A city of popes in the 14th century and the capital of theatre every July, Avignon packs almost everything visitors come to see inside its walls, on the left bank of the Rhône. Its historic centre, including the Palais des Papes, the episcopal ensemble and the Pont Saint-Bénézet, has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1995.
Choosing where to stay in Avignon comes down to deciding between two ways to spend your visit: staying in the lanes within the city walls, without a car, or outside the walls, in a house with a garden and pool. This guide will help you find the right base, with guesthouses and chambres d’hôtes that we have hand-picked one by one.
Among the city’s small-scale places to stay, chambres d’hôtes and holiday homes are more numerous than hotels. You’ll find our full selection on the places to stay in Avignon page.
How to choose a neighbourhood
Avignon is best understood in rings: the old town within its walls, the suburbs all around, then the countryside and the Rhône islands.
- Around the Palais and Place de l’Horloge: the monumental heart of the city, with the Rocher des Doms and the bridge just a few minutes away. Ideal for a first visit, but very busy in summer.
- Rue des Teinturiers, Place Pie and Les Carmes: a more lived-in part of the walled city, with Les Halles, terraces beneath the plane trees and the waterwheels of the Sorgue canal.
- The southern part of the walled city, between Avignon Centre station and Rue des Lices: convenient for those arriving by train, and quieter in the evening.
- Outside the city walls: houses with gardens and pools, often with parking, a few minutes by car or bus from the ramparts.
- Montfavet: a former village incorporated into the municipality, to the east, for a countryside stay; a car becomes essential here.
For a weekend or a first visit, staying within the city walls comes out on top: have dinner at Place des Corps-Saints or Rue des Teinturiers, then walk back. For a week in summer, with children or a desire to explore the Luberon and the Alpilles, a house with a pool outside the walls more than makes up for the journeys. Here are our picks.
Staying within the city walls
Within the ramparts, guesthouses often occupy historic residences. These two places make it easy to forget about the car for your entire stay.
Face au Palais
The Palais des Papes is just steps away, and the lanes of the old town begin right outside the door: in the morning, set off on foot for the bridge, the Rocher des Doms or the museums. The garden and terrace offer a real respite after a day of sightseeing, and the air-conditioned rooms are a welcome perk in July. The trade-off is that this is the liveliest neighbourhood in the city during the Festival.
Les Jardins de Baracane
A 17th-century house in the historic centre, with a garden and an outdoor pool—a rare find inside the ramparts. The air-conditioned rooms look out onto greenery, and breakfast is served buffet-style. A good choice for couples who want to explore on foot without giving up a swim at the end of the afternoon.
Guesthouses with gardens and pools
A garden, a pool and just a handful of rooms: it’s the most sought-after combination in a city with hot summers. These three houses make the most of outdoor living between visits.
La Divine Comédie-Suites Deluxe
Suites facing the garden, an outdoor pool and a wellness area with a spa: this house is all about taking things slow. The sunny terrace is made for leisurely breakfasts. The level of comfort makes it best suited to couples looking to mark a special occasion.
Villa Aigarden
Close to the city centre’s landmarks, this guesthouse combines an outdoor pool and garden with rooms that have private bathrooms. Breakfast is served continental-style or à la carte. It suits travellers who explore the city in the morning and come back for a swim during the hottest part of the day.
La Maison Grivolas
Five suites and apartments with kitchens arranged around a garden and heated outdoor pool, just a few minutes from the landmarks. It’s a good fit for a week with family or friends, with the freedom to cook whatever you’ve brought back from the market. With so few places to stay, it’s best to book early for July.
Large estates for exploring by car
Other Avignon properties focus on space: several buildings, a large garden and room to park the car. They make a good base for setting off each day to a different corner of Provence.
Domaine de Rhodes - 5 Chambres et 7 locations de vacances
Five guest rooms and seven self-contained rentals on the same estate, with a garden and outdoor pool: choose between a room with breakfast and a rental where you can set your own pace. The estate suits families and groups of friends who want a little space of their own.
Bastide de Bellegarde
An outdoor pool, garden, sauna and on-site restaurant mean there’s no need to get back in the car in the evening. Private parking makes it easy to set off for the Luberon or Pont du Gard, and the house welcomes pets. Each air-conditioned room has its own bathroom.
Montfavet, Avignon’s countryside
East of the city, Montfavet retains a village feel, with its farmhouses and gardens. You gain peace and space at the expense of a longer journey to the ramparts.
Château Saint Perret
In Montfavet, this guesthouse has a heated outdoor pool, a garden and breakfast served on site, so you can swim from spring onwards. With private parking and air-conditioned rooms, it’s a comfortable base for anyone travelling by car. The historic centre is reachable by car or bus, but not on foot.
PaulAngela
A small 45 m² house in Montfavet, with a fully equipped kitchen, a terrace opening onto the garden and private parking. Fast Wi-Fi makes it a good place to work for a few days. Perfect for a couple, it will soon feel cramped for a family.
What to see in Avignon
Start with the Palais des Papes, the largest Gothic building of the Middle Ages, where the pope’s private apartments retain frescoes by Matteo Giovannetti. Right next door, the garden on the Rocher des Doms looks out over the Rhône, Villeneuve-lès-Avignon and, on a clear day, Mont Ventoux. Below, the Pont Saint-Bénézet has just four of its original twenty-two arches remaining, and digital displays show what the bridge once looked like.
Among the museums, the Petit Palais, a former archbishops’ palace, displays Italian early Renaissance art, including a Madonna and Child by Botticelli. The Collection Lambert is devoted to contemporary art, while the Musée Calvet, on Rue Joseph-Vernet, focuses on fine art. Set aside a morning for Les Halles, on Place Pie, beneath its living wall designed by Patrick Blanc: around forty traders, open Tuesday to Sunday.
Nearby
- Île de la Barthelasse: orchards, paths along the Rhône and lovely views of the city; a free river shuttle links it to Quai de la Ligne.
- Villeneuve-lès-Avignon: across the river in the Gard department, with Fort Saint-André and the Chartreuse du Val-de-Bénédiction.
- Châteauneuf-du-Pape: the vineyards named after the popes lie to the north, less than half an hour’s drive away.
- Pont du Gard, L’Isle-sur-la-Sorgue and the Luberon, each an easy half-day trip.
When to visit Avignon
Spring and early autumn are the mildest seasons for exploring the city on foot. Summer is hot, while winter is quiet and often bright, though sometimes swept by the mistral.
Every year in July, for three weeks, the Festival d’Avignon, founded in 1947, takes over the Palais’s Cour d’honneur and dozens of venues, while the Off brings independent companies to the city’s theatres. During the Festival, car access to the walled city is also restricted from midday until late at night, and limited to residents and vehicles registered with the town hall: if you’re staying within the ramparts, ask your host how to get there.
Getting there and getting around
Avignon TGV station is 6 km from the centre, around 2 hours 40 minutes from Paris and one hour from Lyon. A TER regional train on the line to Carpentras connects it in a few minutes with Avignon Centre station, just outside the city walls. For regular flights, the nearest airports are Marseille Provence, Nîmes and Montpellier.
By car, take the A7 and exit at Avignon Nord or Avignon Sud. It’s best to leave the car outside the ramparts: the free park-and-ride car parks at Les Italiens and Île Piot are connected to the centre by free shuttles. Once there, you can do everything on foot, and the Orizo bus and tram network serves the outer neighbourhoods. You’ll find other places to stay in the region on our Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur page.
Avignon is part of our guide to where to stay in Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur. To compare it with nearby towns, also read where to stay in L’Isle-sur-la-Sorgue, known for its waterside antiques shops, where to stay in Orange, beside the ancient theatre, and where to stay in Arles, at the gateway to the Camargue.
Frequently asked questions
Quick answers to the questions that come up when planning a stay in Avignon.
What is the best neighbourhood to stay in Avignon?
For most travellers, staying within the city walls is still the best choice: the Palais des Papes, Pont Saint-Bénézet, Les Halles and the restaurants on Place de l’Horloge are all within walking distance, and Avignon Centre station is just outside the ramparts. Rue des Teinturiers and the Les Carmes neighbourhood are quieter than the area around the Palais. Those travelling by car who want a pool will prefer a house outside the walls or in Montfavet.
Can you visit Avignon without a car?
Yes. Avignon TGV station, 6 km from the centre, is linked by TER to Avignon Centre station, just outside the ramparts, in a few minutes. Within the city walls, you can get everywhere on foot, and the Orizo bus and tram network serves the outer neighbourhoods. A free river shuttle goes to Île de la Barthelasse. A car is really only useful if you’re staying in Montfavet or exploring the Luberon, the Alpilles and Pont du Gard.
Where can you park when staying in Avignon?
Inside the ramparts, parking is paid, time-limited and hard to find in summer; some guesthouses in the centre don’t have parking. The simplest option is to leave the car in one of the free park-and-ride car parks, at Les Italiens or on Île Piot, where free shuttles take you into the centre. Outside the walls and in Montfavet, several of our picks have private parking: check when booking.
How far in advance should you book for the Festival?
Well in advance. The Festival d’Avignon takes place every July for three weeks, while the Off fills the city’s theatres at the same time: small guesthouses within the city walls are fully booked months ahead. During this period, car access to the ramparts is restricted from midday until night. If you can’t find anything in the centre, a place outside the walls with a bus or shuttle connection is still a good option.
Is Avignon a good base for exploring Provence?
It’s one of the best. In half a day, you can reach the vineyards of Châteauneuf-du-Pape, Pont du Gard, L’Isle-sur-la-Sorgue or the villages of the Luberon, while Orange and Arles are easy to get to. For exploring the region, a house with parking outside the walls or an estate with a pool is more practical than a room in the lanes of the centre. Without a car, regional trains run from Avignon Centre station to Orange and Arles.
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