Avignon

Avignon

FR
Population90,330
Avignon (, US also , French: [aviɲɔ̃] ; Provençal: Avinhon (Classical norm) or Avignoun (Mistralian norm), IPA: [aviˈɲun]; Latin: Avenio) is the prefecture of the Vaucluse department in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region of southeastern France. Located on the left bank of the river Rhône, the commune had a population of 93,671 as of the census results of 2017, with about 16,000 (estimate from Avignon's municipal services) living in the ancient town centre enclosed by its medieval walls. It is France's 35th-largest metropolitan area according to INSEE with 337,039 inhabitants (2020), and France's 13th-largest urban unit with 459,533 inhabitants (2020). Its urban area was the fastest-growing in France from 1999 until 2010 with an increase of 76% of its population and an area increase of 136%. The Communauté d'agglomération du Grand Avignon, a cooperation structure of 16 communes, had 197,102 inhabitants in 2022. Between 1309 and 1377, during the Avignon Papacy, seven successive popes resided in Avignon and in 1348 Pope Clement VI bought the town from Joanna I of Naples. Papal control persisted until 1791 when during the French Revolution it became part of France. The city is now the capital of the Vaucluse department and one of the few French cities to have preserved its city walls. This is why Avignon is also known as 'La Cité des Papes' (The City-State of Popes). The historic centre, which includes the Palais des Papes, the cathedral and the Pont d'Avignon, became a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1995 because of its architecture and importance during the 14th and 15th centuries. The medieval monuments and the annual Festival d'Avignon – one of the world's largest festivals for performing arts – have helped to make the town a major centre for tourism.

Places to Explore

Curated experiences in Avignon

Place de l'Horloge

Place de l'Horloge

Palais des Papes

Palais des Papes

The Palais des Papes (English: Palace of the Popes; lo Palais dei Papas in Occitan) in Avignon, Southern France, is …

Tour Philippe le Bel

Tour Philippe le Bel

Tour Philippe-le-Bel (English: Tower of Philip the Fair) is a medieval tower in Villeneuve-lès-Avignon which marked the French terminus of …

Abbaye Saint-André

Abbaye Saint-André

Saint-André Abbey (abbaye Saint-André) was a Benedictine abbey in Villeneuve-lès-Avignon at the top of Mont-Andaon.

Fort Saint-André

Fort Saint-André

The Fort Saint-André is a medieval fortress in the commune of Villeneuve-lès-Avignon in the Gard département of France, dating from …

Musée Louis Vouland

Musée Louis Vouland

The Louis Vouland Museum (musée Louis Vouland) is a 17th and 18th century decorative arts museum in Avignon, housed in …

Musée Lapidaire

Musée Lapidaire

The Lapidary Museum is a lapidarium-museum in Avignon, France. It has housed the classical Greek, Etruscan, Roman and Gallo-Roman sculptures …

Collection Lambert

Collection Lambert

Pont Saint-Bénezet

Pont Saint-Bénezet

The Pont Saint-Bénézet (French pronunciation: [pɔ̃ sɛ̃ benezɛ]; Provençal: Pònt de Sant Beneset), also known as the Pont d'Avignon (IPA: …

Musée Calvet

Musée Calvet

The Calvet Museum (French: musée Calvet, pronounced [myze kalvɛ]) is the main museum in Avignon. Since the 1980s the collection …

Musée Angladon

Musée Angladon

The Angladon Museum - Jacques Doucet (French - Musée Angladon - Collection Jacques Doucet) is a museum at 5 rue …

Chartreuse Notre-Dame-du-Val-de-Bénédiction

Chartreuse Notre-Dame-du-Val-de-Bénédiction

Musée Pierre-de-Luxembourg

Musée Pierre-de-Luxembourg

Museum Requien

Museum Requien

Museum Requien (and not Musée Requien) is a natural history museum in Avignon, France. Some of Jean Henri Fabre's work …

Musée du Petit Palais

Musée du Petit Palais

The Musée du Petit Palais is a museum and art gallery in Avignon, southern France. It opened in 1976 and …

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