🇫🇷 Avignon, France
Au coeur d’Avignon
📍 9, Rue du Collège d'Annecy, Avignon, 84000
Photo: official website
Your stay — Au coeur d’Avignon
Live forecast for your dates · what's on · air quality & pollen📅 Pick your check-in & check-out above to unlock your day-by-day forecast, what's on during your stay, and live air quality & pollen for Avignon.
The Property — Au coeur d’Avignon
Tucked behind Place Pie on a quiet street in the historic core, this three-star is a converted 18th-century townhouse with stone walls, exposed beams, and a small courtyard garden where breakfast is served in warm weather. The lobby feels more like a family sitting room than a hotel desk, all worn tiles and soft light. It suits independent travellers who want a central base with genuine character rather than polished uniformity, and who don't mind a basic bathroom in exchange for having the Palais des Papes a five-minute walk away.
Chronicles of Avignon
Avignon was a modest Roman settlement until the 14th century, when Pope Clement V moved the papal court here to escape Rome's political chaos. Seven successive popes built the vast Palais des Papes, turning Avignon into a capital of Christendom and a centre of art and banking. After the papacy returned to Rome in 1377, the city settled into a quieter role as a regional capital, preserving its fortified ramparts and medieval streets. Today it thrives on tourism, hosting the largest theatre festival in Europe each July, and its historic centre is a UNESCO World Heritage site. Contemporary Avignon balances its papal past with a lively café culture and a growing reputation for contemporary art galleries.
Best Time to Visit
Full Avignon guide →Best months
April to June and September to October: warm but not blistering, and the famous Mistral wind is less persistent. Crowds are moderate and hotel rates are around 30-40% lower than July.
Peak / festival surge
July is the absolute peak, driven by the Festival d'Avignon (theatre) and the Off festival, which together pull in hundreds of thousands. Hotel prices triple, advance booking is essential, and the city centre turns into a non-stop performance zone from dawn past midnight.
Budget shoulder season
Late September and early October: child-free, still sunny enough for terrace sitting, and hotel rates drop sharply after the festival ends. The major sights are walkable without queueing.
Weather & packing
Avignon sits in a rain shadow between the Alps and the Mediterranean, so summer days are reliably hot and dry, but the Mistral can whip up suddenly, dropping temperatures by 10°C in an hour. Explicit packing rule: bring one long-sleeve layer and a light windproof jacket, even in July.
Live City Briefing — Avignon
- The pedestrianisation of Rue de la République has been expanded, so cars are now banned from the main shopping axis between the Place de l'Horloge and the train station until 10pm daily.
- A new fast-food-free business zone along the Rhône riverbank is set to open in early 2026, with pop-up art installations and a permanent ferry stop linking to the new Musée des Alpilles.
- The Festival d'Avignon 2026 programme has already been announced; expect the usual street closures and noise curfews (midnight), but also free preview performances on the Place du Palais on 5 July.
Your Perfect Room
✨ AI-generated · Jul 2026Before you check in to Au coeur d’Avignon, here's what to know about choosing the right room.
Best rooms to request
Request a room on the 3rd floor or higher, facing the inner courtyard (cour intérieure) to minimise street noise from Rue du Collège d'Annecy, a narrow but busy one-way lane in the old town.
Rooms to avoid
Avoid rooms on the 1st floor at the front (street side) — direct exposure to foot traffic, delivery vans, and early morning bin collections. Also avoid rooms immediately next to the lift shaft (likely noted on booking sites as 'near lift') for mechanical hum.
Best views
The best view is of the Palais des Papes or rooftops of the old town from upper-floor, rear-facing rooms. Lower front rooms face only the narrow street and opposite stone walls.
Quietest floors
Floors 3 and 4 (reached by the small lift) are quietest: set back from street level and above general pedestrian hubbub.
🔊 Noise notes
Rue du Collège d'Annecy is a narrow medieval street with a high pedestrian traffic flow to Place de l'Horloge. Expect street noise from cafés, scooters, and market delivery trucks until late evening (especially during festival weeks). No double glazing — typical Provençal wooden shutters are the only barrier.
Insider tips
1. For a quieter stay, request a 'chambre côté cour' at booking — courtyard-facing rooms are significantly calmer. 2. The hotel has no parking on-site; use the Indigo Palais des Papes car park (5-min walk). Arrive by taxi: the street is pedestrian-only for private cars after 10am.
- Call the hotel directly 24–48 hours before arrival and ask for a specific room type
- Add a note in your booking comments field
- Ask at check-in — front desk staff can often accommodate if a room is available
Hotel Facilities — Au coeur d’Avignon
Free Wi-Fi throughout the hotel, standard speed sufficient for browsing and email; no login required.
No lift; all rooms accessed via stairs (3 floors). No stairs-only historic section.
No complimentary newspapers or digital newsstand. The building is a converted 18th-century private mansion with original stone staircase and vaulted ceilings.
Check-in from 14:00 to 20:00; late arrivals by prior arrangement. Early bag drop available. Late check-out until 12:00 costs €20.
Free luggage storage on arrival and after checkout
No wheelchair access; steps at entrance and no lift. Not suitable for guests with limited mobility.
No on-site parking. Nearest public car park: Parking Jean Jaurès, 2 Rue Jean Jaurès, €22 per 24 hours. No EV charging.
Fees, Taxes & Deposits
City / tourist tax: €2.30 per person per night
Deposit & card hold: No advance deposit required; credit card imprint for incidentals taken at check-in
Faith & Dietary Nearby
- Church: Chapelle de l'Immaculée Conception (171 m · ~2 min walk)
- Church: Chapelle Notre-Dame-de-conversion (216 m · ~3 min walk)
- Synagogue: Synagogue (279 m · ~3 min walk)
- Church: Église Saint-Symphorien-les-Carmes (296 m · ~4 min walk)
Local Lifestyle & Recreation
Jardin des Carmes — 334 m · ~4 min walk
Musée Bains Pommer — 324 m · ~4 min walk
Condition des soies — 75 m · ~1 min walk
Jardins Urbain V — 336 m · ~4 min walk
5-Minute Radius Essentials
Nearest — 120 m · ~2 min walk
Pharmacie Desneuf — 73 m · ~1 min walk
Italia market — 37 m · ~1 min walk
Bac du Rocher des Doms — 711 m · ~9 min walk
Money & Currency
Get a travel card →Euro, EUR
Use ATMs inside major bank branches for best rates; avoid exchange bureaux at Avignon TGV station and tourist offices which give poor rates.
Visa and Mastercard are widely accepted in shops, restaurants, and hotels; contactless works for payments under €50; smaller markets and cafés often require cash.
No mandatory tipping; rounding up the bill or leaving small change (€1-2) for good service is appreciated but not expected.
Eat, Shop & Travel on a Budget
Cheap car hire →Espresso at a counter bar: about €1.20–€1.50; sitting at a table can double the price.
Formule du jour (fixed lunch menu) at a bistro or café: around €13–€16, often includes starter, main, and drink.
Simple main course like a pizza or plat du jour in a neighbourhood bistro: about €12–€15.
Rue des Teinturiers and the covered market Les Halles have cheap savoury crêpes, socca, and sandwiches for €5–€8.
Carrefour City, Intermarché Express, and Lidl are the common budget supermarkets within the city walls.
Affordable high-street chains like H&M and Zara are in the centre; a Thursday morning market at Place Pie sells second-hand clothes.
Single bus ticket €1.30; day pass (Ticket Liberté) €5; cheapest from Avignon TGV station is the navette shuttle bus for €1.30.
Eat lunch at a market stall rather than a restaurant; buy a museum multi-pass (Avignon Pass) if visiting several sites; fill a water bottle at public fountains instead of buying bottled water.
Good to know — Avignon
Type C/E · 230V
safe
$1 ≈ €0.88 · EUR
Where to Eat
Book a table →💡 Booking tip: For popular restaurants in Avignon, book at least a week ahead — especially for weekend evenings and during festival season.
Your arrival at Au coeur d’Avignon
🕒 Check-in is from . Arriving earlier? Most hotels store luggage free — just ask at reception.
🧭 First things nearby: cash · Nearest — 120 m · ~2 min walk — pharmacy · Pharmacie Desneuf — 73 m · ~1 min walk
🚐 Pre-book an airport transfer →Getting Around
Find train tickets →Marseille Saint-Charles Station → Avignon TGV Station
💡 Buy tickets on SNCF Connect app for 20% discount. From Avignon TGV, take bus line L'En Train Citéa #10 to Gare Centre (€1.30, 10 mins); Maison Boussingault is a 5-minute walk.
Marseille Provence Airport Bus Stop → Avignon Central Bus Station
💡 Lehmann bus direct service – book online to guarantee seat. The bus drops near Avignon Centre, then it's a 10-min walk to the hotel. Avoid if you have more than one large suitcase (limited luggage space).
Avignon Central Station (Gare Centre) → Maison Boussingault
💡 If arriving by regional TER train, grab a taxi outside the station – the hotel is only 600m uphill, so worth €8 if you have luggage. Otherwise walk: exit station, head left up Rue de la République, then Rue Monclar.
Marseille Provence Airport (MRS) → Maison Boussingault, Avignon
💡 Pre-book a fixed-price taxi via Allo Taxi Avignon to avoid surge pricing. The drive uses the A7 toll road; tariff includes luggage.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the best rooms at Au coeur d’Avignon?
Request a room on the 3rd floor or higher, facing the inner courtyard (cour intérieure) to minimise street noise from Rue du Collège d'Annecy, a narrow but busy one-way lane in the old town.
Which rooms should I avoid at Au coeur d’Avignon?
Avoid rooms on the 1st floor at the front (street side) — direct exposure to foot traffic, delivery vans, and early morning bin collections. Also avoid rooms immediately next to the lift shaft (likely noted on booking sites as 'near lift') for mechanical hum.
Is Au coeur d’Avignon noisy?
Rue du Collège d'Annecy is a narrow medieval street with a high pedestrian traffic flow to Place de l'Horloge. Expect street noise from cafés, scooters, and market delivery trucks until late evening (especially during festival weeks). No double glazing — typical Provençal wooden shutters are the only barrier.
Which rooms have the best views at Au coeur d’Avignon?
The best view is of the Palais des Papes or rooftops of the old town from upper-floor, rear-facing rooms. Lower front rooms face only the narrow street and opposite stone walls.
What are insider tips for staying at Au coeur d’Avignon?
1. For a quieter stay, request a 'chambre côté cour' at booking — courtyard-facing rooms are significantly calmer. 2. The hotel has no parking on-site; use the Indigo Palais des Papes car park (5-min walk). Arrive by taxi: the street is pedestrian-only for private cars after 10am.
What time is check-in at Au coeur d’Avignon?
Check-in at Au coeur d’Avignon is from null. Check-out is by null.
Does Au coeur d’Avignon have Wi-Fi?
Free Wi-Fi throughout the hotel, standard speed sufficient for browsing and email; no login required.
Is there a city or tourist tax at Au coeur d’Avignon?
€2.30 per person per night
Where can I eat cheaply near Au coeur d’Avignon?
Formule du jour (fixed lunch menu) at a bistro or café: around €13–€16, often includes starter, main, and drink.
What is the cheapest way to get around from Au coeur d’Avignon?
Single bus ticket €1.30; day pass (Ticket Liberté) €5; cheapest from Avignon TGV station is the navette shuttle bus for €1.30.
When is the best time to visit Avignon?
April to June and September to October: warm but not blistering, and the famous Mistral wind is less persistent. Crowds are moderate and hotel rates are around 30-40% lower than July.
Top Attractions in Avignon
💡 Bring a picnic and sit on the low stone wall at the northern edge around 6pm for the golden hour light hitting the palace. The park has public toilets and a small café with affordable drinks.
💡 Go between 9am and 11am for the best selection. Bring cash—some stalls don't take cards. Stand at La Petite Cuisine for a €5 glass of rosé to enjoy while browsing. Saturday mornings have the largest selection.
💡 Go on the first Sunday of the month when all exhibitions are free, or check the website for occasional free guided tours in English. Don't miss the courtyard garden—quiet, cool, and rarely crowded.
💡 Enter the gardens via the ramp behind the palace, not the main tourist steps. Go at sunset for fewer crowds and the best light.
💡 Skip the paid walkway and instead go to the Île de la Barthélasse for the best free photo angle: the bridge framed by foliage and water. Check low tide times for riverbed access.