Things to do in Avignon: the papal palace, the bridge, the walls
Avignon is a small walled city on the Rhône, with a huge papal palace at its center and a half-bridge that every French child has sung about. Two days is plenty. The one thing to know: every July the theater festival fills the city, and rooms, tables and prices change completely.
The short answer
- First trip
- Give it two days: the Palais des Papes and the Rocher des Doms on the first, the market, the Petit Palais and the ramparts on the second.
- Where to stay
- Inside the walls near the Place de l'Horloge for walking, or across the river in Villeneuve for quiet. The full guide is linked below.
- How many days
- Two days covers the city. Three lets you add the Pont du Gard, a wine village or Arles.
- Best time to go
- April to June and September to October. July is the festival and is hot; the mistral can blow in winter and spring.
- Book ahead
- Rooms and shows for the July festival, and a timed ticket for the Palais des Papes in high season.
- From the airport
- Marseille Provence airport is about an hour away by coach or by train via Vitrolles. The TGV station is a 5-minute train from the center.
Where to stay in Avignon, in brief
Place de l'Horloge and the center
first-time visitors
The square, the Palais des Papes and most restaurants are minutes away. Cafe terraces are loud until late, and in July the area is packed with festival crowds.
Carmes and Rue des Teinturiers
quiet old streets
The eastern side of the old town has the Place des Carmes, small shops and a canal-side lane of cafes. It is calmer than the center and ten minutes from the palace.
Near Avignon Centre station
arriving by train
Practical and cheaper, just inside the Porte de la République. Not pretty, but the station and the main street into town are at your door.
Villeneuve-lès-Avignon
calm and views of the city
A separate town across the Rhône, with a fort, a charterhouse and the old town seen from the other bank. Quieter and often better value, but you need a bus, bike or car to cross.
Things to do in Avignon
Palais des Papes
The vast Gothic palace where popes lived from 1309 to 1377. Allow two hours for the rooms, chapels and the roof terrace, and go early in summer.
a few days ahead in high season; the day before in spring and autumn
Pont Saint-Bénézet (Pont d'Avignon)
The medieval bridge that now stops halfway across the Rhône, with a small chapel on one of its piers. The best view of it is from the far bank or the island.
Rocher des Doms
A hilltop garden beside the cathedral with views over the Rhône, the bridge and Villeneuve. A good rest after the palace.
Les Halles market
The covered food market at Place Pie, with cheese, olives, fish, charcuterie and a living wall on the outside. Go in the morning, Tuesday to Sunday.
Petit Palais
A museum of Italian paintings from the 13th to 16th centuries in a former bishops' palace, next to the palace square. Quiet, and good for a hot afternoon.
Walk the ramparts
The medieval walls run for about four kilometers around the old town. Walk a stretch, or follow them from Porte de l'Oulle to the bridge.
Rue des Teinturiers
A cafe-lined lane beside a stream with old water wheels, once the dyers' street. Pleasant in the shade, busy at weekends.
Collection Lambert
A contemporary art museum in an 18th-century town house. A good contrast to the papal sights, and usually quiet.
Musée Angladon
A small museum of paintings and furniture, with works by Van Gogh, Cézanne and Degas, in a house on the Rue Laboureur.
Île de la Barthelasse
The river island opposite the walls, with fields, cycle paths and views back to the bridge. Cross by the Pont Édouard Daladier on foot or by bike.
A show at the festival
In July, the Festival d'Avignon (the official program) and the Off festival put theater in courtyards, chapels and streets across the city. Even a single show is worth it.
several weeks ahead for the main shows
What to book before you go
These sell out. Most of the rest of Avignon can be decided on the day.
Every tour and ticket in Avignon, and which to pick- Rooms and tickets in July4 to 6 months ahead for the festival
The festival ran from 4 to 25 July in 2026. Rooms in and near the walls sell out and cost far more than the rest of the year.
- Palais des Papesa few days ahead in summer
Entry is timed in busy periods, and the first slots of the day are the calmest.
- A table at a good restaurant1 to 2 weeks ahead, longer in July
Many of the best kitchens in town have a small dining room and close on weekends.
What to skip in Avignon
- The tourist menus on the Place de l'Horloge
You pay for the square and the plate arrives lukewarm. Walk five minutes to the Halles or the side streets.
- The little tourist train
The old town is small enough to walk. Climb the Rocher des Doms for the same view.
- A day in the walls in August midday
It is hot, shaded places are few, and many small shops close. Do the palace first thing and rest in the afternoon.
Best time to visit Avignon
April to June and September to October are the best months: warm, light and not too full. Summer is hot, with temperatures often above 30 degrees, and the mistral can bring a cold, dry wind in winter and spring.
July is the theater festival, which turns the city into a stage and sells out rooms. It is loud, exciting and expensive, so choose it on purpose. In winter many small places close and the days are short, but the city is quiet and cheap.
- From Marseille Provence airportDirect coaches run to Avignon in about an hour, a few times a day. The train from Vitrolles-Aéroport to Avignon Centre also takes about an hour, plus a short bus link to the station.
- Two stationsAvignon Centre is just inside the walls, ten minutes on foot from the Place de l'Horloge. Avignon TGV is outside the city, and a shuttle train links the two in about five minutes.
- On footEverything inside the ramparts is within about twenty minutes on foot. Streets are flat and mostly pedestrian.
- Buses and bikesCity buses reach Villeneuve-lès-Avignon, the Barthelasse island and the outskirts. A bike is useful for the island and the river path.
Avignon in two or three days
- Day 1
Go early to the Palais des Papes, then the Rocher des Doms and the Pont Saint-Bénézet. Dinner near the Place des Carmes.
- Day 2
Les Halles in the morning, then the Petit Palais, Rue des Teinturiers and a stretch of the ramparts. End on the Barthelasse for the view.
- Day 3
Take a day trip to the Pont du Gard, Châteauneuf-du-Pape or Arles.
Day trips from Avignon
- Pont du GardThe Roman aqueduct, about 40 minutes by car or coach. Allow half a day and walk the paths on both banks.
- Châteauneuf-du-PapeThe wine village north of the city, about 20 minutes by car or taxi. Visit a cellar and book the tasting ahead.
- ArlesA Roman city with an amphitheater and Van Gogh sites, around 20 to 30 minutes by train. Plan a full day.
- Gordes and RoussillonHill villages in the Luberon, best by car or on a small group tour. Go early; both fill with day visitors.
Avignon: questions people ask
How many days do you need in Avignon?
Two days covers the palace, the market, a museum and the ramparts. Add a third for a day trip to the Pont du Gard, Arles or a wine village.
Is Avignon worth visiting?
Yes, for a short stop in Provence. It is small, walkable and has one major sight, the Palais des Papes, plus good markets and easy day trips.
When is the Avignon festival?
The Festival d'Avignon and the Off festival ran together from 4 to 25 July in 2026. Dates move a little each year, so check before you plan, and book rooms months ahead.
What is the best time to visit Avignon?
April to June and September to October for mild weather and fewer crowds. July is the festival and is the busiest and dearest month.
How do you get to Avignon from Marseille airport?
Direct coaches take about an hour. You can also take a train from Vitrolles-Aéroport station, also about an hour on the train, with a short bus link from the terminal.
Is Avignon safe for tourists?
Yes, the old town is generally safe and busy. As in any city, keep bags closed in crowds and take care on quiet streets late at night.
Where is the best place to stay in Avignon?
Near the Place de l'Horloge for walking, in the Carmes quarter for quiet, or in Villeneuve-lès-Avignon for calm and views of the city.