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Overview

Attention, quiz fans: name the city where the pope lived during the early 14th century. Answered Rome? Bzzz: sorry, wrong answer. For 70-odd years of the early 1300s, the Proven莽al town of Avignon was the centre of the Roman Catholic world, and though its stint as the seat of papal power only lasted a few decades, it's been left with an impressive legacy of ecclesiastical architecture, most notably the soaring, World Heritage鈥搇isted fortress-cum-palace known as the Palais des Papes.

Attractions

Must-see attractions

  • Palais Des Papes, Avignon, France. (Photo by Marka/UIG via Getty Images)

    Palais des Papes

    Avignon

    The largest Gothic palace ever built, the Palais des Papes was erected by Pope Clement V, who abandoned Rome in 1309 in the wake of violent disorder after鈥�

  • The Avignon Papal Palace (Palais des Papes) and the Avignon Bridge (Pont d'Avignon or Pont St-B茅n茅zet) illuminated at night under the deep blue sky reflecting in the still waters of Rhone river. ; Shutterstock ID 609704714

    Pont St-B茅n茅zet

    Avignon

    Legend says Pastor B茅n茅zet (a former shepherd) had three visions urging him to build a bridge across the Rh么ne. Completed in 1185, the 900m-long bridge鈥�

  • Facade of the Petit Palais from Place du Palais in Avignon 1441868949

    Mus茅e du Petit Palais

    Avignon

    The archbishops' palace during the 14th and 15th centuries now houses outstanding collections of primitive, pre-Rennaissance, 13th- to 16th-century鈥�

  • Place du Palais

    Place du Palais

    Avignon

    This impressive vast square surrounding the Palais des Papes provides knockout photo ops. On top of the Romanesque 17th-century cathedral stands a golden鈥�

  • Mus茅e Angladon

    Mus茅e Angladon

    Avignon

    Tiny Mus茅e Angladon harbours an impressive collection of realist, impressionist and expressionist treasures, including works by C茅zanne, Sisley, Manet,鈥�

  • Mus茅e Lapidaire

    Mus茅e Lapidaire

    Avignon

    Housed inside the town's striking Jesuit Chapel is the archaeological collection of the Mus茅e Calvet, newly displayed since 2015. There's a good display鈥�

  • Collection Lambert

    Collection Lambert

    Avignon

    Reopened in summer 2015 after significant renovation and expansion, Avignon's contemporary-arts museum focuses on works from the 1960s to the present鈥�

  • Mus茅e Calvet

    Mus茅e Calvet

    Avignon

    The elegant H么tel de Villeneuve-Martignan (built 1741鈥�54) provides a fitting backdrop for Avignon's fine-arts museum, with 16th- to 20th-century oil鈥�

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Best Things to Do

Set beside the Rh么ne, Avignon is famed for its medieval architecture, papal history and annual arts festival. Here are the top things to do in Avignon.

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