Seven popes, four arches, one green wall
The walled centre is 4.3 km round, so everything here is a walk from Les Halles. I'd do the palace first thing and the Rocher des Doms at the end of the day.
1. Start at the Palais des Papes
The Palais des Papes was built between 1316 and 1370. Go at opening, before the tour groups fill the courtyard.
2. Walk the four arches left
The Pont Saint-Bénezet had 22 arches; four survive. The chapel of Saint Nicholas sits on the second pier, which is the part worth paying for.
3. Climb the Rocher des Doms
The Rocher des Doms is a limestone outcrop about 35 m high, the city's original core. The view over the Rhône is the one I'd come back for.
4. Look up at Les Halles
The green wall on Les Halles was designed by Patrick Blanc in 2005: 11.5 m high, 30 m wide. The car park is on top of the same building.
5. Walk a stretch of the ramparts
The ramparts run 4,330 m with 39 towers. Follow them between Porte de l'Oulle and the bridge.
6. Give the Petit Palais an hour
The Musée du Petit Palais opened in 1976 with paintings of the Avignon school and from Italy. It's the quiet half of the square.
Papalines, tapenade and Saturday at 11
1. Shop Les Halles before 14:00
About forty merchants trade at Les Halles market from 06:00, Tuesday to Sunday. The text says 14:00 close; the opening table shows 15:00 Friday to Sunday. Saturdays at 11:00 a chef cooks and you taste for free.
2. Buy papalines to take home
A papaline is a spiky pink chocolate filled with Origan du Comtat, a liqueur made from herbs picked on the slopes of Mont Ventoux. It's the one sweet I'd carry home.
3. Order the daube at La Fourchette
Daube avignonnaise is a slow stew, and one food guide sends you to La Fourchette for it. Ask how it's made that day.
4. Eat tapenade at the olive stall
Olives, capers and anchovies, pounded with oil. Serge Olives sells it inside the market. Add a tian of summer vegetables or a fougasse and lunch is done.
July for theatre, January for horses
1. Don't drive in during July
The 2026 Festival d'Avignon, the 80th, ran 4–25 July. The 2027 dates weren't published when I checked. During the 2026 festival only residents and plates registered with CIRAPS could enter the walls from 12:00 to 02:00, and rue de la République closed to traffic from 11:00.
2. Expect festival prices
The city's 2026 festival sheet printed €5 a day at the park-and-ride, €2.50 with an Orizo round trip, without naming the sites. Garages switch to the summer rate: €26.80 for 24 hours. An extra July car park at Les Angles had a shuttle every 30 minutes.
3. Book Cheval Passion for January
The horse show is listed for January 2027 at the Parc des Expositions, with shows on 23–24 January. Full dates aren't confirmed yet.
What's on
| When | What |
|---|---|
| January 2027 (shows listed for 23–24 January) | Cheval Passion horse show at the Parc des Expositions; full dates not yet confirmed |
| July 2027, dates not yet published | Festival d'Avignon (the 2026 edition, the 80th, ran 4–25 July); the walled city closes to most cars from midday |
| December 2026, not yet published | Christmas free-parking days: in 2025 the council made the kerb and three car parks free on three December Saturdays and from 19 December to 4 January |