Insider

Insider guides, hidden gems, and practical tips from locals who know the city inside out

Provence without a car: a local's honest guide

Can you really explore Provence without a car? Yes and no. A local resident's honest guide to what you can reach from Avignon by train, bus and bike - and what genuinely needs four wheels - so you plan the trip that actually fits how you want to travel.

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Is the Palais des Papes worth it?

The largest Gothic palace in Europe, seat of seven popes, and the defining landmark of Avignon. But is it actually worth your time and money inside? A local resident's honest, practical answer.

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Surviving the Festival d'Avignon: crowds, heat and getting around

The Festival turns Avignon into one of the most exhilarating small cities on earth - and one of the hottest and busiest. Here is a local's practical guide to staying cool, dodging the crush and moving around town, so you spend your energy on the shows, not the logistics.

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Festival OFF Avignon: 1,700 shows, how to choose and where to go

The Festival OFF throws about 1,700 shows at you across three weeks in July. Here is an honest, practical system for choosing what to see, where to go, and how to stay comfortable in the heat - even if, like us, you are not a die-hard festival-goer.

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Festival d'Avignon: the IN, the OFF, and which one is for you

There isn't one Festival d'Avignon - there are two, running side by side every July. Here is the honest difference between the IN and the OFF, and how to work out which experience is really for you, from someone who lives here.

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The Pont d'Avignon: why the famous bridge stops halfway

Everyone knows the song, but almost no one knows why the bridge on it simply stops in the middle of the Rhône. Here is the real story of the Pont Saint-Bénézet - the shepherd, the floods, and the song that got it wrong - plus an honest take on whether it is worth your ticket.

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