Busabout Adventures

A Busabout Pass for the Western Loop will take you to the best of France and Spain.  Cycle through ancient vineyards and salsa dance the night away! Start from any city on the loop and travel at your own pace - stay as long as you like at each stop .... then when you've finished exploring, jump on the next bus and move on to the next destination.  Click on the destinations in the map to find out more...

The main avenue within the intra-muros runs northwards from the train station to place de l’Horloge; it’s called cours Jean Jaurès south of the tourist office and rue de la République north of it.

Place de l’Horloge is 300m south of place du Palais, which abuts the Palais des Papes. The city gate nearest the train station is Porte de la République, while the city gate next to Pont Édouard Daladier, which leads to Villeneuve-lès-Avignon, is Porte de l’Oulle.

Pont St-Bénézet (Le Pont d’Avignon; (04 90 27 51 16; full price/pass €3.50/3; h9am-7pm Apr, May, Oct & Nov, 9am-8pm Jul-Sep, 9.30am-5.45pm Dec-Mar) was built between 1177 and 1185 to link Avignon with the settlement across the Rhône that later became Villeneuve-lès-Avignon. Yes, this is also the Pont d’Avignon mentioned in the French nursery rhyme. Many people find a distant view of the bridge from the Rocher des Doms or Pont Édouard Daladier much more interesting (and it’s free).

The huge Palais des Papes ((04 90 27 50 00; place du Palais; full price/pass €9.50/7.50; h9am-7pm Apr, May, Oct & Nov, 9am-8pm Jul-Sep, 9.30am-5.45pm Dec-Mar) was built during the 14th century as a fortified palace for the pontifical court. The cavernous stone halls testify to the enormous wealth amassed by the papacy while it resided here.

The Musée du Petit Palais ((04 90 86 44 58; place du Palais; full price/pass €6/3; h10am-1pm & 2-6pm Wed-Mon Jun-Sep, 9.30am-1pm & 2-5.30pm Wed-Mon Oct-May), a former archbishop’s palace, houses an outstanding collection of lavishly coloured 13th- to 16th-century Italian religious paintings.

Up the hill from the cathedral is Rocher des Doms, a delightful bluff-top park with great views of the Rhône, Pont St-Bénézet, Villeneuve-lès-Avignon and the Alpilles. There’s all you could ask for here: shade, a breeze and benches aplenty. A good spot for a picnic.

Villeneuve-lès-Avignon, across the Rhône from Avignon (and in a different département), was founded in the late 13th century. Here you’ll find the Musée Pierre de Luxembourg ((04 90 27 49 66; rue de la République; full price/pass €3/1.90; h10am-12.30pm & 2-6.30pm, closed Mon mid-Sep–mid-Jun). If you’re remotely interested in religious art it’s well worth the visit for Enguerrand Quarton’s lavish and dramatic 1453 painting The Crowning of the Virgin.

Tour Philippe-le-Bel ((04 32 70 08 57; full price/pass €1.60/0.90; h10am-12.30pm & 2-6.30pm, closed Mon mid-Sep–mid-Jun), a 14th-century defensive tower offering great views of Avignon’s walled city, the river and the surrounding countryside, is a five-minute walk away. The spiral stairs up are narrow and numerous.

The two most important bus transfer points are the Poste stop at the main post office and place Pie. Bus No 10, which stops in front of the main post office and on the western side of the walled city near Porte de l’Oulle, heads to Villeneuve-lès-Avignon. A free shuttle boat near Pont St-Bénézet connects the walled city with the Ile de la Bathelasse (10am-12.30pm & 2-6.30pm daily Apr-Jun; 11am-9pm daily Jul & Aug; 2-5.30pm Wed, 10am-noon & 2-5.30pm Sat & Sun Oct-Dec).

Provence Bike ((04 90 27 92 61; 52 blvd St Roch) rents bikes, scooters and larger motorbikes.

Tourist office ((04 32 74 32 74; www.ot-avignon.fr; 41 cours Jean Jaurès; h9am-6pm Mon-Sat, 9am-5pm Sun Apr-Jun & Aug-Oct, 9am-6pm Mon-Fri, 9am-5pm Sat, 10am-noon Sun Nov-Mar, 9am-7pm Mon-Sat, 10am-5pm Sun Jul) 300m north of the train station.

Webzone ((04 32 76 29 47; 3 rue St Jean le Vieux; per hr €4.57; h11am-10pm Mon-Sat, noon-5pm Sun) Internet access.

Festivals & Events
Avignon’s streets buzz with life, street theatre, buskers and leafleters enticing you into the hundreds of shows held during the city’s now world-famous Festival d’Avignon, held every year from early July to early August. Information can be obtained from the Bureau du Festival ((04 90 27 66 50; www.festival-avignon.com; Espace St-Louis, 20 rue du Portail Boquier). For the fringe events contact Avignon Public Off ((01 48 05 01 19; www.avignon-off.org).

From Easter until mid-November, half of place de l’Horloge is taken over by tourist restaurants and cafés. Menus start at €14.

Tapalocas ((04 90 82 56 84; 15 rue Galante; dishes from €2; h11.45am-1am) A down-to-earth tapas bar, selling cheap, beer-session ballast.

Maison Nani ((04 90 82 60 90; 29 rue Théodore Aubanel; plat du jour €9; hclosed Sun, Mon-Thu dinner) A cheerful, popular bistro serving Provençal salads, grilled meat and fresh fish.

Les Halles has a great food market (place Pie; h7am-1pm Tue-Sun). For groceries there’s Casino (22 rue St-Agricol; h8am-12.45pm & 3-7.30pm Mon-Sat).