Avignon is the capital of the Vaucluse département. It is situated on the left bank of the Rhône, a few miles above its confluence with the Durance, about 580 km (360 m.) south-south-east of Paris.
FACTS AND FIGURES
- Population: 86,000
- It is a farm market with a wine trade and a great variety of manufactures
- A famous theater festival, is held annually in Avignon. Founded in 1947, the Avignon Festival comprises both traditional theatrical events and other art forms such as dance, music and cinema, making good use of the town's historical monuments. Taking place every summer, approximately 100,000 people attend
- Is subject to violent winds, of which the strongest is the mistral
SIGHTS AND ATTRACTIONS
- The unmistakable Palace of the Popes was the palace for the popes when, in the 14th-century
- Extending out from the ramparts is the 12th-century bridge mentioned in the song 'Sur le pont d'Avignon': Pont St-Bénézet abruptly ends in the middle of the Rhone River
- Roman monuments are UNESCO World Heritage Site
- Well-preserved Roman theater (statue of Augustus decorated stage wall) and Roman Triumphal Arch
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