Avignon in Winter: What to See, Do, and Expect
Avignon in winter, with a view from the Rhône River of the Pont Saint Benezet and the Palais des Papes. March 3, 2022.
I’ve loved Avignon even before I got the chance to visit it. With my particular history focus in university and graduate school, I’d read about the city and thought about its historical happenings for years.
Therefore, when we got to Provence for the first time, I had to see Avignon, even though we only had time for a short half-day visit amid everything else we wanted to see.
As I had no idea what I’d find—after all, the time between the Middle Ages and the Renaissance and today have brought, well, considerable changes in the world, including in the cities that existed back in the day—I didn’t mind a short stopover on that initial trip to the region.
Yet I found so much in Avignon and so adored what we had the limited time to see that even while still in the city, I knew I’d have to return.
For this reason, when we’d decided to pass a few work-from-wherever winter trips in Provence to see if we liked the region as much in the winter as we did in the summer, Avignon easily made the top-two list (with Aix-en-Provence, of course).
Avignon: Popes, Medieval History, and Theater
Today, Avignon has an international reputation for theater; the Festival d’Avignon in summer takes over the city (and its environs!) with performances of all kinds, official and unofficial.
History lovers may find the theater possibilities interesting (I, for one, would love to attend the festival one day), but they typically want to see Avignon for its powerful medieval history and atmosphere, which the city has done an impressive job of preserving and maintaining.
During the 14th century, the Catholic Church set up a base in Avignon, which it held all the way up until the French Revolution. The 14th century, though, saw the greatest activity in the region, because the Catholics moves the pope from Rome to Avignon during this period. Or, rather, we should say they moved a pope here—because you know that the Italians wouldn’t have any of that nonsense and another pope quickly popped up in Rome. (This gave the world two warring popes for a while, which I still marvel hasn’t gotten more play in films, series, and books.)
Serving as a Catholic Church headquarters—and featuring a pope—meant that Avignon had a lot of importance and influence for about one hundred years.
Though other cities with incredible medieval history exist, many have lost their medieval form over time. Avignon, however, has kept its medieval walls intact—one of the few that I know of to have done so. To avoid too much congestion or the need to destroy the town to widen the streets and make them more suitable for automobiles, Avignon has placed its parking lots, car traffic, and train station just outside the city walls.
This means that, when you visit Avignon, you feel its human-sized, medieval character immediately through its winding, narrow, cobblestoned streets. (I adore it!)
The Ambiance and Mood in Avignon in Winter
Avignon has a lot happening, even in the winter season, though it doesn’t have the same bustle as Aix-en-Provence did when we visited during the same period. (It helps that Aix-en-Provence gets a lot of day tourists from the region, I think.)
A normally highly frequented tourist street in Avignon, tranquil in early March. Avignon, France. March 4, 2022.
You’ll find plenty to do and to see in Avignon if you visit in the winter, though you will find some stores, restaurants, and theaters closed and limited opening hours at many museums and tourist sites.
For this reason, you might want to wait until April (rather than going in February), if you’d like to have more of the restaurants, stores, and theaters open and active.
However, if your only option is to visit Avignon in the winter, go! You’ll find plenty to do and to see.
Planning Your Winter Visit to Avignon
Even with limited hours, you’ll find all the main tourist sites in Avignon open—and with far, far fewer crowds.
If you visit Avignon, you must see the Palais des Papes and the Pont Saint-Benezet (for more detail on what to expect with each, read my summer in Avignon post). With any remaining time, you can choose from the several different museums in the city that cover everything from art to natural history.
We enjoyed the Calvet Museum the best of the ones we had time to visit—and we hadn’t even had huge expectations for it. (We decided to visit because we had a few flexible hours between two activities and found it along our walking route.) The museum collection covers a range of completely disparate types of art across countries and timelines; every art lover will find something of interest. I particularly loved the rooms with Flemish art and the room with modern art paintings, which includes works from Soutine, Manet, Sisley, Bonnard, and more.
Otherwise, look beyond your guidebook with a visit to the Avignon tourist office. You can certainly get all the guidance you need here on the main tourist activities—yet you can also get information on all sorts of local events created for residents, too. I only accidentally discovered that the Avignon tourist office serves as a form of overall town cultural center when someone working there told me I needed to book something months in advance; when I said I would leave on Sunday, she looked surprised and said, “You’re not a local?”
For locals, the tourist office has brochures and printouts and calendars with all sorts of interesting lectures, presentations, theater productions, special exhibits, art gallery openings, and everything else—all activities you can enjoy even as a not-a-local. As most of what I discovered at the tourist office doesn’t show up on its web site, you do need to visit it in person to get the scoop. (Note: You’ll have the widest range of opportunities, especially in the winter season, if you speak French.)
Beyond museums, historical sites, and events for the locals, you’ll find guided tours still in operation even in winter, including tours via the tourist office and tours offered by private guides. Consider taking the gastronomic walking tour of old Avignon with Julien, if available; he regaled us with stories, conversation, and food and drink for a full Saturday morning.
And even in the off season, you’ll find cooking classes to take at La Mirande, a luxury hotel and restaurant in the center of town. We took a half-day class on how to make our own chocolate, learned enough to decide to try it for ourselves at home when we returned, and walked on chocolaty clouds for the rest of the day.
Finally, if you’d like a day trip in the region during your stay, you’ll find the Avignon train station right outside the city walls (walking distance from anywhere), and trains from there can take you throughout the region for day trips to nearby Arles, Nimes, and the Pont du Gard.
Winter Weather in Avignon
Weather-wise, you’ll find the Provence-blue skies in Avignon no matter the season—including in the winter. Further, unlike many cities in Europe in the winter, you won’t suffer much from rain or drizzle and you’ll benefit from generally mild temperatures.
Can you beat the Provençal blue skies? And this was in February! February 26, 2022. Avignon France.
However, as mentioned with Aix-en-Provence in the winter, the famous Provençal mistral wind doesn’t go away no matter the season, and its form during the October through March months blows in icy cold.
Though you could easily look at the weather forecast and think you don’t need a winter scarf and hat—or gloves—you will find otherwise when the mistral arrives. Bring layers!
Visit Avignon No Matter the Season
Arnaud worried that we’d get bored in Avignon in the winter. During its off season, every city gets a little quiet—and Avignon is a small city, by any measure.
Getting-bored verdict: Not for one minute!
No matter the season you visit Avignon, you’ll find plenty to see, do, and enjoy. (And to eat! Don’t miss my article about the best food in Avignon.)
P.S.—Happened upon this post during your research for where to go in Europe in the winter? Avignon is a great option, as are several other regions and cities. Read my article filled with ideas for European winter vacations!