Avignon, France — Activities
Avignon Culture
Avignon's cultural scene hits the headlines each July, with the Avignon Festival, created by Jean Vilar in 1947. It is the oldest and most famous of the festivals in France. Originally pure theater, the event now includes contemporary and religious music, dance, poetry, circus, films, exhibitions and debates involving up to 600 separate organizations. The most prestigious productions are performed in the vast Palais des Papes courtyard, others within theaters, churches and sports halls. The Chartreuse, at Villeneuve-lès-Avignon, showcases the contemporary theater of the Avignon Festival, as well as a separate musical theater festival, Villeneuve en Scène. 2008 saw the 62nd version of the festival, and it was a big success, attracting a total audience of some 150,000 people to the various performances.
The Bureau du Festival d'Avignon (and box office) is located at the Cloître St Louis, 20 rue du Portail Boquier (tel: (04) 9014 1414; website: www.festival-avignon.com). Booking for the official festival (locally known as the 'In') starts in June. Alongside the main festival, the 'Off' fringe festival enlivens city streets and courtyards with a carnival atmosphere. Avignon Festival Off has its offices at 5 rue Ninon Vallin (tel: (04) 9085 1308; website: www.avignonleoff.com), and tickets are available from mid June.
Tickets to all other performances and cultural events in the city are available for purchase from the individual venue box offices, in advance or on the day. The tourist office publishes a monthly calendar of events (French only) in Rendez-Vous.
Music: The gracious Opéra d'Avignon (tel: (04) 9082 4242), built in 1847, overlooks place de l'Horloge. The season runs from October to June and includes operas, operettas and symphonic and chamber music concerts, as well as theater and ballet. The Musique Sacrée en Avignon, 49 rue Portail Magnanen (tel: (04) 9082 2175; website: www.musique-sacree-en-avignon.org), organizes free concerts in churches (October to May). The concert series celebrated its 40th anniversary in 2006.
Theater: Avignon has about 10 permanent theaters, as well as the opera house (see above). The Théâtre du Chêne Noir, 8 rue Ste-Catherine (tel: (04) 9082 4057; website: www.chenenoir.fr), draws well-known actors and directors, while the Théâtre du Chien qui Fume, 75 rue des Teinturiers (tel: (04) 9085 2587; website: www.chienquifume.com), puts on a varied program of theater, music and improvization evenings. The Théâtre des Halles, 4 rue Noël Biret (tel: (04) 9085 5257; website: www.theaterdeshalles.com), excels in contemporary theater, while cutting-edge Théâtre des Carmes, 6 place des Carmes (tel: (04) 9082 2047), is run by the André Benedetto company - one of the founders of the Festival 'Off'. Theater tickets tend to be cheaper than the Festival 'On' and the season runs from October to May.
Dance: Dance has its own moment of glory in February, when Les Hivernales contemporary dance festival takes place at La Manutention, 4 rue escalier Ste Anne (tel: (04) 9082 3312; website: www.hivernales-avignon.com). The Théâtre Golovine, 1 rue Ste Catherine (tel: (04) 9086 0127) offers courses and performances year round.
Film: Avignon has about 20 cinemas. Cinéma Utopia, at La Manutention arts center, 4 rue escalier Ste Anne (tel: (04) 9082 6536), shows undubbed art house films. Utopia has another cinema located at 5 rue Figuière, north of place St Didier, where dubbed films creep into the screenings. Utopia also produces La Gazette Utopia, a free monthly listings magazine. Cinema Vox, 22 place de l'Horloge (tel: (04) 9082 0361), offers mainstream films, with the odd art house film - some in the original language. One of Avignon's largest cinemas is the 10-screen Pathé Cap Sud, 175 rue Pierre Sémard, route de Marseille (tel: 0892 696 696).
Literary Notes: Petrarch (1304-1374) brought the theme of idealised love to Avignon, where he first set enchanted eyes on Laure, in 1327. This earthly incarnation of perfection inspired the Canzoniere - over 300 poems, mainly sonnets, on the subject of platonic love. Not withstanding the fated meeting, Petrarch detested Avignon, which he famously described as 'a sewer where all the filth of the universe has gathered.'
Frédéric Mistral (born in 1830, between Arles and Avignon) drew on the troubadour tradition with his love poetry, Mireille (1859), about star-crossed lovers. Written in both Provençal and French, the tragic tale won Mistral a Nobel Prize and revived the dying Provençal language. Together with Avignon-born Theodore Aubanel, he founded the Felibrige movement and helped revive Provençal tradition. Avignon-born writer Pierre Boulle (1912-1994) won international renown with Planet of the Apes (1963) and Bridge Across the River Kwai (1952), both later made into films. English-language writers have painted a mythical picture of Provence as a sun-drenched idyll - most famously in Peter Mayle's bestselling A Year in Provence (1991) which he followed with Toujours Provence (1992) and, more recently, Provence A-Z (2006).
Avignon Tours
Walking Tours
The Avignon Tourist Office organizes guided tours in French and English every day from April to October and on Saturdays from November to March. Tours are based on a specific theme and cover the major city sights. Most of the tours depart from the main tourist office, 41 cours Jean Jaurès.
A wander along the picturesque pedestrianized streets and up to the Rocher des Doms or along the city's ramparts is recommended as a good route for a self-guided tour of the city.
Bus Tours
Cars Lieutaud, cour de la Gare SNCF (tel: (04) 9086 3675; website: www.cars-lieutaud.fr), operates bus tours in Provence, which depart daily from Avignon Central Station, boulevard St Roch (April to October). Half-day tours include Vaison-la-Romaine, Orange, Pont du Gard, les Alpilles, Châteauneuf-du-Pape vineyards and the Luberon. Full-day trips to Nîmes, Arles and the Camargue run on Fridays. On Wednesday mornings, there is a trip to a Provençal market, at St Rémy de Provence. Private tours with an English-speaking driver can also be arranged, with hotel pick-up available.
Self Voyage Provence (tel: (04) 9014 7000; website: www.self-voyages.fr) offers excellent value tours in air-conditioned minibuses. Destinations for half-day tours include Pont du Gard, St Rémy, Les Baux, Arles, the Luberon and Châteauneuf-du-Pape. A full-day tour includes Avignon, Les Baux, Luberon and wine tasting. The price includes an English-speaking driver, hotel pick-up and drop-off, and entrance fees where applicable.
Boat Tours
Grands Bateaux de Provence (tel: (04) 9085 6225; website: www.avignon-et-provence.com/mireio) offers a variety of river cruises on the Rhône, including boat trips between Avignon and Villeneuve-lès-Avignon. A return journey takes about 1 hour 15 minutes. Tickets are for sale at the Allées de l'Oulle landing stage, tourist offices, Pont St Bénezet or on board.
In addition, a frequent five-minute ferry service crosses the river from the Pont St Bénezet to the Ile de la Barthelasse. Visitors can take a bicycle (see Getting Around) and ride around the paths or just stroll, for magnificent views over the Palais des Papes and city ramparts.
Train Tours
Les Trains Touristiques d'Avignon (tel: (06) 1135 0666) operates daily tourist trains that chug around the Old Town (journey time - 35 minutes).
