively simple compared to the culinary delights of other French regions. Spices, olives, garlic are widely used. Many housewives are familiar with the Herbes de Provence seasoning, which includes about a dozen components. Popular local dishes - fish soup Bouillabaisse, stew Pot-au-feu vegetables - stewed Ratatouille and baked Tian. Wines predominate among drinks - red Cotes-du-Rhone-Village, pink Saint-Gervais, white Laudun.

Among the budget catering establishments, one can single out the Italian and French restaurant Le Petit Gourmand at 37 rue Vieux Sextier. I can attest to the validity of the many positive reviews about it. Specialty beef with herbs, ravioli with mushrooms, macaroni with excellent taste chocolate are combined with a friendly homely atmosphere of the establishment. Other points with affordable prices:

restaurant D'ici et d'ailleurs ( 4 rue Galante, except Sunday and Monday) with a set of Provencal dishes for 15 EUR - 20 EUR;
Grand Cafe du Commerce ( 21 rue St-Jean-de-Vieux);
Utopia Bar ( 4 rue Escallier Ste-Anne) near the Papal Palace.

City attractions

I began my acquaintance with the city traditionally - with an excursion on a tourist transport. The Le Petit Train d "Avignon train in 40 minutes and 4 EUR travels around the main iconic places cities.

The compact historical part of Avignon is clearly demarcated by the well-preserved City Wall encircling it. Remparts. Its length is 4330 m.

papal palace

The main attraction of Avignon is the Palais des Papes of the 14th century. One of the largest Gothic palaces on the planet is a UNESCO heritage site. The Papal Palace is located on a rocky hill in the northern part of the city.

Chronologically, the (Old) Palace Palais Vieux with a monastery was built first, surrounded by powerful walls with towers. A few decades later, the New Palace Palais Neuf was added to it with a chapel for worship, two more towers and a courtyard. The total area of the palace exceeded 11 thousand m².

The interiors were decorated with numerous frescoes, paintings, sculptures, tapestries and wood carvings. Particularly impressive were the papal chambers and frescoes by the Italian artist of the 14th century. Matteo Giovannetti. At the end of the XVIII century. The papal palace was ravaged by revolutionary vandals. In it they executed many of their opponents. Then, under Napoleon, barracks were placed here, stables were built from the wooden parts of the interior, and the frescoes were covered over.

The restoration of the Papal Palace was carried out only at the beginning of the 20th century. But the former splendor was restored only fragmentarily. Fortunately, in the chapels of St. John and St. Martial restored frescoes by Giovannetti, which tell about the lives of numerous saints. And in the Audience Hall, 18 prophets of the Old Testament are depicted by the same artist. Very beautiful is the painting of a golden vine with birds on a blue background, which adorns the papal bedchamber in the tower of the angels.

After the restoration, most of the premises became available to tourists. They can visit the palace from 9 am to 6 pm. The ticket costs 10.5 EUR. You can also purchase another ticket for 13 EUR, which includes a visit to the Benezier Bridge. And in the souvenir shop they sell wine named after the Avignon popes. There is no need to consider this sacrilege: most of them did not differ in a righteous life. This was written, in particular, by the great native of the city, the poet Francesco Petrarca.

Benezier Bridge

Pont Saint Benezet was built in the 12th century. According to legend, once in the mountains, the shepherd Benezier heard a voice from heaven ordering the construction of a bridge over the Rhone. The townspeople, of course, laughed at him. The prelate, however, decided to find out whether they really spoke through the shepherdess. heavenly forces, and ordered him to pick up and throw a huge stone into the river. To the amazement of the audience, Benezier did this by claiming that the angels had helped him.

The command of heaven turned out to be very useful for the city. For a long time, the bridge built was the only one across the Rhone for the entire area. Therefore, the city received significant income from the passage of merchants with goods along it. And now from destroyed by another flood in the XVII century. almost a kilometer long bridge, only four impressive arches have been preserved.

Notre-Dame-de-Dome

The main religious building - erected in the XII century. Avignon Cathedral or Notre-Dame des Doms. The main component of the façade is a gilded statue of the Virgin, mounted on the western tower. She protects with one hand and blesses him with the other. The sculpture of the Virgin Mary brings warm notes to the austere Romanesque façade.

The mix of styles is also felt in the interior. The galleries and baroque balustrade of the balconies are in some dissonance with the rest of the interior decoration. It features a Gothic mausoleum of the 14th century. Pope John XXII, a white marble bishop's chair, frescoes "Allegory of Death" and "Baptism of Christ" in the porch, and "Seated Virgin" on the drum of the dome.

More things to do in the city

The authoritative theater festival Festival d "Avignon lasts 3 weeks of July. It attracts many professional troupes and theatergoers. Several hundred thousand people come to the city these weeks. The main performances are held under open sky with the natural scenery of the Papal Palace. In 2018, the festival will be held from 6 to 24 July. Throughout the year, more than a dozen professional troupes constantly perform at other venues in the city.

The city is also famous for its jazz traditions. Musicians of this genre are frequent guests of the city. Daily improv evenings are held at La Manutention Jazz Cafe.

On a large island in the middle of the Rhone, there is an amusement park Ile de la Barthelasse. From Avignon you can get there by free ferry. In addition to the park itself, there are a farmer's market, equestrian and paintball clubs, restaurants, and hotels.

There are many museums in the city. Not far from the Papal Palace, in the gallery Petit Palais, there is an excellent collection of paintings and sculptures of the XIII-XV centuries. Canvases by Italian Renaissance artists predominate. The pride of the exposition is Botticelli's Madonna and Child. Address: Place du Palais des Papes. Opening hours - 10-18 with a break at 13-14, day off - Tuesday, ticket price - 6 EUR.

In the artistic Musee Calvet, named after its founder, a local philanthropist of the 19th century, you can see porcelain, European paintings, tapestries, works of applied art. Part of the collection is the former exhibits of the Louvre. The museum is located at 65 Rue Joseph Vernet. It is open daily, except Tuesday, from 10:00 to 18:00, with an hour break at 13:00 to 14:00. Ticket price - 6 EUR.

In the suburbs of Avignon, Châteauneuf du Pape, there is a wine museum called Maison Brotte. In it, as part of a tourist tour, you can get acquainted with the local soil, stages and tools for growing grapes. Of course, there is the possibility of tasting and purchasing wines.

Being in Avignon (especially with a rented or own car), it is a sin not to take the opportunity to see two interesting caves in its vicinity. One of them is Grotte de Saint Marcel, the largest in Europe. It stretches for 58 km. The other is Grotte Chauvet (otherwise Chauvet-Pont-d "Arc or la Combe d" Arc). Its walls are covered with hundreds of animal drawings dating back to the 30th millennium BC. e. The air temperature in this cave is constantly kept at +10°C.

Conclusion

Avignon is a colorful Provencal city. In it, you can fully plunge into the atmosphere of this French region without the fuss and high cost inherent in the promoted Nice and Cannes. The city is interesting for its history, architectural monuments, ringing of numerous bells flying through the street noise.

Avignon is a city in France, located in the south of the country. There are 270 cities in France, Avignon is in 45th place in terms of population, it is preceded by such large cities as Paris, Marseille, Lyon, Nice and others. The city is located on the site of an ancient Celtic-Ligurian fortress, which was located here 2.5 thousand years ago. Since the XIII century, Avignon was considered the official papal residence. Thanks to this, a majestic building was erected in the city - the Papal Palace. At the same time, the first university was opened in the city.

Key facts about the city:

Country: France, Europe

Region: Provence - Alpes - Cote d'Azur

Area: 64.78 km²

Population: 89380 people

Official language: French

How to get to Avignon

By plane. It will not be possible to get to Avignon airport from Moscow or another foreign city, since Avignon airport serves only domestic flights. There is an option to take a direct flight to airports in big cities, from there you can fly to Avignon. For example, Nimes airport. Upon arrival at the airport, you need to get to the city of Nimes. Bus stop right at the exit from the terminal, ticket - 5 euros *, departure - 15 minutes after each regular flight arriving at the airport and 2 hours before the departure of a regular flight from Nimes station (the bus arrives in Nimes at the Feuchères stop) or you can take taxi (the cost will be about 15-20 euros*).

Regular direct TER trains run from Nimes to Avignon:

travel time - 30 - 33 minutes - TER or 24 minutes - TGV.
Ticket price: 9.40 (TER) - 12.30 (TGV) euro*.
Departure: 8:24, 8:49, 10:49, 12:49, 13:24, 13:33 (TGV), 13:49, 14:34, 15:56, 16:49, 17:24, 17 :49, 18:24, 18:49, 19:49, 20:24.

By bus. Buses are one of the most popular means of transportation between cities. The bus station of Avignon is located on the Boulevard Saint-Roch. You can buy a ticket directly from the driver.

By train. There are two railway stations in Avignon: one of them is located in the center and is called "Avignon Center", the other is four kilometers from Avignon. It is at the second railway station that TGV trains arrive. From Paris to Avignon by high-speed train TGV can be reached in 2 hours and 40 minutes, from Paris Charles de Gaulle airport in 3 hours, from Lyon in just 1 hour.

By TGV train from Nice to Avignon - from 2 hours to 3 hours 45 minutes, ticket prices vary: from 25 euros (special offer) to 86 euros for first class.

There are both high-speed trains along the Marseille-Avignon route (journey time less than 45 minutes), and those that will take about one and a half to two hours.

Note! On the French website railways when buying a ticket online, it is not possible to pay for it from a card of Russian banks.

By car. Traveling by car from Moscow to Avignon is a rather tiring and long journey. But there is still a plus in such a trip: during the trip, the tourist will need to overcome over three thousand kilometers. This long journey will pass through Belarus, Poland, Germany, so there will be an opportunity to visit such cities: Minsk, Warsaw, Dresden, Nuremberg, Strasbourg and others.

Approximate travel time by car between Avignon and Nice is 2.5 hours; Avignon and Aix-en-Provence - 1 hour; Avignon and Arles - 35 minutes, Avignon and Marseille - 1 hour, Avignon and Montpellier - 1 hour.

high speed train

From the center of Avignon, Paris can be reached by bus (daily 6.14-23.11; 1.10 €*). These buses stop near the post office, not far from the main tourist office. The main local bus information desk is located at 1 avenue de Lattre de Tassigny (Poste, Cit Administrative, Gare Routire and Gare bus stops, all within a five-minute walk).

Climate of Avignon

At this time of the year there is little rain, no more than two days a month, from 20.8 to 52.0 mm of precipitation falls. Also warm sea with water temperature from +21.2°C to +21.9°C

Autumn is quite mild. The average air temperature in autumn during the daytime is +19 °C, while in the evening it drops to +14 °C. But November is not the most touristy month, it rains on average 6 days. The maximum monthly rainfall is 81.3 mm.

In winter, Avignon has a low season - the average air temperature in winter during the daytime is +9 °C, while in the evening it drops to +6 °C. The coldest month is December, when the air warms up to +7.4°C

In spring, the weather in Avignon is quite comfortable: the average air temperature in spring during the daytime is +18 °C, while in the evening it drops to +14 °C.

Avignon, France attractions

Small Palace (Le Petit Palais)

On a note! The Petit Palace houses the largest collection of Italian paintings, second only to the Louvre collection in scale. The permanent exhibition presents works of the 13th - early 16th centuries, including paintings by famous Italian painters: Sandro Botticelli, Vittorio Caraccio, Lorenzo Monaco and others.

Permanent exhibitions in the Small Palace:

Les Peintures Italiennes - Italian paintings

Sculptures of Avignonnaises

Les Peintures de l'Ecole d'Avignon - Pictures of the School of Avignon

Address: Palais des archevêques, Place du Palais, 84000 Avignon France

Phone: +33 4 90 86 44 58

Facade of the Small Palace

papal palace

The Papal Palace is a monument of history and architecture, the former residence of the popes. The transfer of the residence from Rome was caused by a conflict between the Catholic Church and the ruling monarchs: the next pope decided to move to Avignon, which seemed to him safer. So he did in 1309, and for the next almost 70 years Avignon was the center of the Catholic Church. Then the pope and his court returned to Rome, the palace that was built for them has survived to this day, and the whole epic went down in history as the “Avignon Papacy”.

Address: Place du Palais, 84000 Avignon, France

Architects: Jean de Louvres, Pierre Poisson, Raymond Guitbaud, Pierre Obreri

Opening hours: daily from 09:00 to 17:00 (depending on the season, the schedule may change)

Ticket price: 12 euros*.

Getting to the Papal Palace is not so easy: from the Avignon station, take the TGV train to the Avignon Poste station, then by bus to the Papal Palace.

For me, Avignon is inextricably linked with the Avignon captivity of the popes. In 1309, Pope Clement V left Rome and set up his residence closer to the French king, on whom he was dependent. So for 69 years, the Papal State was formed here on the banks of the Rhone, a chic castle was built, churches were built, monasteries appeared in the area, cardinals built houses near the castle of the Pope. Now it is a cozy, very compact Provencal town with a rich history and gorgeous views.

The historical center is quite compact and all fit behind the well-preserved powerful fortress walls. The main tourist attraction of Avignon is the papal palace, or rather the castle. Opening hours depend on the month, in the summer until 8 and 8.30 pm, in the spring until 7. Tickets cost 11 (full) and 9 (reduced) euros. All information about the castle can be found.

The castle is large and imposing, but inside it is almost empty. There are no interiors here, the wall painting has been preserved only in a few rooms. There are several halls with relics ... mostly bare walls and indications that there was a kitchen here, a meeting room here, the pope's bedchamber here. You can go through everything, not in a hurry, in an hour. Don't forget to go up to the roof of the palace for a wonderful view of the city. I recommend visiting the castle.

Medieval hooligans also liked to scratch something on the walls.

Along with a visit to the palace, you will be offered an excursion to the St. Benese bridge. It costs an extra couple of euros if you take a complex ticket (it is more expensive separately). Here you will be given a free audio guide that will tell the magnificent history of the bridge.

Saint Benese Bridge

Many centuries ago, a shepherd turned to a local clergyman and said that he dreamed of the Virgin Mary and ordered to build a bridge in this place. The current in this place was very strong and it was difficult to build a bridge, besides, the priest ridiculed the poor fellow and invited him to prove his story by dragging a huge boulder into the middle of the river. The shepherd took a stone and calmly laid the beginning of the future bridge with it. The bridge had a long history, even the king's troops crossed the river when they went to war against the heretics - the Cathars. The state of the bridge of St. Benese was monitored by the "Brotherhood of the Bridge" - local merchants. But the current in this place was really very strong and the bridge was often blown away. And when the bridge ceased to be the only crossing, they stopped caring about it. As a result, about 2 centuries ago, most of the bridge was washed away. Of, in my opinion, 17 arches, only 4 remained, which we can now see. Some more remains of the bridge can be found on the island between the two branches of the Rhone.

There are several old churches in the city near the papal palace. Avignon Cathedral, connected to the castle, is unfortunately closed. Several other very old Gothic churches can be found within 200 meters of the palace.

Notre-Dame-de-Dome

Church of St. Pierre

Near the castle on the other side of the square is located. Here, in the old cardinal's mansion, a fine collection of early Renaissance paintings is kept. The museum is open until 6. The price of a full ticket is 6 euros, a reduced ticket is 3 euros. In my opinion, with a ticket from the papal palace, you can be considered a beneficiary, I didn’t understand exactly. But there is some kind of discount system. Of particular value in this collection are paintings by Botticelli, Raphael and other Italian masters. The museum is not very big. 30-40 minutes for inspection is enough.

There is also the entrance to the Rocher des Doms park, which offers the most gorgeous views of the entire valley and Provence itself! From here you can also see the medieval prison of St. Anne.

Otherwise, you should just take a walk around the city, there are many old buildings, many souvenir shops with Provence herbs, lavender and soap. You can take a tourist tram in front of the papal palace. 6 or 7 euros and in 40 minutes drive around the entire old part of the city.

city hall

Another attraction of the city is located on the other side of the St. Benese bridge. This is the cardinal's castle. They say that under the popes, Avignon quickly became dirty and smelly, and some of the cardinals preferred to live away from the city. The castle of St. Andre was built here. There is a monastery nearby. In summer, the castle is open until 6, and from October to the end of May until 5 pm. A full ticket costs 5.5 euros, a reduced ticket costs 4. The castle is clearly visible from the papal palace, you can walk here in 40 minutes at a quick pace. Or you can take a bus that stops right in front of the bridge at the city gates near the St. Benese bridge. Something about 2 euros (from the driver), and the bus will take you to the castle in 10 minutes. Get off at the stop at its foot. From the hill where the castle was built, there is also a beautiful view of the surrounding expanses and already Avignon itself.

Saint André Castle

I personally liked the city very much. Of course, you can see it in a day, but I advise you to stay here longer...

locals

Avignon is connected by rail to Marseille and Nimes, two other well-known tourist centers in the region. Both cities are less than 30 minutes away. However, be careful, trains from / to central France stop at the station, which is located 4 kilometers from the city center. The railway line running along the coast has its own station right at the fortress gates of the city.

Station SNCF

Theoretically, there is a bus from the first station, but when I tried to find out its number at the information station of the station, they told me that there were no buses, and I had to wait for the train connecting the two stations.

Theatre

You can buy groceries on the main street of the old city - Rue de la Respublique. There is an underground Carefour store. Here are the main shopping areas. A hotel for little money can be found right next to the papal castle. Hotels in old mansions are the norm here.