The Town In Southern France With A Fairytale Backdrop And Crowd-Free Shopping, Per Rick Steves

Although the region is best known for the chic beach towns of the French Riviera, the south of France is full of small charming towns like Avignon. Despite being thousands of years old, this town has a youthful attitude. Travel expert Rick Steves wrote about Avignon on his website, saying the place "looks and feels like the backdrop of a medieval fairy tale." The town is best known for the Palais des Papes, or the Papal Palace, the largest Gothic palace in the world. It was the temporary seat of the Roman Catholic papacy in the 14th century. However, Steves promises, "Avignon has plenty to offer beyond history."

Look past the scale of Avignon's medieval legacy and you will find a pedestrian-friendly center full of boutiques and wine bars in unexpected locations. That walkability and plentitude of small businesses and restaurants helps Avignon feel far smaller than it actually is. From Marseille, Avignon is only 40 minutes away by train, perfect if you're planning a day trip. The town also makes a good stop on a larger tour of Southern France that might take you through the lavender fields of Provence or the little-known corner of the Languedoc. In general, you don't need more than a half day to see the main sights of Avignon, but it's not a bad idea to stay the night and take your time to soak up the atmosphere and walk off the wine buzz.

The first thing on every visitor's to-do list in Avignon is to visit the Palace de les Papes, which seems like a fortress with its immense size and 10-foot-thick walls. The palace is open 365 days a year, but if you go on Sunday, admission is free. A full ticket will get you into the palace, bridge, and gardens, but you can also opt for a cheaper option if you only have time for one or two of the three. Any palace ticket also includes a HistoPad — a tablet-based digital guide — that uses augmented reality to depict the ancient rooms as they might have looked during their heydey. The palace has 25 rooms open to the public, including the Pope's chamber and private apartments where the nine popes who ruled from Avignon once resided. The gardens provide a lovely reprieve after touring the palace halls, with their flourishing meadows.

After perusing the palace, visitors shouldn't miss the Pont Saint-Bénézet, an architectural monument even older than the palace. Built in the 12th century, the bridge is well-known around France as being the subject of a popular nursery rhyme, but for tourists, it also offers one of the best views of the palatial skyline. Both the palace and bridge have been recognized by UNESCO, alongside the Avignon historic center, which is also well worth spending a few hours exploring.

Located on the Rhône River, Avignon is also a major destination for wine lovers as the home of the famous Châteauneuf-du-Pape, a delicious red blend that Wine Folly calls the gateway drug to French wine. Its name translates literally to "Pope's New Castle" which is a reference to the famous palace of Avignon. All the more reason to relax after your palace visit with a tasting at local wine bars like Vinotage, located on a floating barge, or pick up a few bottles at a boutique wine shop like Le Vin Devant Soi — just make sure you have the right wine luggage case when you fly home.

If you're looking for a bit more history, you can also visit the free museum of the Petit Palais, which houses a magnificent collection of medieval paintings inside a 14th-century palace. Or you can simply soak up the atmosphere of the enchanting Rue des Teinturiers, the "Street of the Waterwheels," which runs alongside one of the town's narrow waterways and once was the center of the textile industry. Explore Avignon on foot and you will stumble upon beautiful squares like the Place de l'Horloge. This main plaza is famous for its clock tower and is said to be one of the most beautiful squares in Europe.