Avignon is a beautful and popular town located on the River Rhone,
in the Vaucluse region of South-Eastern
France, just 85 km north-west of Marseille.
Avignon is often subject to windy weather which has led to the popular
proverb “windy Avignon, pest-ridden when there is no wind, wind-pestered when
there is”.
Summer in Avignon can often be quite crowded
and hot, but a visit during this time is more than worth it if you can attend
the very lively Avignon Theatre festival, held in late July/early August each
year. Founded in 1947, this festival
promises delightful traditional theatrical events as
well as other art forms such as dance, music, and cinema. Approximately 100,000 people attend the
festival each year.
The other main draw to Avignon is the majestic Palais des Papes (Palace of the Popes), where several popes and antipopes
lived during the 14th and 15th centuries.
This impressive monument sits within a square of the same name. Also worth a visit is the cathedral of Notre Dame dea Doms. Built in the 12th century, this Romanesque building’s most prominent
feature is the gilded statue of the Virgin which surmounts the western
tower. The mausoleum of Pope John XXII is also found in this cathedral.
