Clocher des Augustins

The Clocher des Augustins is a standalone 14th-century stone bell tower located on Rue de la Carreterie. Built between 1372 and 1377, it is the only remaining structure of what was once a large Augustinian convent.

This tower is historically significant as a survivor of Avignon's turbulent past. While the rest of the expansive religious complex was destroyed or repurposed over the centuries, particularly during the French Revolution, the bell tower was left standing as a solitary monument to the city's medieval monastic history.

When walking down the busy Rue de la Carreterie today, the tower suddenly appears above the rooftops, crowned by a delicate wrought-iron campanile. Its most striking feature, however, is immediately obvious to anyone standing at its base: the entire structure leans noticeably to one side.

This lean is not an architectural illusion but a permanent scar from a massive seismic event. The tower has remained permanently tilted ever since the devastating Provence earthquake of 1909, earning it the nickname of Avignon's very own "leaning tower."