Attractions
Avignon is a very popular town, mainly due to the song about its bridge. But beside the Saint Benezet bridge, Avignon is also home to the famous 14th century papal fortress, the Palais des Papes(Palace of the Popes).
Info: La Tour Philippe Le Bel stands tall over the river Rhone, across from the city of Avignon. It was built by King Philip in 1297 and stands where the St Benézet bridge would reach, were it still complete. The tower is open for visitors to climb and provides a fantastic view over the city, the river and the surrounding area.
Location: Rue Montée-de-la-Tour
Info: A vast Gothic masterpiece, the Palais des Papes in Avignon stands as epic testament to the power, and wealth, of the papal tradition. Home to two Popes, Benoit XII and Clement VI, after it was built in 1335, its many rooms provide visitors with an intriguing glance into history. A highlight is the private papal rooms, decorated by Italian artist Matteo Giovannetti.
Location: Place du Palais des Papes
Info: Legend says that a young shepherd boy came to Avignon inspired by a divine message and insisted that a bridge be built over the Rhone. The result, an incredible feat of 12th century engineering, was a 22-arch stone bridge that spanned the entire river. The bridge was also a source of inspiration for a popular French song, “Sur le Pont d’Avignon”.
Info: Yvon Lambert’s collection of contemporary art is unique in France. He assembled a collection that includes minimal art and conceptual art, plus photography and video of the 1990s, such as the works of Robert Ryan, Brice Marden, Carl Andre and Gordon Matta-Clark.
Location: Hotel de Caumont
Info: The Musee Calvet contains collections of such weight that it has been included in France’s ‘list’ of the 32 most important museums in the country. Ranging from the prehistoric right through to the beaux-arts of the renaissance and beyond, the museum provides a fascinating journey through the history of the regional culture, as well as ethnography from around the world.
Location: 65 rue Joseph-Vernet
