Palais des Papes

The biggest Gothic palace built, the Palais des Papes was built by Pope Clement V, who abandoned Rome at 1309 at the aftermath of violent disorder after his election. Its immense scale exemplifies the medieval could of the Roman Catholic church.

Ringed from 3m-thick walls, its cavernous halls, chapels and antechambers are mostly bare now — but tickets today consist of pill’Histopads’ showing virtual-reality representations of the way the construction would have appeared in most of its papal pomp.

Pont St-Bénézet

Legend states Pastor Bénézet (a former man ) had three dreams urging him to create a bridge across the Rhône. Finished in 1185, the 900m-long bridge connected Avignon with Villeneuve-lès-Avignon. It had been rebuilt a few times before all but four of its 22 crosses were washed away from the 1600s, leaving the far side marooned in the center of this Rhône. There are nice (and free) perspectives from Rocher des Doms playground, Pont Édouard Daladier and Île de la Barthelasse’s chemin des Berges.

Musée du Petit Palais

Even the archbishops’ palace throughout the 14 th and 15 th centuries today houses outstanding collections of primitive, pre-Rennaissance, 13th- to 16th century Italian religious paintings from artists including Botticelli, Carpaccio and Giovanni di Paolo — that the very famous is Botticelli’s La Vierge et l’Enfant (1470).

Musée Angladon

Tiny Musée Angladon harbours an astonishing assortment of realist, impressionist and expressionist paintings, such as works by Cézanne, Sisley, Manet, Modigliani, Degas and Picasso — although the star part is Van Gogh’s Railway Wagons, the sole painting from the artist on screen in Provence. Impress your friends by pointing out that the’ground’ is not actually paint, however bare canvas.

Place du Palais

This striking vast square enclosing the Palais des Papes provides knockout photo ops. On top of the Romanesque 17th-century cathedral stands out a gold statue of the Virgin Mary (weighing 4.5 tonnes), although alongside the palace, the hilltop Rocher des Doms gardens deliver excellent views of this Rhône, Mont Ventoux and Les Alpilles. Opposite the palace would be your 17th-century Hôtel des Monnaies, when the papal mint and also adorned with intricate carvings and heraldic beasts.

Musée Lapidaire

Housed within the city’s spectacular Jesuit Chapel is that the archaeological group of this Musée Calvet, recently displayed since 2015. There is a fantastic show of Greek, Etruscan and Roman artefacts, however it is the Gaulish bits that actually draw the attention — such as some gruesome masks and profoundly odd figurines.

Collection Lambert

Reopened in summer 2015 following substantial renovation and growth, Avignon’s contemporary-arts museum concentrates on works in the 1960s to the presentday. Work spans out of conceptual and minimalist to photography and video in stark contrast with the traditional 18th-century mansion home it.

Musée Calvet

The tasteful Hôtel p Villeneuve-Martignan (constructed 1741–54) gives a fitting background for Avignon’s fine-arts museum, together with 16th- to 20th-century acrylic paintings, persuasive ancient pieces, 15th-century wrought iron, along with the elongated arenas of Avignonnais artist Joseph Vernet.

Basilique St-Pierre

Basilique St-Pierre, at the middle of the walled town of Avignon, has been constructed between the 14th and 16th centuries at the Flamboyant Gothic style.

Église et Cloître des Carmes

Building with this Romanesque and Carmelite church and cloister started from the 13th century. It turned into one of the very first theater and dance places of this Festival d’Avignon.

Porte St-Charles

Porte St-Charles is one of the entryways into Avignon’s Unesco-registered underwater town, situated around the walls’ huge border; it is a modern-day violation cut in the walls.

Porte de la République

Porte de la République is one of those gateways into Avignon’s remote city, situated on the southern border of their walls, also across from the train station.

Porte du Rhône

Porte du Rhône is one of the entryways into Avignon’s Unesco-registered underwater city, situated on the northwestern border of the partitions, close Pont St-Bénézet.

Porte de la Ligne

Porte de la Ligne is one of those entry ways into Avignon’s Unesco-registered underwater metropolis, located on the northern edge of their walls, close to the River Rhône.

Porte St-Dominique

Porte St-Dominque is one of those entry ways into Avignon’s Unesco-registered underwater city, on the western border of the walls, nearby the River Rhône.