Avignon, 1,001 experiences to share
A true cultural “stronghold”, the City of the Popes is always in turmoil! Its monuments, its events, its unusual experiences rank it among the cities where it is good to take a break in the South Region! From its museum rooms to its market halls, passing by the banks of the island of Barthelasse, there is a whole world to explore in Avignon.
A broth of culture in Avignon
City with a flamboyant history, city-monument, epicenter of live shows, Avignon shines! It is also registered since 1995 on the list of world heritage by UNESCO for its historic center. It brings together the Palace of the Popes, the episcopal ensemble with the Notre-Dame-des-Doms metropolis and the Petit Palais museum, the Pont d’Avignon and its ramparts. As part of the Exceptional Nights, it is even possible to sleep on the roof of the terrace of the Grand Dignitaries of the Palais des Papes, the largest Gothic residence of the sovereign pontiffs in the 14th century! A monument that can also be discovered with the Histopad, a 3D visit support.
City of culture, loved in its ramparts, Avignon is teeming with museums! With: prehistory at the Musée Lapidaire, painting from the Middle Ages at the Petit Palais or fine arts at the Musée Calvet. Its five municipal museums are accessible free of charge! Don’t miss the “Amazônia” photo exhibition, from June 29 to November 30, 2022 at the Grande Chapelle du Palais des Papes. City of theatre, Avignon is well known for its festivals: the Festival d’Avignon, the Festival OFF, INDEPENDANCE(s), A-Out and its events: the open doors of artists’ studios, the art trail, the night of the museums or the medieval ones of Carmes. And also: the programming of the Opéra du Grand Avignon, one of the few to have an orchestra and a ballet.
Avignon, southern capital of the art of living?
Nothing better than a visit to Avignon to get to know the wines of the Rhône Valley. The discovery begins at the Carré du Palais wine school! On the second Tuesday of each month, Inter Rhône organizes afterworks with commented tastings. The passage at the end of August? Don’t miss the Ban des vendanges, a colorful wine festival. On Thursdays in June, the Estivales des Côtes-du-Rhône take over a garden, to music. To treat yourself and fill your basket, go to Les Halles, the large covered market with local products. At 11 a.m., every Saturday, the Avignon chefs cook before your eyes. And, all year round, Californian chef John Chiri, at the helm of Cuisine Centr’Halles, orchestrates workshops and demonstrations.
To perfect the technique, head for the Maison de la Tour, a former mechanical workshop transformed into a gourmet laboratory. Looking for gourmet memories? On a vice, distilled olive-based spirits from Maison Manguin and sweets from the Aline Géhant chocolate factory. Not to mention shopping at Vox Populi, for its magical creations, at Le Nid for its decorative objects or at Les Fabricateurs, a mecca for crafts.
The Robinsonade at the gates of the city!
The island of Barthelasse, the largest river island in Europe, is also one of the favorite neighborhoods of the Avignonnais. On its 700 hectares alternate: farms, walking paths and cycle paths. Along the Barthelasse circuit, a 13 km walk, you can stop at the Ferme Reboule, a 14-hectare farm set around a Provençal farmhouse. At the Ferme aux Gus, an organic micro-farm, you can even stay in a yurt. The City of the Popes is also a cycling spot with its “Le Tour des Remparts” itinerary and its greenway which connects the intramural area to Montfavet. And an excellent starting point to pearls of villages like Châteauneuf-de-Gadagne but also Isle-sur-la-Sorgue, the territory of the Alpilles or the vineyards of Châteauneuf-du-Pape.
www.avignon-tourisme.com