Avignon Centre

I could spend days walking around Avignon…

I’ve included two routes which you can choose between depending on how much time, energy and shoe-leather you have. Note: These are walks from Avignon Centre, if you are at Avignon TGV, you are one stop down the line - all I can suggest is you have a play on the station piano…

and if you’re planning a longer stop, here’s some more about Avignon.

Interactive map

Printable PDF

You can download and print a copy of the strolls here

Luggage

If you want to drop your baggage off before going for a stroll, there is a place 5 minutes away.

https://www.sncf.com/fr/gares/avignon-centre/OCE87765008/services-en-gares

Grand tour (4K blue)

On this stroll, we’re going to see the sights that earned Avignon its world heritage status. Leave the station and walk through the entrance of the restored city walls (1) - I don’t think they would have withstood much of a siege if they originally had a gap like this in them.

Then continue along the Cours Jean Jaurès, past the Tourist Information office which backs onto a nice little park, Square Agricol Perdiguier, (2) with seating and a couple of street food kiosks. (3) Further along on the right in the old Jesuit College is the Musée Lapidaire which houses an assortment of archeological treasures/knick-knacks including a part of a monument depicting a woman being presented with a duck - it’s anyone’s guess what would have been on the missing bit, but with that mystery left unsolved, carry on down the road until you come to a large square - La Place de l’Horloge (4), which contains cafes/restaurants, the Opera House and Hotel de Ville with a diminutive clock. Go through the square and at the end take one of the roads to the right and on to the Place du Palais.

On our right is the unmissable and slightly scary Palais des Papes (5) or Popes’ Palace. Palais des Papes Hôtel des Monnaie. It makes the Hôtel des Monnaies opposite it with its fruit and veg garlanded lions seem positively fluffy.

Keep on walking past the artists painting lavender and sunflower fields for the regular flow of tourists. At the end is the Musée Du Petit Palais, but before you get to it go up the slope, or steps, on your right which takes you past the Cathedral (6) and into the Papal Gardens (7).

Walk to the far end of the gardens where you can get a fab view of the Rhone and surrounding countryside. On the other side of the river is the town of Villeneuve-lès-Avignon, which was in another country. Over there is France and until the French Revolution, this side of the river was the Papal States.

The two used to be connected by the Pont d’Avignon (8), which after being repeatedly swept away, was left as we see it now. You can go on the bridge and learn a bit about its history by descending a staircase from the gardens (orange route on map). If accessibility is an issue, then you can take a gentler route from the Place du Palais (signposted).

Also, if you want to see the bridge from the river’s point of view, you can catch a (free) ferry to Barthelasse Island (purple route)(9).

Otherwise, leave the gardens the way you came in and walk past the Palace, and go down a little cut through to the side (Rue de la Peyrolerie)(10), which has probably the most impressive/imposing view of the palace and a secret entrance!

Then wend your way through the narrow streets behind the Palace and decide which house to live in (I’ve already picked mine - just need to find a way of getting rid of the current occupants).

There are various routes back. For this one, take the cut through to the back of the palace and then the road to the left through the Place de l’Amirande and continue along Rue du Vice Légat. At the end turn right onto Rue Banasterie.

Keep going straight on and to the high gothic, Basilique Saint-Pierre with it’s absorbing 16th Century wooden doors (13) then continue straight on through Place des Châtaignes, Place Carnot to the Place Jerusalem which is in the old Jewish quarter and the Synagogue still stands.(12)

This opens out into the Place Pie and Les Halles - the prime place to get local produce (13). Walk down the side of Les Halles (Rue Petite Meuse) then turn left behind it and down Rue de la Bonneterie. This leads to the Rue des Teinturiers (14) - named after the dyeing trade that was carried out here. Note the series of waterwheels.

It’s also home of Les Penitent Gris, founded by Louis VIII to perform penitence for sins, such as laying siege to Avignon in 1226. (15) This is a nice place to wander and stop at one of the bars and drink to Jules François Pernod who lived in the house on the corner of Rue Guillaume Puy.

Continue along Rue Guillaume Puy which will bring you to the city walls. Go right down Rue Ninon Vallin and follow the city walls until you get back to the gap in the wall that leads to the station.