If you’re arriving in Avignon by car, you’d better have a copilot. The ring-road outside the city walls is basically a giant roundabout and the street signs whizz by pretty fast when you’re trying to keep up with the locals.
The truth is, you absolutely don’t need a car while you’re in Avignon. Many of its streets are pedestrian-only and all the city’s main attractions are within the walls. The best thing to do is arrive by train, give yourself three days to take in the best of Avignon, then pick up a rental car to explore the rest of Provence.
If you do come by car, don’t bother trying to find parking in the lots around the walls. The spaces are tiny and fellow drivers aren’t opposed to scraping into the space next to you or giving your bumper a nudge on the way out. There are two large (and free) satellite lots with plenty of space, both offering free shuttle buses back to the city. Parking Les Italiens, just outside the walls is ideal if you’re coming from the A7 highway. Its shuttle bus will drop you off at Place Pie in the center of town. Parking Ile Piot is on an island west of the city. With 650 spaces, this is your best option during the crowded summer months. The shuttle will drop you off just outside the western walls, not far from Place de l’Horloge.
Useful French:
pedestrian street: rue piétonne
As published at PlanetEye
Filed under: Avignon, Europe, France, Provence, Travel, Vaucluse | Tagged: Avignon, car, Europe, France, french, local expert, parking, Provence, Travel, travel advice, travel tips, travel trips, Vaucluse
