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Avignon

Avignon, on the Rhone River, is a beautifully preserved medieval town surrounded by the original city walls. There is much more to the town than a famous bridge (which is too narrow for dancing anyway), with a wealth of beautiful buildings, churches, museums and cafes. The possible downside is that Avignon does inevitably become a bit hot and crowded in the summer.

Apart from the town in general, and among the many places of interest, two in particular stand out - the Pope's Palace and the Pont d'Avignon.

Pope's Palace (Palais des Papes)

One of the most important gothic buildings in Europe, the Palace is now much more austere than it would have been in days gone by. Avignon was home to the popes from 1309 - 1377. The Palace is enormous, and comprises an 'old palace' and a 'new palace'. The extraordinary chapel, 52 metres long, forms part of the 'new palace'. There are numerous gothic towers and splendours in the palace.

Following centuries of neglect, misuse and attack the Palace is now finding a new lease of life as a tourist attraction. Guided tours will show you many of the highlights and chapels etc within the palace.

See also Pope's Palace, Avignon under France castles

Pont d'Avignon (Pont St Benezet)

Not far from the Pope's Palace lies the famous Pont d'Avignon. Constructed in the 12th century, only 4 of the 22 original sections of this bridge now remain - the bridge was frequently damaged by the Rhone flooding and by war, and repairs were often made until the 17th century at which time efforts to maintain the bridge were finally abandoned.

The author of the famous song 'Sur le pont d'Avignon' is unknown. Interestingly, the original version was 'Sous le pont d'Avignon' (Under the Bridge at Avignon' rather than On the Bridge at Avignon) and referred to dansing on the island below - the Ile de la Barthelasse. The bridge no longer reaches the island.

Other places to visit in Avignon

- the Rocher des Doms Park and gardens (behind the cathedral)

- the Place de l'Horloge to the south of the town for a nice place to sit in a shady terrace, enjoy a drink, and admire some more attractive architecture

- the Museum of the Little Palace, an attractive building plays host to an interesting collection of medieval remnants from Avignon's past

...and don't forget to just keep walking...there are numerous features and things of interest to discover as you simply amble around Avignon - allow plenty of time for your visit!

Avignon: tourist information, map, travel plans and gites

Pont d'Avignon - bridge at Avignon

Pope's Palace at night

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Explore places within about 70 kilometres on a map at Visit Avignon.

Some of the closer places are listed below (distances from Avignon are approximate and direct - as the crow flies. Only places listed on the france this way site are shown!)

 

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