Avignon tours and tickets
Avignon is compact, and most of what you pay for is the Palais des Papes and a few small museums. The palace uses timed entry in busy months, so book it a few days ahead in summer. The July festival changes everything, with shows and rooms booked months in advance. Wine tastings and the day trips need a booking, while the ramparts, markets and gardens are free.
Book these first
- Rooms and tickets in July
- 4 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 Papes
- a 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 restaurant
- 1 to 2 weeks ahead, longer in July. Many of the best kitchens in town have a small dining room and close on weekends.
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Churches and palaces
Palais des Papes
The vast Gothic palace of the popes, with its great halls, chapels and a roof terrace. Entry is by ticket, with a handheld guide, and guided visits of about an hour. Evening openings and a combined ticket with the bridge are sold.
Which to pick. Book a morning slot online in summer, and take the handheld guide before paying for a tour. Add the bridge ticket only if you want the audio story of the Pont d'Avignon.
A few days ahead in summerVisitor guideOfficial siteTours and tickets on ViatorPont Saint-Bénézet
The medieval bridge that stops halfway across the Rhône, with a small chapel on a pier. A paid visit walks you onto the bridge with an audio guide. The best view of it is free, from across the river.
Which to pick. Skip the paid visit unless you want to walk on it. For the photo, cross to the island or the far bank, then come back for the sunset.
On the day is fineVisitor guideOfficial siteTours and tickets on Viator
Museums and galleries
Petit Palais
Italian paintings from the 13th to 16th centuries in the former bishops' palace beside the palace square. It is quiet, and tickets are sold at the door with an audio guide on request.
Which to pick. Buy at the door and spend an hour. It is a good choice for the heat of the afternoon.
On the day is fineVisitor guideTours and tickets on ViatorCollection Lambert
A contemporary art museum in an 18th-century town house, with changing shows. Tickets are sold on the day, and guided visits run at set hours.
Which to pick. Check what is on before you go, since the shows change. The building is worth the visit even if the art is not your taste.
On the day is fineTours and tickets on Viator
Experiences and nights out
Theatre festival
A theater festival held in July, with performances in courtyards, quarries and chapels across the city. A second, open festival adds hundreds of smaller shows. Tickets are sold in stages from the spring.
Which to pick. If you are coming in July, buy a few show tickets and book your room first. Pick one big production and several small shows, and leave gaps in the day.
Several months ahead for JulyOfficial siteTours and tickets on ViatorWine tasting
Cellar visits and tastings in the Côtes du Rhône villages around the city, either at a single estate or on a half-day small-group trip. Most estates ask for a booking, and some close at lunch.
Which to pick. Book the tasting ahead rather than turning up. A small-group trip saves you the driving, which matters if you plan to taste.
1 to 2 weeks aheadTours and tickets on Viator
Day trips
Pont du Gard
The Roman aqueduct bridge over the Gardon, about 40 minutes away. A site pass covers parking, the museum and the paths on both banks. Coach trips run in summer.
Which to pick. Go by car or on a half-day coach trip. Visit in the late afternoon to avoid the heat, and bring shoes you can walk in.
A few days ahead in summerOfficial siteTours and tickets on ViatorChâteauneuf-du-Pape
A wine village with a ruined castle, about 20 minutes by car. The cellars offer tastings, and some run guided cellar tours. Many estates need a booking, and most close for lunch.
Which to pick. Book a tasting at one or two cellars in the morning. A taxi or a tour is better than a drive after tasting.
1 to 2 weeks aheadTours and tickets on ViatorArles
A Roman city with an amphitheater, a theater and Van Gogh sites, 20 to 30 minutes by train. A combined monument ticket covers the main sights, and walking tours of the Van Gogh route run daily.
Which to pick. Take the train and buy a combined ticket at the first monument. Book a guided walk only if you want the Van Gogh story.
On the day is fineTours and tickets on ViatorGordes and Roussillon
Hill villages in the Luberon, one known for its stone houses and the other for its ochre cliffs. Public transport is poor, so most visitors go by car or on a small-group tour.
Which to pick. Take a small-group trip if you do not drive. Go early in the day, since both villages fill with visitors by noon.
A few days ahead in summerTours and tickets on Viator
Booking tours and tickets in Avignon
Is the Palais des Papes ticket timed?
In busy months entry is by timed slot, and the first slots of the day are the calmest. In spring and autumn you can often buy the day before. Check the official site for the current rules.
When is the Avignon festival?
It runs through most of July. Shows, rooms and restaurants fill months ahead. If you only want a few shows, buy tickets in the spring and book a room as early as you can.
Can I combine the palace and the bridge in one ticket?
Yes, a combined ticket covers both. It saves a little at the desk, and it is only worth it if you want to walk out on the bridge with the audio guide.
Do I need a car for the day trips?
Not for Arles, which is an easy train ride. For the Pont du Gard and the villages, a car or a small-group tour is much easier. Public buses exist but run infrequently.
What is free in Avignon?
The ramparts, the Rocher des Doms garden, the Les Halles market, the cathedral and the views of the bridge from the island are free. Most paid sites charge a modest entry.
What can wait until I arrive?
Museums, the market, the ramparts and Arles can all be done on the day. Book the festival, a July room and any wine tasting before you travel.