Must-See Sites in Avignon and Where to Eat Lunch

Avignon is 40 km southwest of Sablet, snuggled inside ancient walls along the Rhône River. The largest town in the Vaucluse, Avignon, is old, full of history, art, music and activity. I never get tired of wandering the narrow streets inside the fortified walls.

We come to Avignon to shop and meet up with cousins. Our stops always include visiting the Nespresso Boutique near Place de l’Horloge for espresso capsules to take back to California (way cheaper). Shirley prefers to shop leisurely by herself, so I explore and take pictures.

Notre Dame des Doms Cathedral is a Roman Catholic church located next to the Palais des Papes in Avignon. The cathedral is the seat of the Archbishop of Avignon. It is a Romanesque building constructed primarily in the second half of the 12th century. The bell tower collapsed in 1405 and was rebuilt in 1425. Continue reading here to see Michel’s photos of their latest day trip to Avignon.

Sites in Avignon

Music: Theater of Avignon is located near the Pope’s Palace on Place de l’Horloge. Dating from 1825, the Opera was rebuilt in 1847 after a fire. The Opera programming includes music, dance, theatre, and performances.

Papal Palace is the historical icon in Avignon, one of the largest and most important Medieval Gothic buildings in Europe. One time fortress and palace, the papal residence, was the seat of Western Christianity during the 14th century. Six papal conclaves were held in the Palace, leading to the elections of Benedict XII in 1334, Clement VI in 1342, Innocent VI in 1352, Urban V in 1362, Gregory XI in 1370, and Antipope Benedict XIII in 1394.

Museums: The Avignon archival collection is immense, with 1,200,000 works of art, objects of interest and documents. Avignon Musées is an initiative spearheaded by Cécile Helle Mayor of Avignon 1st Vice President of Greater Avignon. The concept showcases the incredible artistic heritage of the city via shared programming across five museums.

Musée Calvet
65, rue Joseph Vernet
84000 Avignon
Tel: +33 (0)4 90 86 33 84
Closed Tuesdays

Musée Lapidaire
27, rue de la République
84000 Avignon
Tel: +33 (0)4 90 85 75 38
Closed Mondays

Petit Palais
Palais des Archevêques
Place du Palais des Papes
84000 Avignon
Tel: +33 (0)4 90 86 44 58
Closed Tuesdays

Musée Requien
67, rue Joseph Vernet
84000 Avignon
Tel: +33 (0)4 90 82 43 51
Closed Sundays & Mondays

Palais du Roure
3, rue Collège du Roure
84000 Avignon
Tel: +33 (0)4 13 60 50 01
Closed Sundays, Mondays and Holidays

Pedestrian centre: Take a walk down the cobblestoned Rue des teinturiers (the dyers street), the most picturesque street of Avignon. Wonder around the “Fourbisseurs” street, the heart of the pedestrian area for artisanal boutiques.

A famous bridge: Rebuilt several times after floods the Pont St-Bénézet was often damaged during the Middle Ages. However, the catastrophic inondation of 1668 finally swept away most of the structure, leaving only the elegant ruin you see today. It is possible to walk on this impressive bridge and see the Chapelle St-Nicolas with its two sanctuaries, one of which is dedicated to St-Bénézet.

Lunch in Avignon

Le Gout Du Jour
20 Rue Saint-Etienne
84000 Avignon
Tel: 04 32 76 32 16
Website: www.legoutdujour84.com

Don’t miss the indoor food market, Les Halles. Skip breakfast and sit at one of the cafés inside the market for a good coffee. Soak up the authentic atmosphere by staying at the counter, and soon a local might begin a conversation with you. Fancy a pastry with your coffee? Grab a delicious buttery brioche or pastry at Boulangerie Violette. There’s no better way to start your day!