Avignon

**Avignon** (; ) is a commune in southeastern France in the department of Vaucluse on the left bank of the Rhône river. It is the capital (prefecture) of the Vaucluse department.

The historical centre, which includes the Palais des Papes, the cathedral, and the Pont d'Avignon, became a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1995. The medieval monuments and the annual Festival d'Avignon have helped to make the town a major centre for tourism.

## Name

The earliest forms of the name were reported by the Greeks:

- Аὐενιὼν = _Auenion_
- Άουεννίων = _Aouennion_ (Ptolemy II, x).

The Roman name _Avennĭo Cavarum_ (Mela, II, 575, Pliny III, 36), i.e. "Avignon of Cavares" shows that Avignon was one of the three cities of the tribe of _Cavares_, along with _Cavaillon_ and _Orange_.

## History

Between 1309 and 1377, during the Avignon Papacy, seven successive popes lived in Avignon and in 1348 Pope Clement VI bought the town from Joanna I (; March 1328 – 27 July 1382) was Queen of Naples and Countess of Provence.

Papal control persisted until 1791 when, during the French Revolution, it became part of France.

## Geography

Avignon is on the left bank of the Rhône river, a few kilometres above its confluence with the Durance, about  southeast of Paris,  south of Lyon and  northwest of Marseille.

It has an area of  and its average altitude is ; at the city hall, the altitude is .

On the west Avignon shares a border with the department of Gard and to the south it borders the department of Bouches-du-Rhône.

Avignon is surrounded by the _communes_ Sorgues, Le Pontet, Vedène, Morières-lès-Avignon and Caumont-sur-Durance and the departments Bouches-du-Rhône (_communes_ of Noves, Châteaurenard, Rognonas and Barbentane) and Gard (_communes_ of Les Angles and Villeneuve-lès-Avignon).

The Rhône, the Durance (tributary of the Rhône) and the L'Anguillon (tributary of the Durance) are the rivers flow through the _commune_.

The Rhône passes the western edge of the city but is divided into two branches: the _Petit Rhône_ for the part that passes next to Avignon, and the _Grand Rhône_ for the western channel which passes Villeneuve-lès-Avignon in the Gard department. The two branches are separated by an island, the _Île de la Barthelasse_.

The Durance flows along the southern boundary of the _commune_ into the Rhône and marks the departmental boundary with Bouches-du-Rhône.

### Climate

The climate of Avignon, in the Köppen climate classification, is **Csa** - Oceanic climate with hot summers.

The average temperature for the year in Avignon is . The warmest month, on average, is July with an average temperature of . The coolest month on average is January, with an average temperature of .

The average amount of precipitation for the year in Avignon is . The month with the most precipitation on average is October with  of precipitation. The month with the least precipitation on average is January with an average of .

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## Population

The inhabitants of Avignon are known, in French, as _Avignonnais_ (women: _Avignonnaises_).

With a population of 92,209, Avignon has a population density of  inhabitants/km<sup>2</sup>.

**Evolution of the population in AvignonT**

### Rail

Avignon has three train stations: Gare d'Avignon Centre, Gare d'Avignon TGV and Gare d'Avignon-Montfavet.

## Administration

Avignon is the prefecture of the Vaucluse department since 1793. It is also the capital of the _arrondissement_ of Avignon and the administrative centre () of three cantons, all formed with part of the commune:
1. Avignon-1 : 30,134 inhabitants  <small>(2014)</small>
1. Avignon-2 : 34,426 inhabitants <small>(2014)</small>
1. Avignon-3 : 35,749 inhabitants (27,649 in Avignon and 8,100 in Morières-lès-Avignon) <small>(2014)</small>

It is part of the intercommunality _Grand Avignon_ ().

### Sister cities

Avignon is twinned with:
- Guanajuato (Mexico) since 1990.
- Ioannina (Greece) since 1984.
- New Haven (USA) since 1993.
- Siena (Italy) since 1981.
- Tarragona (Spain) since 1968.
- Wetzlar (Germany) since 1960.

## Places of interest

Some interesting places in Avignon are:
- The _Notre Dame des Doms_ cathedral (12th century).
- The _Palais des Papes_ ("Papal Palace") (14th century).
- The _Pont d'Avignon_ (the _Pont Saint-Bénézet_), a bridge best known for the famous French song _Sur le pont d'Avignon_.

## Related pages

- Avignon Papacy
- Arrondissement of Avignon
- Communes of the Vaucluse department

## Other websites

- Ville de Avignon - official website
- Avignon Tourist Office
- Avignon greater metropolitan area website
- Avignon theatre festival website

## Infobox (unesco world heritage site)

- **child**: yes
- **official name**: Historic Centre of Avignon: Palais des Papes, Papal Palace, Episcopal Ensemble and Pont Saint-Bénézet, Avignon Bridge
- **criteria**: Cultural: i, ii, iv
- **id**: 228
- **year**: 1995
- **area**: 8.2 ha


## Infobox (french commune)

- **name**: Avignon
- **commune status**: Prefectures of France, Prefecture and Communes of France, commune
- **image coat of arms**: Blason ville fr Avignon (Vaucluse).svg
- **time zone**: CET <small>(GMT +1)</small>
- **arrondissement**: Avignon
- **canton**: Canton of Avignon-1, Avignon-1, Canton of Avignon-2, Avignon-2, Canton of Avignon-3, Avignon-3
- **insee**: 84007
- **postal code**: 84000
- **mayor**: Cécile Helle (Socialist Party (France), PS)
- **term**: 2014–2020
- **intercommunality**: Communauté d'agglomération du Grand Avignon, CA Grand Avignon
- **elevation m**: 23
- **elevation min m**: 10
- **elevation max m**: 122
- **area km2**: 64.78
- **population**: 92130
- **population date**: 2015