A French weekend – Avignon, Provence

Avignon, the city of Popes

 

Avignon, located in the region of Provence, is the City of Popes. If you love historical cities, where the citizens go with the flow of life, with no rush; if you prefer romantic, quiet, cleaned cities; if you consider green areas, fresh cuisine, and a nice melting pot, then Avignon is that part of the world that you should definitely want to go.

What are the main attractions to visit if you only have a weekend? Where to go for a romantic dinner? Where should you crave the best pain au chocolat?

Get in the car, follow the lavender fields of Provence and, in the meanwhile, let your mate read my guide 👇🏻

  • Palais de Pope

 

In 1309 Avignon became the new residence for the pope, who was actually escaping from the chaos in Rome. The Palais de Pope was built between 1335 and 1364 and, nowadays, it is one of the biggest and most important Gothic medieval buildings in Europe. Since 1995, it is a World Heritage Site. The ticket to enter costs 12€ per person and once you are inside, at the reception, they gave you a free audioguide to better immerse yourself during your visit.

Do you want to feel like Baudelaire, surrounded by a beautiful garden, in a small French café, watching people and writing about them? Well, the Jardin de Doms is your place. It is the green area of the city, where you could also enjoy a stunning view of the Rhone Valley, including the Saint Benezet Bridge. You can sit in a bench or you can enjoy a cup of coffee in the petit café near the small romantic lake.

(disclaimer: if you’re Italian, you may not enjoy the coffee, in general, in France 😅)

If you’re on vacation with kids, this is the perfect place to let them play and have a rest for you. It is open any day, from 7.30 AM and it’s a free entrance.

  • Clos de la Vigne du Palais de Pape- avignon

Property of the city of Avignon, the vineyards are managed by the Compagnons des Côtes du Rhone since 1997. Thanks to many partnerships, they can guarantee its preservation during the year. The Compagnons des Côtes du Rhone have decided to plant about 540 strains of grape from the north and the south of the valley. Ten of them are native: for the red wines, Grenache Noir, Syrah, Carignan, Cinsault, Mourvèdre, Marselan e Counoise. For the white wines, Grenache Blanc, Marsanne and Roussanne. This project has seen the contribution of the students from the Lycée Viticole d’Orange: by then, it has become a place focused on the passion for wine in favor of the next generations.

  • Pont Saint – Bénezet

It is the bridge of Avignon, built between 1177 and 1185, it used to connect the city to Villeneuve-lès-Avignone, on the right side of the Rhone. It used to have twenty-two arches, now it remains with four with two overlapping chapels. To enter, the ticket cost 5€ per person and at the reception, they still give you a free audioguide to completely dip yourself in the legend of this stunning bridge.

🧀 Where to eat:

🏨 Where to stay:

🚙 Where to park:

🥐 For a perfect Pain au chocolat :

  • Maison Violette
  • La Tropezienne

Hi there! My name is Alessandra, born in 1996, among the rolling hills of Tuscany (Italy). Reading and writing are my simple ways to escape from reality a little bit, along with a glass of good wine 🍷✍🏻

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