Some hints for your visit to France

Here is a city, girded its ramparts of origin, which lends to the dawdling. You discover randomly there lanes, witnesses of its past: vaults and churches, buildings of the Middle Ages private mansions of XVIIIe and XIXecenturies: art present and is made everywhere of Avignon, a true museum with open sky ! Capital of Christendom to XIVe century, its monuments and its ramparts were classified World heritage of UNESCO.

Obviously Avignon is known by all for its famous Palais des Papes, more the Gothic large palace of Europe, the residence of sovereign pontiffs in XIVe century, is the epicentre of the city and its visit is to be made. Very at side, you will be able to discover not less famous Pont St Bénezet, more known under the name of “bridge of Avignon”.

The Bridge St Bénezet is a bridge of legend : Set up on the Rhone of 1177 to 1185, it was of a very great convenience for the pilgrims and the tradesmen on the road between Spain and Italy. It was the only means of crossing the Rhone between Lyon and the sea. In the beginning, it included 22 arches but often was ruined by the risings and was rebuilt until XVIIe. One then ceased restoring it. The vault St Nicolas is dedicated to the owner of the marines. Everyone knows the legend of its construction: a shepherd, St Bénezet would have taken under the divine inspiration, the initiative to build a bridge on the Rhone and carried itself an enormous stone which several tens of men did not manage to raise at the place where it wished the departure of the bridge. The song “on the bridge of Avignon” is famous in the whole world and dates roughly from half of last century.     top page

Avignon also has museums which offer an incredible variety of collections : since prehistory with the concise museum, while passing by the painting of the Middle Ages to the small palace, Beautiful arts with the Calvet museum, the impressionists with Angladon, decorative arts with Vouland and even the contemporary art with the collection Lambert : all the times are represented.

But once left the museums, the small squares and the terraces, shaded of the sun by large plane trees, lend quickly to user-friendliness. One stops there to drink glass, to benefit from the spectacle, to chatter between friends, to rest of a long day of rich person discovered. And, the come evening, it is then very pleasant to settle with a good food, since Avignon and its immediate area are a very rich center of the gastronomy of Provence and traditional. And if you wish to buy products of the soil, it will then be necessary to return to you to the Markets, Place Pie, open of the Tuesday to Sunday; the morning of 6:00 to 13:30, this large market hall gathers forty tradesmen, offering the products of soil.     top page

And since produced soil is spoken, not do not forget the wine: practiced since antiquity in the valley of the Rhone, the culture of the vine, develops with the papal state in XIVe on left bank of the Rhone and at the XVIIe century, with the kingdom of France on Right Bank. It is into 1937 that “Côtes du Rhone” It is born name defines the rules of production, and grown. Most famous is the “Châteauneuf du Pape”, hot red, packed, alcoholized. In the “Côte du Rhone” one still distinguishes grown from Gigondas (rosy and red), Vacqueyras (white rosy and red), Rasteau (grenache), Beaumes de Venise (muscatel). The Côtes du Rhone Village are: Beaumes de Venise, Cairanne, Rasteau, Roaix, Sablet, Séguret, Valreas, Visan. There exist finally “Côtes du Rhone early products”. It is in 1996 qu' Avignon became the Capital of the Côtes of the Rhône.

The city also becomes animated by many event of which the Festival of Avignon : Created in 1947 per Jean Vilar, the Festival of Avignon is oldest and most famous of France. 40 spectacles/400 representations (approximately) each year. Approximately 140.000 spectators. From July 4th to 26th, hirings at the beginning of June. Program in May.     top page

But also Altera rosa : meet around the rose, always with the Palais des Papes in May. With Altera rosa the largest European rosierists mobilize themselves to present themselves, ahead first with the Palais des Papes of the new roses, which were never yet shown to the public, and to tell the history of it. At the time of these meetings, a visit is envisaged each day around the evocation of the pontifical gardens.

One will also celebrate each year in September, in Avignon, famous “ban des vendanges”, popular holiday for the opening of the grape harvest. With a procession of the Brotherhoods, a mass of the grape harvest, the vintage of the vine of the popes, a tasting of the Côtes du Rhône and product sales of the soil with the markets.      top page

Animations are so important in Avignon which it is difficult of all them to quote, also we invite you to consult the calendar of the tourist office of Avignon: events in Avignon city     top page

Then since “the girl of the Rhône” tightens you the arms, do not hesitate to follow it….

Thanks to the tourist office of Avignon for its assistance with the development of this text.

TO KNOW

You need more informations about the city of Avignon, contact: info@itinerairesbis.com     top page

Avignon Passion and its passport

It is delivered free by the Tourist office and in the reception centres tourist and cultural places (monuments, museums…) city. It makes it possible to discover the prestigious inheritance of the town of Avignon with lower costs. The first visit is full price, the tariff of following is decreasing: from - 20% with - 50% of reduction.     top page

Guided visits of the City

Visits discovered of the city : November at March: every saturday with 10:00. April at October: Monday to Sunday every morning with 10:00

The Setting one Strolls : Bridge with the palate, trotts the setting one : A unique opportunity to discover the legend of the famous Bridge of Avignon and the secrecies of the Palais des Papes while passing by the covered way of the ramparts, by ignored ways of old Avignon and by the garden of the Rock of Doms.

Secret palate : A new visit of the residence of the Popes. The palate of the popes as you never saw it! A privileged visit of the residence of sovereign pontiffs. Hidden staircases and catch corridors will lead you storeroom to the terraces. A strange course which is accompanied by a lunch and a tasting discovered of the wines of the Côte du Rhône of the bottle-factory on the terrace of the High-ranking dignitaries. On reservation only.

Avignon at the time of the popes : April at Monday October, Tuesday, Thursday and Sunday with 10:00. A course guided in the city which makes it possible to be plunged in medieval Avignon to the wire of the streets, with discovered delivered cardinalices, vaults, places and lanes recalling architecture and the daily life to the Middle Ages. The circuit of course comprises the visit of the Palais des Papes.     top page

	During your stay in the region, visit The Vignobles Mayard 24 avenue baron le Roy BP 16 84231 Châteauneuf du Pape cedex Tél : 04 90 83 70 16 Fax : 04 90 83 50 47 E.mail : contact@vignobles-mayard.fr Website : www.vignobles-mayard.fr
L'abus d'alcool est dangereux pour la santé, à consommer avec modération

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