Avignon, Medieval city in Vaucluse, France
The town sits along the Rhône River, enclosed by stone walls with 39 towers and seven main gates that protect its historic core. Within these walls, narrow streets lined with old houses, squares, and churches spread out, while modern neighborhoods and bridges connect the area beyond the ramparts.
In the 14th century, popes left Rome and settled here for several decades, which prompted the construction of a large palace and the fortification of the town. After their return to Rome, this place remained an important center until France annexed it permanently in the 18th century.
Each July, theater groups take over courtyards, chapels, and side streets, filling the town with performances that run from morning until late at night. Locals meet visitors in cafés and squares where talk of shows and artists becomes part of everyday conversation during those weeks.
A station outside the old town offers fast connections to Paris and other major cities, while local buses link the center with surrounding neighborhoods. Visitors can explore the old town on foot, since most landmarks sit close together inside the walls.
An old bridge stops halfway across the river, after floods in the 17th century destroyed several arches and left only four of the original sections standing. Today, no path leads across, but visitors can walk onto the bridge and look out over the water and the town on the opposite bank from the final arch.
The community of curious travelers
AroundUs brings together thousands of curated places, local tips, and hidden gems, enriched daily by 60,000 contributors worldwide.
