48 hours in Avignon

There were nine of them, and they made Avignon a radiant city. From 1309 to 1418, nine popes succeeded one another in the majestic and imposing Palais des papes. A must-see, the visit reveals, with a certain vertigo, the architectural excess of this place of power. On the way out, a detour to the 18th-century La Mirande invites you to recover your spirits over ice cream, tea or lunch in the charming garden. The hours fly by happily, making you forget all about the city's museums. The nearest, the Petit Palais, comes to mind. Its religious paintings from the Middle Ages and the Renaissance have something wildly contemporary about them, in the intensity of their colors. We are intoxicated by this beauty, which here embraces spirituality.

Avignon fills souls, but doesn't forget gourmet tummies. In the Halles, the 40 stalls of the covered market come alive in the mornings, especially at weekends. Scarlet tomatoes, delicious olives, medium-rare pélardons... You can sample them before nibbling them at the counter or table at La Source des Halles. It's a friendly affair, elbow-to-elbow with Dutch tourists and Marseillais bon vivants. Afterwards, stroll through the maze of alleyways, where beauty still imposes itself, but plays hide-and-seek. Beyond the walls of private mansions, the joyous chirping of birds betrays secret gardens. As for the boutiques, they sometimes reveal surprises. From the outside, Vox Populi reveals nothing of its volumes and sublime glass roof, home to the poetic universe of artist Pascale Palun. Here, you'll find objects for the home. CQFD, a store dedicated to "made in France" from fashion to the home, shares its space with a restaurant and yoga room. The "utopian bakery" Bella Ciao, with its organic breads and natural sourdough, only opens at 10 a.m. to avoid its artisans having to work nights, a detail that always surprises Parisians on the go.

Yes, Avignon knows how to live. Its new addresses are revitalizing the city center, which was slowly dying out. These include De la Terre et des Feuilles, a boutique offering exceptional teas and herbal teas; Kouk, a neighborhood canteen open from breakfast to late afternoon tea; and Atelier Floral Lara Hollebecq. Her delicate French flowers (mainly from the Var) are wrapped in paper stamped with verses by Paul Verlaine. Its opening hours stretch to Sunday mornings, when the Place des Carmes fills up with flea market hunters. The district, still untouched by tourist groups, is one of the liveliest in the city. Students from the Jacques Lecoq International Theatre School are no strangers to the area. They eagerly await the Festival d'Avignon, founded in 1947 by Jean Vilar, and the famous "Off". The entire city is transformed into a giant stage, including high school courtyards, gymnasiums, churches and quarries.

"Avignon lives frenetically in summer. No other city in France is so seasonal. It's very unusual," sums up François Quintin, director of the formidable Collection Lambert, which hosts a number of outstanding contemporary art exhibitions. The rest of the year is quieter, despite the other festivals. 2025 hosts a special program for Avignon, Terre de Culture

for Avignon, Terre de Culture. On the menu: the reopening of the Belle Époque-style Bains Pommer. This new museum space will showcase hygiene practices over the past two centuries. The artist Jean-Michel Othoniel will be installing some of his 200 works in this space for his major temporary exhibition, from June 28 to January 4.

Meanwhile, just three streetcar stops from the station, the Atelier Shed opens its doors by appointment. Several artists have gathered there, including the versatile Pablito Zago. He presents his colorful, graphic work on wine labels, murals and clocks... In the mood for nature? Hop on a bike to the 700-hectare Barthelasse island, Europe's largest river island. at La Reboule farm, the Cappeau brothers, third-generation farmers, grow fruit and vegetables that look out over the Pont d'Avignon. Here, you can do your shopping before heading back to the inner city. There, at aperitif time, the terraces come alive with voices and laughter over a pastis or a chilled rosé. The city slowly begins to resound with the slamming of wooden shutters as they close. A curtain falls, heralding the onset of night.