Avignon is situated on the left bank of the Rhône, in the Vaucluse département, about 580 km (360 miles) south-south-east of Paris, and 85 km (55 miles ) north-north-west of Marseille. Its coordinates are 43°57′N 4°50′E.

Avignon and its Popes

In 1309 the city was chosen by Pope Clement V as his residence when the city and the surrounding Comtat Venaissin were ruled by the kings of Sicily from the house of Anjou, and from 9 March 1309 till 13 January 1377 was the seat of the Papacy instead of Eternal Rome. French King Philip the Fair, who had inherited from his father all the rights of Alphonse de Poitiers, the last Count of Toulouse, made them over to Charles II, King of Naples and Count of Provence (1290). On the strength of this donation Queen Joanna I of Sicily, as countess of Provence, sold the city to Clement VI for 80,000 florins (9 June, 1348) and, though it was later the seat of more than one antipope, Avignon belonged to the Papacy until 1791, when, during the disorder of the French Revolution, it was reincorporated with France.

Miscellaneous

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. There are really two fesitvals that take place: the more formal Festival In, which presents plays inside the Palace of the Popes and the more bohemian Festival Off, which is known for its presentation of largely undiscovered plays and street performances.

Avignon is commemorated by the French children's song, "Sur le pont d'Avignon" ("On the bridge of Avignon"), which describes folk dancing. The bridge of the song is the Saint Bénezet bridge, over the Rhône River, of which only four arches (out of the initial 22) starting from Avignon side remain. In fact people would have danced beneath the bridge (sous le pont) where it crossed an island (Ile de Barthelasse) on its way to Villeneuve-lès-Avignon. The bridge was initially built between 1171 and 1185, with an original length of some 900 m (2950 ft), but it suffered frequent collapses during floods and had to be reconstructed several times. Several arches were already missing (and spanned by wooden sections) before the remainder was damaged beyond repair in 1660.

The International Congress Center

was created in 1976 within the outstanding premises of the Palace of the Popes and hosts many events throughout the entire year. The Congress Center, designed for conventions, seminars, and meetings for 10 to 550 persons, now occupies two wings of the Popes’ Palace.