Avignon Attractions

The whole of the Old Town of Avignon is surrounded by a complete ring of walls, constructed by Pope Innocent VI between 1355-68. At irregular intervals eight gates and 39 towers were incorporated into the wall, the total length of which is 4.8km/3mi. Some detailed restoration work was carried out in the 19th C.

At little way to the north the town wall is pierced by the Porte du Rocher, a gateway leading to the Pont St-Bénézet.

From Fort St-André with its two mighty round towers, built in the second half of the 14th C by John the Good and Charles V, there is a magnificent view of Villeneuve, Avignon, Mont Ventoux and the Lubéron and Alpilles mountain ranges. The massive walls enclose the little town of St-André, a Benedictine monastery and the Romanesque Church of Notre- Dame-de-Belvézet.

The Musée Lapidaire (lapidarium) in Avignon can be found at rue de la République 27, in the Baroque former Jesuit Church, joined by a bridge to the Jesuit college - now a secondary school - which was founded in 1564. The exhibits include Roman mosaics, fragments of the former triumphal arch, reliefs and ancient sculptures.

In the south of the Old Town of Avignon, near the Porte St-Michel on the street of the same name, stands the former Célestine monastery, once the largest monastery in the town. The interesting church has a superb apse by Perrin Morel; in the cloister (c. 1400), which unfortunately is only partially preserved, is a 17th C. gateway.

More than 20 festivals are held annually in Avignon, the major and most attractive one being the great International Festival in July/August; including jazz and rock concerts which are held against the impressive backdrop of the Papal Palace.

The Avignon festival runs from early July to early August and includes operas, concerts by major symphonies, choral groups and chamber orchestras, theatrical performances, dance recitals, film screenings and various lectures.

The events take place daily in numerous venues.

The public lending library is contained in a restored 15th C. building.

The Bibliotheque Ceccano was named for Cardinal Annibale Ceccano who held his place in history from 1333 to 1350. The building was used as a Jesuit College from 1564 to 1810 when it became a high school. The library contains over 250000 printed volumes, and nearly 7000 manuscripts.

Château de Barbentane was built in the Classical style of the Paris region. South of this handsome 17th C. chateau is an ornamental garden with a rectangular pool, roses decorated balustrades. The château's Louis XV and Louis XVI furniture survived the 1789 Revolution and the chateau is still home to the Marquis de Barbentane.

Opposite the Papal Palace in Avignon stands the Hôtel des Monnaies, the former mint. Built in the early 17th century, this Baroque building still displays a strong Italian influence; the facade is decorated with large figures of animals and bears the coat-of-arms of Pope Paul V, who came from the House of Borghese and whose vice-legate resided here. Today the palace houses the Conservatoire.

Thouzon Cave, also known as the Fairy cave, is located two kilometers north of Le Thor and is the only cave open to the public in the area. It includes fossilized galleries which were made by a now dried-up underground stream. There are abundant stalactites, soda straws, draperies, chimneys and pools.

In Maison Jean Vilar in Avignon, exhibitions are held depicting the history of the theatrical festival and providing information on the work of the producer Jean Vilar (1912-71), who was the festival director from 1947.

In the west of the Old Town Avignon, in rue Victor Hugo near the Porte St Dominique, can be found the Musée Louis Vouland, with French furniture, especially from the 18th C., pictures, Gobelin tapestries and ceramics. Of interest here too is the collection of Chinese porcelain and ivory sculptures.

The Musée Requien in Avignon is located close to the Musée Calvet. A well as a large scientific library it possesses geological and botanical collections, including a large herbarium.

On the north side of the Place du Palais stands the 14th C. Petit Palais, a Gothic fort which used to serve as episcopal offices and residence. It has a beautiful arcaded courtyard and the core of the building dates from the 13th C. At present it houses the Campana Collection of paintings by 13th-15th C. Italian masters, as well as a collection of works by the Avignon School of Painters, established by Simone Martini (ca. 1280-1344) and Matteo Giovanetti. At one time Napoleon II had purchased the collection for the Louvre.

The Palais du Roure is the home of an institute specializing in archaeology and ethnology and the promotion of the Provençal language.

One wing of the Palais du Roure contains libraries and archives as well as Italian literature that dates back to the Middle Ages. One entire floor is dedicated to Provençal anthropology including traditional tools, costumes, and regional art.

The idyllic Place de l'Horloge southeast of the Papal Palace, dominated by street cafes beneath shady plane trees, is the very center of Avignon life. On its west side stand the theater and the Hôtel de Ville (Town Hall; 1845) incorporating a 14th C. clock-tower; life-sized figures on the top, known as "jacquemarts", strike the hours.

The Rocher des Doms is a rocky spur which rises to the north of the Papal Palace in Avignon and then falls steeply down to the Rhône. There is a fine panoramic view from the beautiful park on its summit of the famous Pont St Bénézet and the islands of Barthelasse and Piot in the river, as well as Villeneuve-lès-Avignon on the far bank.

A short distance southwest of the Avignon Town Hall is the Gothic Church of St-Agricol, a very sombre triple-aisled basilica with no transept, built by Pope John XXII in 1321-1326.

The Church of St-Pierre in Avignon, built in 1356 and extended in the late 15th C. and restored in the 19th C., possesses a very beautiful Gothic facade and carved Renaissance wooden doors dating from 1550. Inside the church will be found some 16th C. statues of burial groups and a splendid Baroque choral scene from the mid-17th C.

At some distance east of the Papal Palace, on the Place des Carmes in Avignon stands the Church of St- Symphorien, dating mainly from the 15th C. It belonged to the former Monastery of the Unshod Carmelites, and was therefore also named the Eglise des Carmes. Inside will be found some 16th C. statues as well as paintings by Pierre Parrocel, a lesser-known member of the Parrocel family of artists, and others. A flea-market is held on Sunday mornings on the Place des Carmes.