Avignon is the perfect place to stay if you want to see the purple lavender fields of Provence in France. The historical old town of Avignon is surrounded by the city wall that was originally built in the 14th century. What I personally love about Avignon is that there is so much history. Inside the old town you will see a lot of narrow roads with cobble stoned streets and very cute cafes and restaurants. If you’re looking for a place to stay in Avignon, I would highly recommend you to stay inside the city wall.
„In France, cooking is a serious art form and a national sport.”
– Julia Child
Outside of Avignon are beautiful wine regions and more small towns to explore. This is also the perfect place to do a wine tasting tour, but more about that later. The best time to visit Provence is June and July, because that’s the time where you can see the blossoms of the lavender fields.
7 things to do in Avignon
See the Palais des Papes
The most popular thing to see is Avignon’s World Heritage site: the Palais des Papes. It’s one of the largest and most valuable Gothic buildings in Europe. What started as a fortress and palace turned into a seat of Christianity during the 14th century. Next to the palace is a beautiful park that is really worth visiting. From the park you have an amazing view of the river Rhône and the Pont d’Avignon. There is a small cafe next to a pond, which is the perfect place to have a cup of coffee or ice cream.
The Palais des Papes is also a fantastic spot to watch the sunset. Of course you will see the sun going down behind the buildings, but it’s still really pretty. Me and my friends just walked up the stairs and watched the sunset from there.
Walk on the Place du Palais
The Place du Palais is basically a big plaza in front of the Palais des Papes. It’s a really beautiful photography spot and one of the best places to eat some ice cream. This large open space isn’t here by accident. In the early 15th century the antipope Benedict XII destroyed the narrow streets around the palace, so people can marvel at the size of the palace.
That’s why you have the perfect view of the palace from the plaza, as well as Avignon’s romanesque cathedral, the Petit Palais and the Hôtel des Monnaies, a baroque building from 1619.
The Pont d’Avignon, also known as the Pont Saint-Bénézet, is a bridge from the 12th century. It was built on the tightest part of the Rhône, but couldn’t stand the floods over the years. The bridge was damaged and rebuilt until the flood in the 17th century, which carried off most of the arches. There used to be 22 arches and the bridge was 3000 feet (915 meters) long, which was very long for the time it was built. Today you can see four arches and you can still walk on it.
I personally decided not to go on the bridge, because you have to buy a ticket and I think to really see it you have to look at the bridge from another viewpoint. The best place to see the bridge is actually from the Île de la Barthelasse.
Have a picnic on Île de la Barthelasse
The Île de la Barthelasse is a small island on the Rhône river with a big park and lots of walkways along the water. The easiest way to get here is to take the ferry from the dock close to the Pont d’Avignon, which is for free and goes every 15 minutes. From here you get an amazing view of Avignon and the Pont d’Avignon. It is the perfect place to go for a bike ride, walk or to have a picnic. From here you can also watch the sunset. You won’t see exactly the sun going down from here, but the golden light of the sunset on the town is breathtaking.
Also, the best way to have a picnic is to buy some dips on the local market, a fresh baguette and some local wine. We bought ratatouille, pesto, truffle and more. It’s a very simple way to have a wonderful picnic by the river.
Drink coffee at the Place de l’Horloge
The Place de l’Horloge is like a little piece of DisneyLand in Avignon. On one side of this square you will see the Town Hall and the Theater, built in the 19th century. You will also see the Calvet de la Palun Hotel, a building from the 18th century. It used to be the headquarters of the Banque de France, but is now a restaurant that offers Côtes-du-Rhône wines and has a Wine School.
What I love most about this square is the big carousel in front of the Town Hall. On the other side you will see a lot of restaurants and cafes with chairs under large plane trees. It’s a beautiful spot in the heart of Avignon where you can enjoy a cup of coffee or glass of wine in the shade.
Do a wine tasting in Tavel
One thing you have to put on your bucket list when visiting provence is to try the local wine. You will notice that you can get really good wine for as little as 3 Euro per bottle. The best way to experience the wine region is to do a little road trip into a small village like Tavel. Tavel is only about 9 miles (15 km) away from Avignon. When you go there you would never expect that the first people who settled here were hunter-gatherers between the second and sixth millennium BC.
The only thing that you have to keep in mind is that many shops and restaurants close during the afternoon. If you are looking for a place to have lunch you should get here at noon. There are many wineries in the area that have the popular rose wine from Tavel.
Wander through the lavender fields
The purple lavender fields in Provence are among the most beautiful in the world. The blossom of the lavender fields is from June to July. The best time to see them is in late June and early July when the entire region is filled with vibrant purple fields. The school holidays in France usually start after the first week of July, so if you get here before that you can avoid the crows. The harvest of the lavender fields begins around the 15th of July in the Valensole plateau.
If you are not in Avignon after July you can buy some dry lavender to take home. It will fill your home with the most beautiful scent.
See it on YouTube
Watch my video about Avignon:
I hope this guide will help you to make the most of your time in Avignon and the Provence of France. The south of France is so different from other places like Paris or Normandie and it’s so worth visiting. If you have any questions about Avignon, just put it in the comments down below.
