Villeneuve-lès-Avignon is a beautiful little town just outside of Avignon itself. Situated on the north west side of the Rhône, in the Occitane region of Provence. Villeneuve-lès-Avignon has a rich history and is perfect for a day trip from Avignon.
The town centre is accessible by bus, bicycle or walking from Avignon over the river. On a summers day, the walk is quite beautiful. It takes around 30 minutes from Avignon. Leaving Avignon by Porte l’Oulle. Heading north over the Rhône until you reach Villeneuve-lès-Avignon. If you prefer to take the bus, the number 5 runs approximately every 20-30 minutes. The bus stops outside the Office de Tourisme near the town centre. There are also limited free parking options available if you prefer to drive.
Once you arrive in Villeneuve-lès-Avignon, we hope you will find this walking guide helpful. Getting you used to your surroundings and discovering this picturesque little town. Walking around the town is a beautiful way to spend the day. Just far enough away from the hustle and bustle of its busier neighbour Avignon. You will find ample cafe’s, restaurants and bars in Villeneuve-lès-Avignon to meet your needs for the day. Weekly gourmet markets are held on Thursdays and flea markets on Saturday mornings. A small convenience store and a Boulangerie are also available in the high street.
Top Tip:
We recommend you pick up a Monument Pass. If you intend to visit any of the monuments we go through in this walking guide, it’s a must-have. A great saving at €17 per person. You can visit each monument once with it over the course of a year. So you can always come back if you don’t have time on your 1st visit. Available to buy at each of the major monuments and the museum.
When you first arrive in Villeneuve-lès-Avignon you can follow the signposts up the hill towards the first monument on our guide…
Fort Saint-André
Villeneuve-lès-Avignon’s most prominent landmark is Fort Saint-André. Standing at the top of the hill overlooking the town and surrounding countryside.
Built in the early 14th century, Fort Saint-André has a long history to discover. A great way to spend a few hours exploring and learning more about this part of Provence.
http://www.ot-villeneuvelezavignon.fr/decouvrir/130-fort-saint-andre
Opening Times:
September 11th to May 31st: 10am-1pm/2pm-5pm
June 1st to September 11th: 10am-6pm
Closed: 01/01, 01/05, 01/11, 11/11, 25/12
Last entry permitted 30 minutes before closing time
Price:
Adult: €6.00 per person
Children: Free
Next stop, we take a short stroll down the hill…
La Chartreuse
The next monument on this walking guide around Villeneuve-lès-Avignon is La Chartreuse. At the bottom of the hill from Fort Saint-André, and only a 5 minute walk away. The full name for this beautiful monument being Chartreuse Notre-Dame-du-Val-de-Bénédiction.
Its origin as a monastery begins as far back as the 11th century. In more recent times it has been a popular place to host regular artists in residence. Each year the Centre has nearly sixty residencies.
Hosting a variety of artists, authors and companies. The centre also opens its doors to the public for other events prepared by the residents. Particularly in July in partnership with the Avignon Festival.
https://chartreuse.org/site/en
Opening Times:
October 1st to March 31st: 10am-5pm
April 1st to September 30th: 9.30am-6.30pm
Closed: 01-14/01, 01/05, 01/11, 11/11, 25/12
Last entry permitted 30 minutes before closing time
Price:
Adult: €9.00 per person
Children: Free
Rue de la République
Next on our walking guide of Villeneuve-lès-Avignon is the main high street, if you can call it that. This sleepy town centre has enough going on to keep you amused for the day.
Along Rue de la République you will find local shops of every variety. Cafes and bistros, gift shops antiques and galleries, boulangeries, bars and restaurants. Heading south, walk back towards the market place.
You will pass the main town square on your way to our next destination. Plenty of places to stop for a bite to eat or a light refreshment for lunch. We can personally recommend Le Bistrot Maison Bronzini and Aubergine. They are without a doubt our own favourite local restaurants. Don’t be surprised if you bump into us if you pay them a visit.
Musée municipal Pierre-de-Luxembourg
As you head south along Rue de la République, towards the end you find Musée Pierre-de-Luxembourg. Buying the combined monument pass makes this small museum a worthwhile visit. Connecting all the dots in the history of Villeneuve-lès-Avignon.
Over its 4 floors of exhibits, with detailed explanations in a variety of languages on offer. There is also a large collection of local art to view here. And you can find the popular “Le Couronnement de la Vierge” here also. Painted by Enguerrand Quarton, dating from the 15th Century.
http://www.villeneuvelesavignon.fr/ville/vla.asp?idpage=16766
Opening Times:
Closed on Mondays
May 2nd to October 31st: 10am-12.30pm/2pm-6pm
February 1st to April 30th and November 2nd to December 31st: 2pm-5pm
(Wednesdays 10am-12pm/2pm-5pm)
Closed 01-31/01, 01/05, 01/11, 11/11, 24-25/12, 31/12
Price:
Adult: €3.80 per person
Children: Free
Once you leave the museum, continue heading south along Rue de la République. Turning right at the end by the large church. Then follow this road Rue de Montolivet for around 500 metres, going past a large school to our next destination…
La Colline des Morgues
This beautiful hilltop park is a short distance from our previous stop on this walking guide.
On a clear day, the walk to the top for the view alone is more than worth the effort of climbing some of these steep paths. Great for taking in the local landscape of Villeneuve-lès-Avignon.
Also the view of Avignon across the river. Literally translated as “The hill of morgues”. Set over an area of 7 hectares of woods and parkland, in the heart of the historic centre of the town.
A place for children and adults alike. The hill offers rest and play areas, as well as a green theatre, a show venue and open-air cinema in the summer months.
http://www.ot-villeneuvelezavignon.fr/decouvrir/194-la-colline-des-mourgues
Opening Times:
01/11-31/03 : 7.30am-5.30pm
01/04-31/10 : 8am-7.30pm
Price:
Free
Tour Phillipe-le-Belle
As you leave the park heading towards the river you will reach the Tour Phillip Belle monument. Tour Philippe-le-Bel is a medieval tower in Villeneuve-lès-Avignon. The tower used to join the Saint-Bénézet Bridge with Avignon before it collapsed into the river. It is named after the French king Philippe-le-Bel who built it.
http://www.ot-villeneuvelezavignon.fr/decouvrir/135-tour-philippe-le-bel
Opening Times:
Closed on Mondays
01/02-30/04 and 02/11-03/12: 2pm-5pm (Wednesday: 10am-12pm/2pm-5pm)
02/05-31/10: 10am-12pm/2pm-6pm
Closed: 01/01, 01/05, 01/11, 11/11, 25/12
Prices:
Adult: €3.50 per person
Children: Free
River Walk
Once you leave Tour Phillipe-le-Belle, continue heading down the hill towards the river. Following the river west, back towards the market place and tourist information centre. After a few hundred metres you will see the river branches off from the main road towards the right. There is a parking area set back from the road and the paths along the river are well signposted and maintained.
From here you can walk along the banks of the river for miles if you choose. A nice place to catch the sun setting over the town of Villeneuve-lès-Avignon. This is a popular place with dog walkers, joggers and families with young children. You will find many locals making the most of the sunshine and fresh air.
Opening Hours:
Always open
Price:
Free
The end of the road
From here you can quickly return to our starting point to catch a bus home, or hang around the main square for an aperitif or dinner.
We hope you enjoy Villeneuve-lès-Avignon as much as we do. We loved it so much we decided to make it our home town here in Provence. So if you are following our walking guide around town and you see us on your travels, give us a big old wave.
Always check with the Office de Tourism and monument websites timetables before you travel. Any local changes to hours and opening times will be published there. We also advise checking the weather forecast before you leave too. Bon voyage!
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4 comments
Thanks for the walking guide. I look forward to exploring the town.
We hope you enjoy it Debbie, and don’t forget to say “hi!” if you run in to us on your travels.
I have been coming to Avignon for a number of years and actually stayed in Villeneuve-lès-Avignon my first visit 30 years ago. Finally decided to set down roots in Avignon. Will definitely try this on my next site visit in May (renovation seems to be a rather lengthy proposition). Love your website.
Thanks Brian, we are glad you like it. Yes, renovation is certainly a mammoth task and not to be undertaken likely. I wish you all the best with it. This is a beautiful corner of the world and one that is worth the extra effort I assure you. A fantastic place to be able got call “home”.