12 Best Things to Do in Avignon, France + Must-Know Tips

1. Visit the Palais des Papes

The Palais des Papes (Palace of the Popes) is the must-visit monument in Avignon.

Avignon was the seat of the Catholic papacy in the 14th century – and this enormous, fortress-like palace is where five popes lived and ruled in succession.

It’s the world’s largest Gothic palace, but if you’re expecting gilded rooms or over-the-top royal interiors, don’t. Most of the Palais is simultaneously spartan and imposing, with soaring stone ceilings, cavernous halls, bare walls, and some rooms left partly in ruin.

As you explore, you’ll pass through chapels, courtyards, the former papal apartments, and the restored papal gardens, lush with Mediterranean plants, herbs, and fruit trees.

The narrow staircases up to the terraces are also worth climbing for views over Place du Palais, Avignon’s rooftops, and the Rhône River. 

My husband and I spent about 1.5 to 2 hours exploring the Palais des Papes without rushing. Plan for the same – and wear comfy walking shoes!

Open daily; hours vary by season.

MADDY’S NOTE: If you also want to walk onto the Pont d’Avignon, buy the combined Palace + Bridge ticket. It’s only €3.50 extra – and cheaper than buying the two tickets separately.

MADDY’S TIP: If you’d rather explore with a guide, book this Avignon and Palais des Papes walking tour. Over ~3.5 hours, you’ll learn about Avignon’s history – from the Roman conquest through the Avignon Papacy – explore the historic center and Palais des Papes (ticket included), and finish with a glass of Côtes du Rhône wine. Book your Avignon walking tour here.

2. Go Wine Tasting in Châteauneuf-du-Pape

Avignon is in the heart of the Southern Rhône wine region, just ~20 minutes away from one of the most prestigious French appellations: Châteauneuf-du-Pape. So obviously, booking a wine tour from Avignon to taste the “Wine of the Popes” is a must.

Châteauneuf-du-Pape is famous for its bold, powerful, full-bodied reds, historic wineries, and vineyards blanketed in smooth river stones called galets roulés. Though there are plenty of fabulous whites to go around, too!

My husband and I booked this Full-Day Châteauneuf-du-Pape Wine Tour, and it was easily my favorite thing we did in Avignon.

We visited three fantastic family-run wineries – all focused on sustainable and organic viticulture but shaped by completely different terroirs. We enjoyed four guided tastings of 17 wines, plus a fabulous three-course lunch at a historic château overlooking the vineyards.

If that sounds like the perfect day to you, I have a simple explanation: it was. 

I’d happily give up a full day in Avignon to do this Full-Day Châteauneuf-du-Pape Wine Tour from Avignon again.

Though if you’re short on time, this Half-Day Rhône Valley Wine Tour from Avignon does the trick. It covers three wineries across Châteauneuf-du-Pape, Gigondas, and Vacqueyras.

MADDY’S TIP: Read my complete guide to the best wine tours from Avignon for all the details on the tour I took, every winery we visited, what we tasted, and a few other Châteauneuf-du-Pape and Rhône Valley tours worth considering.

MADDY’S NOTE: Heading to Burgundy too? Read my Beaune travel guide and round-up of favorite Burgundy wine tours.

3. See the Pont d’Avignon

Just below the Palais des Papes, the Pont d’Avignon – officially the Pont Saint-Bénézet – is Avignon’s most iconic landmark.

The bridge once stretched across the Rhône with 22 arches, but repeated flooding damaged and destroyed sections over the centuries. By the 17th century, locals had finally given up rebuilding it. Today, just four arches remain, ending abruptly in the middle of the river!

Access to the bridge is open daily; hours vary by season.

MADDY’S NOTE: In my opinion, walking onto the bridge isn’t a must-do – and the views from it aren’t particularly fabulous either. You get the point just by seeing it from the riverbank, which is the better view anyway!

4. Go on a Food Tour of Avignon

I had no idea just how good the food in Avignon would be, but this Taste Avignon Food Tour made for the perfect introduction during our first morning.

Over ~3.5 hours and five different stops (including many stalls within the market), we tasted our way through Provençal specialties like:

• Fougasse (a Provençal flatbread with herbs and olives),
• Pissaladière (a savory tart topped with caramelized onions, olives, and anchovies),
• Olives and olive tapenade,
• Local cheeses like Tomme de Camargue and Chèvre Frais,
• Award-winning olive oil,
• Nougat and calissons (traditional almond-and-candied-fruit sweets), and 
• Cakes made with local fruit.

Along the way, our guide shared all about Provençal ingredients and produce, regional dishes, and traditions. By the end, I had a much deeper understanding of Avignon’s culinary landscape – and a long mental list of the dishes I wanted to seek out next! But most importantly: everything was delicious.

If you want to try Provençal specialties with a local foodie guide, book your Taste Avignon Food Tour here!

5. Explore Les Halles d’Avignon

Even if you skip the food tour, make time for Les Halles d’Avignon – the city’s traditional covered food market!

It’s not a huge market, but it has everything you can hope for: fresh veggies, gorgeous local fruits, endless charcuterie, bread, pastries, colorful spices, olives, all the dips and tapenades, fresh fish, oysters shucked for you on the spot, local wine, and plenty more ready-to-eat specialties.

I especially loved the spice shop, the cheese stall, and the fresh-pressed juice stand. There were countless delicacies I’d never seen before… And some that I was a little intimidated by (like la coiffe du charcutier – a jellied pork head terrine – which actually looked better than it sounds). 

It’s hard to understand just how incredible the produce is in Provence until you see it, smell it, and taste it. So head to Les Halles hungry. Wander slowly. And try as many new things as you can!

Closed on Mondays. Tuesday through Sunday, the market is open until the early afternoon, but it’s best to visit in the morning (~10 AM) when most stalls will be open and the market is liveliest.

MADDY’S NOTE: Sadly, I only discovered this 4-Hour Cooking Workshop with a Chef in Les Halles d’Avignon while writing this guide, but I would’ve booked it in a heartbeat! The class takes place right inside the market. First, you shop for ingredients with the chef, then you prepare a full-on French lunch, including dishes like olive tapenade, a goat cheese starter, sea bream fillet, duck breast, and chocolate fondant for dessert! Then, of course, you sit down and eat it all – with wine. Book your cooking class in Les Halles here.

MADDY’S TIP: If you’re here on a Tuesday or Thursday, don’t miss the antiques and brocante market on Place Pie, right outside Les Halles. It runs from about 8 AM to 6 PM!

6. Shop Avignon’s Saturday Provençal Market

All across Provence, open-air market days are a big deal for locals and travelers alike. 

Avignon’s bustling Provençal Market is held every Saturday from about 8 AM to 1 PM, spilling through the historic center from Place des Carmes along several surrounding streets. 

The stalls overflow with beautiful seasonal produce, nougat stacked high, natural handmade soaps, lavender products galore (of course!), fresh flowers, local cheeses, and all kinds of other regional specialties.

If you’ll be in town, make sure to weave this market into your morning plans! Oh, and before you go, I recommend checking what’s in peak season online so you know what to buy! During our late-April visit, the strawberries and cherries were unreal.

MADDY’S TIP: Into specialty coffee? Me too. Grab a to-go latte at Tulipe (my favorite café in Avignon), then make your way down Rue des Lices toward Place Pie to start browsing!

7. Stroll Along the Ramparts of Avignon

About 2.7 miles (4.3 kilometers) of 14th-century stone ramparts wrap around Avignon’s entire historic center. For a short stroll back in time, I actually recommend following them from the outside; you get much better views of the medieval architecture that way! 

MADDY’S TIP: Skip the stretch along the Rhône, where there’s lots of traffic and parking lots. Instead, head around the “back” side of the city, where it’s a little quieter and a wide sidewalk and grassy greenbelt run alongside the walls. Keep following the ramparts until you reach Passage de la Pyramide…

8. Wander Rue des Teinturiers

After strolling along the ramparts, enter the city through the Passage de la Pyramide (a slightly creepy little passageway through the medieval walls, with water flowing beneath a small footbridge) and you’ll run right into Rue des Teinturiers.

This quaint, tree-lined cobblestone lane follows a narrow canal through town. Four old wooden water wheels still turn along the canal – remnants of the 19th-century textile workshops that dyed fabrics here and gave Rue des Teinturiers (“Dyers’ Street”) its name. 

This isn’t a major historic attraction, but my husband and I really enjoyed strolling through this quieter little pocket of Avignon. I think you will too!

9. See the Highlights of Provence on a Full-Day Trip

Avignon is perfectly situated for day-tripping around Provence. And even though I think the best day trip from Avignon is this Châteauneuf-du-Pape Wine Tour, there’s so much more of Provence to discover!

This Provence Highlights Full-Day Tour from Avignon packs a lot into one day, taking you to some of the region’s most historic sites and charming villages.

Over ~9.5 hours, you’ll visit the villages of Fontaine-de-Vaucluse, Gordes, Roussillon, Les Baux-de-Provence, and Saint-Rémy-de-Provence, as well as Sénanque Abbey (just to see the lavender fields that surround it – in June and July only!) and the ancient Roman aqueduct bridge, Pont du Gard.

Unless you’re renting a car for a wider road trip across Provence, booking a small-group day trip is the best way to see so many places in one day, without dealing with logistics or parking. 

Book your Provence Highlights Day Trip from Avignon here.

MADDY’S NOTE: I stayed in neighboring Aix-en-Provence directly after Avignon and had already booked this Provence Wineries and Luberon Villages Day Trip, which features some overlapping stops, so I did not do the tour above.

10. Spend an Afternoon in Villeneuve-lès-Avignon & Île de Piot

Just across the Rhône from Avignon, the medieval town of Villeneuve-lès-Avignon is a must-visit if you have a half-day up your sleeve! 

Villeneuve-lès-Avignon is much quieter than Avignon, with pretty cobblestone streets, fascinating historic sites, and beautiful views back toward the city.

We grabbed an Uber over there for ~€12, then spent the afternoon exploring Fort Saint-André, a 14th-century royal fortress with incredible views, and Abbaye Saint-André, a former Benedictine abbey with gorgeous terraced gardens and the most serene atmosphere – loved it here!

After, we stopped at Le Barrel for a cocktail before heading back toward Avignon on foot. 

Along the way, we detoured onto Île de Piot – a peaceful green island in the Rhône – for a stroll along the riverbank. From there, you catch stunning views of the Palais des Papes and Avignon’s medieval skyline, along with the abrupt ending of the Pont d’Avignon.

MADDY’S TIP: If your timing aligns, stop at Vinotage after, on your walk back to Avignon. This floating wine bar on Île de Piot opens at 6:30 PM, making it the perfect spot for sunset drinks, cheese, and charcuterie while you watch the evening light glow across the Palais and the rest of the city! So beautiful.

MADDY’S NOTE: If you plan to visit Fort Saint-André and Abbaye Saint-André, it makes sense to buy the 48-hour Avignon City Pass from Avignon Tourisme. It also includes the Palais des Papes, Pont d’Avignon, Collection Lambert, and several other museums and historic sites for €32 per person.

11. Visit Notre-Dame des Doms & Jardin des Doms

Right next to the Palais des Papes, you’ll find Notre-Dame des Doms, Avignon’s 12th-century Provençal Romanesque cathedral. Pop inside for its ornate chapels, colorful frescoes, stained-glass windows, and golden 19th-century organ. Outside, you can’t miss its bell tower, crowned by a huge gilded statue of the Virgin Mary – which you can spot from miles away!

Then, meander uphill (it’s an easy walk) to the Jardin des Doms, perched high above the Rhône. This English-style garden is lovely for a stroll, with its shady paths, Mediterranean plants, a serene little pond, sculptures, and views over Avignon, the river, and the surrounding countryside.

12. Catch a Movie at Cinema Utopia

For a more local, cozy kind of evening, check what’s playing at Cinema Utopia, an independent arthouse cinema with two locations in the historic center.

We discovered the beautiful Utopia Manutention location by accident while having dinner next door at Café Roma – in the most charming courtyard in the shadows of the Palais des Papes.

Just behind us, moviegoers were sipping cocktails outside before their film started, and I really wished we’d planned to do the same. This combo would make the perfect French-dinner-and-a-movie date night.

MADDY’S NOTE: Look for films marked VOST (version originale sous-titrée). These play in their original language with French subtitles – so an American or British movie marked VOST will be in English.

Where to Eat & Drink in Avignon

We talked about the Taste Avignon Food Tour and the traditional market, Les Halles. But Avignon’s restaurant scene is next level. Avignon was my favorite foodie destination in all of Provence!

The food is so fresh and light and rich at the same time. All ten out of tens – we loved every restaurant and wine bar we went to. 

Best Restaurants in Avignon

Here are the best places to eat in Avignon – I recommend booking them all about a week in advance!

• Italie là-bas: I’m still dreaming about the three-course lunch and Friuli-Venezia Giulia sauvignon blanc we savored in Collection Lambert’s beautiful courtyard. Yes, this is France. Yes, this is Italian food. But we’re not talking ragù alla bolognese Italian. The cooking is light, seasonal, and Mediterranean, with Italian roots, French technique, and tons of Provençal produce. Our three-course lunch included burrata with raw spring vegetables and herbs, followed by local fish over eggplant purée with sun-dried tomatoes, capers, olives, nuts, and crunchy breadcrumbs. And for dessert, a bright ensemble of strawberries, pineapple, whipped cream, and buttery crumble. So fresh, so simple, so good. This is my favorite restaurant in Avignon. 

• La Fourchette: Want to try classic Provençal cuisine? This retro-style, bustling French bistro was completely packed when we went – as it very well should be! Can we start with dessert? Mine was just local strawberries and cream. That’s it. And it was one of the most memorable desserts I’ve ever had because Provençal produce is that good. We also loved our citrusy asparagus salad, seasonal fish with the silkiest shellfish sauce, and Avignon-style beef stew (order this!).

• Le Goût du Jour: If you’re into creative, modern French cooking, put this restaurant high on your list. The menu changes seasonally, and we went all-in on the tasting experience for dinner. Each dish was a surprise, personally delivered and explained by the chef. We started with asparagus, playfully prepared four ways. Then came local mullet with creative spins on peas and carrots. But the star was the most brilliant take on a katsu-sando – made with overnight-cooked local lamb, harissa, herbs, and apple. That dish was incredible. So was the chocolate-strawberry-basil dessert. We loved this meal! 
• L’Agape: I really wanted to eat here, but we didn’t book it soon enough. The menu celebrates seasonal Provençal ingredients, elevated with lots of herbs and spices.
• Restaurant SEVIN: For a full-on haute cuisine experience, SEVIN is the place. It’s set inside a medieval building right beside the palace, with a beautiful terrace overlooking Place du Palais. The seasonal cuisine here teeters between classic French and modern gastronomy. And, wine lovers, take note: there’s an entire wine book dedicated to Châteauneuf-du-Pape!

• Café Roma: The setting alone makes Café Roma worth booking: its casually charming courtyard, strung with fairy lights and shaded by a huge leafy tree, sits right up against the soaring stone palace. But our three-course dinner was the best part. I loved my starter of white-balsamic-marinated sardines with creamy peas and mint and a little spring salad. My husband’s main – a leg of lamb from the Alpilles, with tomato and black olive breadcrumbs, artichokes, garlicky mashed potatoes, and sage-spiked lamb jus – was fab. Don’t even get me started on the desserts…
• La Mirande: For a special fine-dining occasion, La Mirande, inside the gorgeous five-star La Mirande hotel, is hard to beat for atmosphere; take your pick between the ornate Renaissance dining room or the garden overlooking the Palais des Papes. The menu here blends Provençal terroir and French technique with little Italian touches.

Best Wine Bars in Avignon

If you still want to drink more local wine after your wine tasting tour in Châteauneuf-du-Pape, I understand… It’s too good not to. Here are my favorite wine bars in Avignon!

• Restaurant Bar à Vin Le 46: Part wine bar, part restaurant, Le 46 has an enormous cellar filled with ~500 different wines, especially from the Southern Rhône. We sat out on the patio for a couple of Châteauneuf-du-Pape reds.
• Les Péquélets: Run by two brothers from a winemaking family in Vinsobres, Les Péquélets pours their own wines alongside bottles from winemakers across France, focusing on organic, biodynamic, and natural wines. A must-visit!
• Vinotage – Barge Wine: Head to this floating wine bar on Île de Piot around sunset! More than 250 wines, fabulous cheese and charcuterie platters, and even better views across the Rhône await. 

Best Hotels in Avignon

For your first trip, I recommend staying inside Avignon’s medieval walls so you’ll be able to stroll to the Palais des Papes, Les Halles, restaurants, wine bars, and almost everything else I’ve included in this guide.

We stayed at a little hotel on Place de l’Horloge. But even though the location was perfect, I wouldn’t book it again. If I were planning my trip again today, I’d choose one of these hotels instead:

• Hôtel La Mirande ($$$$): If you’re splurging, this gorgeous five-star hotel is the dream. Nestled next to the palace, it features bold yet timelessly French style, individually designed rooms, beautiful gardens, and palace views.
• Hotel d’Europe ($$$$): This 16th-century-mansion-turned-luxury-hotel sits between the Palais des Papes and Pont d’Avignon.
• Hotel De Cambis ($$$): This wine-inspired hotel is just a short walk from Avignon Centre station. It’s my top pick for a comfortable, stylish, central stay without going all out.
• Hôtel de Garlande ($$): This charming little hotel is set inside an 18th-century townhouse on a quiet street in the historic center.

How Many Days Do You Need in Avignon?

Even though you could see the main historic sights in Avignon in one day, I don’t recommend it! There’s way too much good food and wine here to rush.

For most travelers, I recommend spending three full days in Avignon. You’ll have roughly two days to experience all the best things to do in Avignon, plus take one of my favorite wine tours from Avignon. 

We spent three days in Avignon, but could have easily added a fourth.

If you also want to book this Provence Highlights Full-Day Tour from Avignon – to see places like Gordes, Roussillon, and Pont du Gard – plan for four full days. 

How to Get to Avignon

The easiest way to get to Avignon is by train. The city is well-connected by TGV trains – roughly 2.5 hours from Paris and about 1 hour from Lyon. You can also easily reach Avignon from southern cities like Aix-en-Provence, Marseille, Montpellier, and Nîmes.

But Avignon has two train stations, so pay attention to that when booking:

• Avignon TGV: This is where most high-speed trains arrive. It’s about 3.5 miles (6 kilometers) away from the historic center. From there, you can take a local TER train to Avignon Centre in about 6 minutes. We opted to Uber straight from Avignon TGV to our hotel for ~€12.
• Avignon Centre: This station sits just outside the medieval walls and is about a 15-minute walk from the Palais des Papes.