The historic French city that's just six hours away by train

Times

07-05-2025

I t's hard not to fall in love with Avignon. This small, sun-soaked city on the Rhône isn't just the gateway to the Côtes du Rhône wine region, it's also home to traditional markets, inventive chefs and outstanding art museums, plus one of the most impressive gothic buildings in the world. And whether you come to marvel at the Unesco-listed Palais des Papes (the city was the seat of the papacy during the 14th century), enjoy southern French wines and delicious Provençal food — or, as the traditional French song goes, to dance on the Pont d'Avignon — it's an incredibly easy break. Get here by train in about six hours from the UK and Avignon's key sites are mostly within walking distance inside the city's near three miles of late-medieval ramparts. Pick up an Avignon City Pass, which gets you free entry to many of the city's main sights, including the Palais des Papes, the Collection Lambert and the Angladon Museum, and it's affordable too (£27 for 48 hours; avignon-citypass.com).
• Morning: Place des Carmes and Les Halles
• Eat at: Cuisine Centr'Halles
• Afternoon: Palais des Papes
• Drink at: Café Roma
• Evening: Le Vin Devant Soi
• Eat at: V&G
• Morning: Pont d'Avignon
• Eat at: La Forchette
• Afternoon: Musée Angladon
• Drink at: Baryum 56
• Evening: Collection Lambert
• Eat at: Le 17
The Palais des Papes is the world's largest gothic palace
ALAMY
• The outdoor Saturday market at Place des Carmes in the east of the city is packed out with Avignonnais doing their weekly shop, with few tourists. It's the spot to stock up on local cheeses such as banon (a goat's milk cheese wrapped in chestnut leaves) and other goodies to take back home. Then grab a pastry at Mimi Boulangerie, a two-minute walk from the market and stop for a coffee at Mon Bar. After, head to Les Halles, Avignon's main covered market to wander among mountains of delicious Provençal olives, wines and more local cheeses.• The Unesco-listed Palais des Papes (Popes' Palace) is the largest preserved gothic palace in the world. It was the centre of Catholicism during the reign of seven popes from 1309-76, when the papacy was moved to Avignon from Rome. Vast and imposing, its austere stonework is punctuated by rooms with exquisite decoration including paintings by the great Sienese master Simone Martini. There's an excellent digital guide included in the price of the entrance ticket (£12; palais-des-papes.com).• Le Vin Devant Soi is an excellent little wine shop with more than 400 southern French wines in stock and about 30 available for tasting at any given time. Make sure you try a Côtes du Rhône white — not seen much this side of La Manche, and it's off-the-charts superb. Their second shop next door is good for local gins too (tasting from £3; levindevantsoi.com).• Visit Pont d'Avignon, the Unesco-listed old bridge — or the four arches that remain of its original 22. Dating from the 13th century, it pokes out into the Rhône below the ramparts of the Jardin des Doms, a public garden. The best views of the bridge itself are from the middle of Pont Édouard Daladier (under ten minutes' walk west) or from the terrace beside the Jardin des Doms (£4; avignon-pont.com).• The origins of Musée Angladon, a small but hugely impressive museum, lie in the art collection of the early-20th-century fashion designer Jacques Doucet. Doucet bequeathed his astonishing collection to his great-nephews, the artists Jean Angladon and Paulette Martin — who in turn founded the museum in their former home. It's almost unheard of to be able to admire masterpieces by Van Gogh, Degas, Seurat and Picasso in your own time and without crowds (£7; angladon.com).
• Check out Collection Lambert — the private collection of contemporary art owned by the gallerist and dealer Yvon Lambert — one of the best and most comprehensive in France. Works by Jean-Michel Basquiat and Cy Twombly are bolstered by temporary shows, all housed in a pair of stunning 18th-century mansions (£10; collectionlambert.com).
The Musée Angladon has a small but incredibly significant art collection
BRICE TOUL
The Californian chef Jonathan Chiri has been an integral part of Provence's culinary scene for over 20 years. At his small, market-stall sized restaurant inside Les Halles he offers a menu drawn from whatever is freshest that day — perhaps lavender-marinated duck breast with caramelised ratatouille and farro risotto, or brown butter-seared scallops. There are only a few chairs, so booking is recommended (mains from £15; jonathanchiri.com).
Cuisine Centr'Halles offers a menu drawn from whatever is freshest that day
Head down a narrow alley hewn through the rock beside the Popes' Palace, hang a left and you'll find this quiet little café hidden away next to the landmark Cinema Utopia. With a peaceful terrace under the trees, this is a great place to stop for a coffee, drinks, cake or sharing plates (from £3; caferoma.fr).
V&G (Veggie et Gastro) is an outstanding restaurant with delicious, beautifully prepared and presented vegetarian, vegan and pescatarian dishes, showcasing locally sourced and seasonal ingredients. Expect delicately presented 'open' ravioli with foraged and farmed mushrooms, or fish of the day with polenta soufflé and fresh spinach (mains from £20; @veggieetgastro).
This excellent and deservedly popular little family-run restaurant is now in its third generation of owners. The menu changes with the seasons, but you might find asparagus with pesto and shavings of mimolette cheese, or daube de boeuf à l'Avignonaise (beef stew, marinated and slow-cooked in wine and Provençal herbs). The 'formule' is good value at £27 but available at lunchtime only (mains from £21; la-fourchette.eatbu.com).
La Fourchette is a lovely family-run restaurant
ZENCHEF – MYPHOTOAGENCY / EMMANUEL FERRAND
Walk through the pretty Place des Corps Saints and Place Saint-Didier and enjoy an impeccable cocktail at Baryum 56. This cosy little cocktail bar has an inventive and frequently changing menu, often featuring locally produced spirits and ingredients such as basil oil (cocktails from £9; baryum56.fr)
Le 17 describes itself as a 'place aux vins', though a Provençal twist on a tapas bar would do it justice too. Think plenty of good local wines, plates to share (anchovies with aïoli on toast, seared endives and fried squid) and a relaxed atmosphere. It's also very handy for a visit to the Église des Célestins across the square — a deconsecrated church that's now an exhibition space, with excellent temporary shows (tapas from £10; @le17avignon)
Hôtel de Cambis is close to both the train station and Palais des Papes
ANTOINE LIPPENS
Boutique with a wine theme
Lovely boutique, family-run hotel just off Rue de la République, just a short walk from the Palais des Papes and the railway station. Go for a Grand Cru Junior Suite — these rooms are huge, with high ceilings, large bathrooms, wine colours (rich reds and warm golds), stylish design touches and plenty of natural light. Staff are very friendly and welcoming, and there's a tempting wine bar behind the reception (room-only doubles from £123; hoteldecambis.com).
Cap Hôtel de l'Horloge is a comfortable, affordable option
Affordable rooms in a great location
For location it doesn't get much better than this — just off the square leading to the Palais des Papes. Good value, comfortable rooms, some with a small terrace, and earthy decor (wrought iron, wicker, creams and browns). A buffet breakfast is served in a charming conservatory surrounded by potted plants (room-only doubles from £118; hotel-avignon-horloge.com).
La Mirande has a Michelin-starred restaurant
The city's top hotel
Next door to the Popes' Palace is this exquisitely beautiful boutique five-star, with stacks of history and a Michelin-starred restaurant to boot. Built for a cardinal in the 14th century (the nephew of Pope Clement V), it gained its refined, classical façade in the 17th century, and was the home of a prominent Avignon family before its transformation into a hotel in 1987. The interiors are extraordinary. Each room is individually decorated, its cotton-print wallpaper flowing with details, and printed from original plates from the 18th century. Don't miss the fabulously ornate tearoom (B&B doubles from £613; la-mirande.fr).
Avignon is easy to reach from the UK by rail — London to Paris by Eurostar (2hr 20min), then Paris to Avignon (2hr 40min; from £77 return; eurostar.com). Trains from Avignon TGV to Avignon Centre take five minutes. Or fly into Marseilles and it's 90 minutes by train to Avignon, or one hour by car. Getting around the centre of Avignon on foot is easy or hire bikes from South Spirit Bikes (from £11; southspiritbike.com).
More time? Take the train (30min) to nearby Carpentras, and visit the breathtaking Musée Inguimbertine, a one-of-a-kind museum/library in a magnificent 18th-century former hospice, reopened in 2024 following renovation (£13; inguimbertine.carpentras.fr). Beyond, the Côtes du Rhône wine region awaits, as do the beautiful landscapes of Mont Ventoux.
Rudolf Abraham was a guest of Vaucluse Provence Attractivité (vaucluseprovence-attractivite.com), Avignon Tourisme (avignon-tourisme.com) and Eurostar (eurostar.com)