A getaway to Avignon - the destination by the bridge

Welcome to Avignon - UNESCO World Heritage site in the enchanting south east of France! Travellers to Avignon what ever reason they have come for will be pleased by the sight of the bridge from the song. Sitting astride the resplendent River Rhone is the bridge from the childhood song ‘sur le pont d’Avignon’. The River Rhone, one of the main rivers through France is always active with water traffic of all descriptions. Why not take a nice cruise over the Rhone and hear about the background of the city from this unique viewpoint? If taking into consideration the different modes of transport to Avignon you will find yourself spoiled for choice. You can fly to Avignon-Caumont Airport (just 8 kilometres from the centre of town) or possibly take the train to the Gare d’Avignon-Centre SNCF not to be mistaken for the rail link on the outskirts of the town known as the Gare d’Avignon TGV served by the high speed LGV Mediterranee. Getting around within the city is equally as efficient as progressing to the city from a number of destinations. Discover 23 bus services, an efficient bicycling path and soon to be better still with a pair of tram lines planned for 2016. Avignon is absolutely into its cycling promotion offering a bicycle- sharing program called the ‘velopop’. It’s Festival time! No greater time to visit Avignon in our opinion! There’s been a festival on here since 1947 so they really are excellent at it getting a whopping 100 000 people descending upon it each and every year. If you’re in to a light-hearted kind of festival with a lot of laughs you’d probably like the ‘Festival Off’ - a bohemian showcase of local arts and culture. For a more formal approach to your festival activities you would possibly opt to attend the rather prestigious ‘Festival In’. Its nice to get a choice when festival-going, isn’t it? With so much to enjoy around Avignon where do you begin? A good way to get those bearings in Avignon would be to commence with the Rue de la République an historic main street that extends back to 1852. Whilst experiencing and enjoying the sights here, seek out the imposing Place de l’Horloge located within Central Square and perhaps book up for a show in the nearby theatre district. Next head across to the Quartier de la Balance for its range of listed buildings - saved in the renovations of 1960. Dwarfing the cathedral is the sensational fourteenth century Papal Palace (Palais des Papes) - a ‘must see’ for all history enthusiasts. Many of you will have heard about the ramparts of Avignon. Surrounded by walls that had been built by the popes within the 14th century, Avignon’s ramparts (consisting of thirty-nine towers) which some say are the best examples in the world of medieval fortification. The museums of Avignon are top notch such as the Calvet Museum, the Lambert Collection and The Musee du Petit Palais. The Calvet comprises an extraordinary assortment of private painting and metalwork previously owned by the doctor, Esprit Calvet. The Lambert collection comprises contemporary works whilst you can look at paintings from the Avignon School renaissance paintings in the Musee du Petit Palais. Some of the best name museums to visit in Avignon are the Angladon, the Lapidaire, the Requien and the Louis-Vouland. Having visited all the top tourist destinations in Avignon, it's highly unlikely that you would not have experienced the eateries of Place Pie (next to the Place l’Horloge) as well as the impressive indoor market of Les Halles. Why visit Avignon? Again and again we sang “Sur le pont d’Avignon” (on the bridge of Avignon) in school. A lot of us wondered when we would ever look at it so whilst here, so why don't you make your dreams a reality!