Avignon, France

Avignon is filled with picturesque streets

Approaching Avignon, one of Provence’s main cities, I felt like a displaced medieval warrior. Though I was in a modern car on an equally modern four-lane road, the only view I had was of 14th-century stone ramparts fully encircling the city, high enough to conceal all but the very tops of the requisite medieval cluster: palace, clock tower and cathedral.

This medieval wall surrounds the city

Though the drawbridges have been replaced by paved roads and the moats have been drained, Avignon feels as medieval as you can get without jumping into a time machine.

One of my favorite sights: a relic amidst modernity

A stone building

Avignon is one of Provence’s can’t-miss cities and proximate (within an hour) to other enticing points such as Arles, Châteauneuf du Pape and St-Rémy de Provence.

Street art within the inner walls

We decided Avignon would be the first stop on our Provençal tour since it’s a six-hour (!) drive from Paris, our starting point. Lavender-covered, rolling-hilled, sunflower-filled Provence does not make an appearance during this leg.

Vertical garden at Les Halles, the market

So, we figured we’d be ready to get out of the car by the time we hit Avignon.

A sunny square

Avignon is most notable for being the seat of papal power in the 14th century. Nothing transforms a sleepy town into a thriving community like a new neighbor, the pope.

Twisting streets

A quiet morning in the main square

Within the walls, Avignon is a quaint, calm city with narrow streets, squares filled with café tables and ancient stone buildings. We stayed for four days (dedicating two of them to exploring the surrounding areas), and could easily have used one more to further appreciate all Avignon has to offer.

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