Avignon, the former city of the Popes, is just as appealing to history buffs as it is to lovers of culture, gastronomy and riverside walks. But once you’re there, what’s there to do in Avignon? Whether you’re a solo traveller, a couple, a family or a group of friends, here’s everything you need to put together a tailor-made getaway, including must-see monuments, secret spots, vibrant events and escapades in the surrounding area.
1-What to do in Avignon: Visit the city’s historic past
To visit Avignon is to immerse yourself in a setting steeped in history, where every stone seems to tell a chapter of the past. As you stroll through the cobbled streets, you’ll soon realise why this city has fascinated popes, artists and travellers over the centuries.
At the heart of the city, the Popes Palace dominates the skyline with its imposing walls and castle-like appearance. This gigantic Gothic edifice, witness to the period when Avignon was the seat of the papacy in the 14th century, is as impressive for its architecture as for the solemn atmosphere that reigns there.
A little further down the Rhône, you can see the famous Pont Saint-Bénézet, whose broken arches seem to float between sky and water. Although it no longer leads anywhere, it remains one of the city’s most poetic symbols.
As you continue your stroll, you’ll come across a number of ancient churches, often discreet on the outside but full of charm and surprises on the inside. These peaceful places, sometimes overlooked by the usual tourist circuits, are a great place to stop and feel the spiritual heart of Avignon beating.
Don’t hesitate to lose yourself in the narrow streets to discover the hidden treasures on the facades, the secret courtyards and the charming little squares that recall the city’s historic past.
2- The city’s exceptional museums
Avignon has just been named the most cultural city in France. And it has to be said that this title is richly deserved. As well as its theatre festival, which we’ll talk about later, Avignon has a host of museums with masterpieces inside.
Municipal museums
There are 5 municipal museums in Avignon, each a showcase for the city’s culture and history.
- The Requien Museum: This natural history museum houses the works of Jean Henri Fabre and other collections.
- Musée Lapidaire: housed in the former Jesuit church, this museum boasts an impressive collection of Roman and Greek artefacts.
- Le palais du Roure : this is the only museum in Avignon to focus on Provençal culture, with its famous félibres. A plunge into the early 20th century and the Provençal language.
- The Musée Calvet: this museum boasts an impressive collection of works of art dating from ancient Egypt to the 19th century. You’ll come across the first Avignonnais, a funerary stele dating from the Neolithic period, as well as works by Joseph Vernet, a renowned painter from Avignon.
- The Petit Palais: this is the finest municipal museum. Its setting is a former cardinal’s livery, and its collection is the largest collection of Italian primitives in France. The visit ends on a high note with the discovery of two paintings by Sandro Botticelli. This is the museum not to be missed on a visit to Avignon.
Private museums
In addition to these municipal museums, the city of Avignon has a number of private museums housing collections that are unique in the world.
- The Lambert collection: this fine collection assembled by Yvon Lambert since the 1960s can now be seen in Avignon. Among the masterpieces on display are works by Basquiat, Barcelo, Goldin, Matta-Clark and many others. The 450 works on display will delight contemporary art lovers.
- The Musée Angladon: This is my favourite museum in Avignon. It boasts an impressive collection of works by Picasso, Cézanne, Degas, Manet, Mondigliani, Van Gogh and many others. The atmosphere is family-friendly, and every summer the museum offers a temporary collection of the highest quality. A must-see if you want to know what to do in Avignon.
3-Les halles: discover the flavours of the region
Once you’ve explored the historic heart of Avignon, you’ll want to stop off at Place Pie, where the city’s taste buds and gourmet soul beat: Les Halles. Behind its astonishing green façade, covered with climbing plants, this large covered market has been home to around forty local traders, craftsmen and producers since the 1970s.
As you enter, you are immediately enveloped by the scents of Provence: fresh olives, aromatic herbs, mature cheeses, warm breads… It’s a veritable theatre of flavours and colours, where the stalls are overflowing with local produce. You’ll come across both regular shoppers and chefs looking for inspiration, because Les Halles is an institution for the people of Avignon. The atmosphere is warm, punctuated by singing accents, laughter and sound advice.
To linger here is to sample another face of the city, more intimate, more lively, where history blends with everyday life in a well-established culinary tradition. And for the curious, a number of fine restaurants surround the square, perfect for extending the experience by sampling the best the market has to offer.
Practical information:
Opening times: Tuesday to Friday: 6am to 1.30pm
Saturday and Sunday: 6am to 2pm
Prices: free of charge
4- Discover local beers in a magical setting
We’re not going to lie to ourselves. L’explo bar has everything it takes to be declared the best bar in Avignon.
Let’s start with the location. The bar is located on the corner of rue des teinturiers and rue des lices. Its terrace is at the foot of the Cordeliers bell tower and the Sorgue flows below. In summer, it’s a quiet place, steeped in history and the starting point for a good evening out. At weekends, concerts are held on the terrace, making it even more enjoyable.
Products on offer: you’ll discover a wide choice of beers. What they all have in common is that they are all home-made and from the region. For those who don’t drink beer, there’s a wide choice of homemade fruit juices and lemonade.
The staff: you’ll always be greeted with a smile. Their patience, professionalism and advice will make your evening a delight.
Practical information:
Opening times: 5pm to 1am
For more information, click here
5- Stroll along the Rhône at La Barthelasse
Just a stone’s throw from the city centre, a simple bridge is all it takes to change the atmosphere completely: cross the Rhône and you’re on the Ile de la Barthelasse, one of the largest river areas in Europe. Here, the pace slows and the noise of the city fades, replaced by birdsong and the rustle of poplar trees.
The island offers a peaceful natural setting, almost timeless, ideal for a walk or cycle ride, with the family or on your own. The shady paths along the banks offer some of the best views of the Avignon ramparts, with the Palais des Papes in the background – a particularly magical panorama at sunset.
Once a farming area, Barthelasse has retained its rural character, with orchards, farms and even a few ‘guinguettes’ (taverns) where you can enjoy a meal in fine weather. It’s a special place, where you can recharge your batteries, picnic or simply enjoy a moment of peace and quiet across the river from the city. A real break from nature, just a stone’s throw from history.
In summer, you can take a canoe trip along the banks of the Barthelasse. You can pass under the Pont d’Avignon for a unique view of the city and its bridge.
6- What to do in Avignon: visit the city by bike
Exploring Avignon by bike is a gentle and pleasant way to explore the city while enjoying its light, lively streets and changing landscapes. Whether you’re skirting the ramparts, crossing the small shady squares or venturing along the cycle paths towards the Ile de la Barthelasse, cycling is an easy way to get to know the different faces of the city.
It’s also a real pleasure to be able to get out of the often crowded historic centre and stroll along the banks of the Rhône or through the quieter districts, all within a few pedal strokes. Well-designed itineraries allow you to combine heritage and nature, culture and relaxation, while avoiding the main roads.
You can hire a classic or electric bike from South Spirit Bike. The bikes are of excellent quality and very reasonably priced.
At the end of the day, you can stop off in a café or on a terrace with your bike nearby, your face a little rosy from the wind and sun, with the pleasant sensation of having seen the city differently, at your own pace.
7- What to do in Avignon: escape to Villeneuve-lez-Avignon
Just across the Rhône from Avignon, Villeneuve-lez-Avignon is a charming getaway that’s still a little off the beaten tourist track. This small, peaceful town, bathed in light, played an essential role in the era of the popes: it was here that the cardinals had their sumptuous residences built, sheltered from the hustle and bustle of Avignon.
A stroll through the narrow streets lined with old stone walls reveals a remarkable heritage, starting with the imposing Saint-André fortress, which keeps watch over the hill and offers an uninterrupted view of the Rhône valley. Inside, a visit to the gardens of Saint-André Abbey reveals a Mediterranean garden with panoramic views over Provence and Avignon.
Not far away, the Chartreuse du Val de Bénédiction, founded in the 14th century, is a surprisingly serene place, combining cloisters, gardens and monastic remains in a suspended atmosphere.
Villeneuve also offers the pleasure of Provencal markets, quiet little squares and a village atmosphere that contrasts delightfully with the energy of Avignon.
In just a few minutes on foot or by bike, you can move from one world to another, between the prestige of history and the gentleness of a daily life that’s almost timeless.
8- Experiencing the festival one of the things to do in Avignon
To experience the Festival d’Avignon is to immerse yourself in a unique effervescence, where the whole city becomes stage, backstage and audience all at once. Every summer in July, the streets are transformed into an open-air theatre, populated by actors in costume, colourful flyers and enthusiastic queues outside the theatres.
The ‘In’ Festival, with its major productions often staged in iconic venues such as the Cour d’Honneur of the Palais des Papes, is in dialogue with the ‘Off’ Festival, which is abundant, cheeky and sometimes improvised, taking over theatres, chapels and even courtyards. You’ll go from a street show to a politically committed play, from an intimate monologue to an absurd performance, with the exhilarating feeling of always discovering something new. The atmosphere is at once artistic, popular and joyously chaotic: people debate in the cafés, exchange good tips on the fly, and see one show after another from morning until late at night. For a few weeks, Avignon becomes a living laboratory of creation, a crossroads of ideas and emotions, where even the uninitiated are carried away by the magic of the moment.
It’s an experience you should have at least once, to feel the city’s vibrant heart beating.
9-The Rocher des Doms
The Rocher des Doms is Avignon’s balcony, suspended between sky, river and history. Perched just behind the Palais des Papes, this natural promontory was the cradle of the city, inhabited since Antiquity, long before the popes established their court here. It was here that the first inhabitants of Avignon settled, attracted by the strategic height of the site and the uninterrupted view over the Rhône valley.
Today, the Rocher has been transformed into a peaceful public garden, full of flowers and shade, where walkers, families, dreamers and photographers meet. Follow the winding paths and you’ll discover statues, an old waterwheel, a small pond with swans and, above all, spectacular panoramic views.
From the belvederes, you can see the island of Barthelasse, the Alpilles in the distance, the Saint-Bénézet bridge just below, and of course the roofs of Avignon, which the sun turns red at the end of the day.
It’s an ideal place to take a break between two visits, breathe in some fresh air, or simply soak up the intimate link between the city and its landscape.
The Rocher des Doms is not just a viewpoint, but also an anchor point: a place steeped in memory, now a haven of tranquillity.
The Sainte-Anne staircase is the northern access to the garden. Climbing this staircase gives you a view of the former prison.
Important information: Work is underway in this garden throughout 2025. Some parts will be open on alternate days.
10- What to do in Avignon: Visit during the night
When the sun goes down and the golden light gives way to the first shadows, Avignon reveals a different, more mysterious, almost intimate side.
It’s at this moment that Les Noctambules d’Avignon take to the stage. This nocturnal tour invites the curious to rediscover the city from an original and lively angle. Accompanied by a tour guide, visitors stroll through the narrow streets of the old town centre, illuminated by the soft glow of the street lamps.
Along the way, the past is brought to life: lively anecdotes, forgotten legends, tales of popes, craftsmen and brigands are interwoven with humour and poetry. A far cry from the classic tour, Les Noctambules d’Avignon will stimulate the imagination and plunge young and old alike into an Avignon full of surprises and secrets.
You’ll be swept away by the atmosphere, you’ll listen, you’ll laugh, you’ll be amazed… And above all, you’ll see the city in a whole new light. It’s a warm and original way to explore Avignon’s history, at dusk, when everything becomes a little more magical.
Here are the different routes available for this unique experience:
- The Pope’s Night Owl: this tour focuses on Avignon’s papal period and the major changes it brought about.
- The Night owl between past and present: this focuses on the vestiges of the past and puts them into perspective in relation to the present.
- The Night Owl between Christians and Bourgeois: we’ll look at what each has contributed to the city since the 14th century.
There’s a lot to do in Avignon. We hope you enjoy your visit to this exceptional city.
