Avignon: the finest hotels and guest houses

The best hotels in Avignon (and Villeneuve-lès-Avignon)

1. Le Prieuré Baumanière, Villeneuve-lès-Avignon

On the other side of the Rhône, just a 5-minute drive from Avignon, this former 14th-century cloister is located right in the center of a charming village. Renovated into a 5-star member of Relais & Châteaux by the owners of the legendary Domaine de Baumanière in Les Baux-de-Provence, the establishment offers a restful setting and meticulous, modern decor, the very epitome of French art de vivre.

In the thirty-six rooms, including nine junior suites and four suites at Le Prieuré Baumanière, Geneviève Charial takes great care with the décor. She finely blends contemporary furnishings with original stonework, giving each room its own personality. Whether you're lucky enough to stay in the suite once occupied by Jeanne Moreau or in those overlooking the splendid inner courtyard, the charm works in the same way.

Outside, you'll stroll through a lushly planted courtyard, lined with plane trees, wisteria and century-old lime trees, before taking a dip in the pool where the former priest's pool once stood. A true country hotel in the city.

Good to know? This Avignon hotel with swimming pool is home to one of the region's leading Michelin-starred restaurants, where you can sample the precise, gourmet, Michelin-starred land-sea cuisine of charismatic chef Christophe Chiavola. Two options are available: the Prieuré's small table for lunch and the gourmet restaurant for dinner. Le Prieuré Baumanière has also been awarded a Michelin star in the hotel ranking of the famous Guide Rouge.

Le Prieuré Baumanière
From €235 per night in a classic double room.
7 Place du Chapitre, 30400 Villeneuve-lès-Avignon

2. La Mirande, Avignon

A stone's throw from the Palais des Papes, behind a baroque façade, lies an address still frequented today by the intelligentsia of the arts and entertainment world when the festival is in full swing. Built at the dawn of the 14th-century and fully restored in 1990 to become a 5-star hotel, La Mirande borrows from the décor of a bourgeois house from the Age of Enlightenment. The period engravings and paintings that adorn the walls, the authentic moldings, the cut-glass chandeliers and the antique furnishings are an instant reminder of 3 centuries ago.

King Deluxe room at La Mirande © Christophe Bielsa

While each room has a sweet whiff of scandal - Jacques Rivette filmed his "Religieuse" here in the 1960s - the 26 rooms and the grand suite cultivate a romantic atmosphere tinged with exoticism, with French tapestries in Indian and Asian motifs re-edited by leading houses, vintage parquet flooring, Belle Époque marble bathrooms.. For sustenance, choose between Le Restaurant gastronomique étoilé, where chef Florent Pietravalle officiates, Le Bistrot de Florent, a bistronomic alternative, Le Mirage, an organic tavern, or La Table Haute in the former kitchens.

A disciple of Pierre Gagnaire, and having worked in the kitchens of Joël Robuchon and Jean-Luc Rabanel, the young chef has made the cold rooms and ovens of La Mirande the ideal setting for his culinary experiments. While he favors short circuits and local produce to sublimate the flavors of Provencal gastronomy, Florent Pietravalle's abundant creativity is already making La Mirande one of the most innovative and creative restaurants in France. With products sourced within a 150 km radius, a zero-waste approach and the use of all parts of exceptional products (fish bones dried and infused into sauces), aromatic herbs grown on the roof and mushrooms growing in the cellar on kitchen compost, this commitment to sustainable gastronomy has been rewarded by the Michelin Guide with a green star in 2021.

A sharp, cutting-edge cuisine, with flavors firmly rooted in modernity, creating a striking contrast with the splendor of the premises. For its creative, gourmet cuisine, its romantic 5-star hotel and the history of its magnificent walls, La Mirande is unquestionably our favorite in the city of the Popes, and we can say without blushing that it's one of the most beautiful hotels in the Vaucluse.

What makes the difference? All the comforts of modern life without detracting from the soul of the place, like these flat screens hidden in... mirrors!

La Mirande
From €619 per night in a classic double room.
4 Place de l'Amirande, 84000 Avignon

3. Hôtel de Cambis, Avignon

Once the home of the Chevaliers de Cambis d'Orsan, Florentine-born noblemen who left their mark on the region's history, this 17th-century property has been transformed into a place of hospitality for aesthetes and travelers alike. Under the creative vision of artist and designer Julie Gauthron, Hôtel de Cambis embraces a concept fusing art and wine, reflecting the very essence of the Côtes du Rhône region. Rooms and communal spaces are imbued with this temporal duality, with etchings recalling the past and neon artwork evoking modernity. The 41 rooms and suites captivate with their elegance and bespoke comfort.

This hotel in Avignon features a wine bar, L'Orsan, showcasing the region's viticultural treasures, as well as a stunningly beautiful breakfast and reception room. Ideally located inside Avignon's ramparts, close to the main cultural attractions, Hôtel de Cambis promises an authentic and refined experience for travelers in search of charm and art.

Hôtel De Cambis
41 keys, from 170€ per night.
89 Rue Vernet, 84000 Avignon

4. Hôtel d'Europe

With its elegant 16th-century façade and ideal location in the heart of the historic center, the Hôtel d'Europe embodies the nobility of Avignon's heritage. Just a five-minute walk from the Palais des Papes and 50 metres from the exit of the ramparts, this grande dame of the city stands out for its refinement and antique furnishings inherited from the former home of the Marquis de Graveson. An ideal address for a seminar in the heart of Provence, the 39-room and 5-suite establishment also houses La Vieille Fontaine, its Michelin-starred restaurant, where chef Pascal Auger sublimates local produce with finesse and creativity. One of France's oldest hotels.

Hôtel d'Europe
44 keys, from 297 euros per night
12 Place Crillon, 84000 Avignon

Avignon's most beautiful houses and B&Bs

5. La Divine Comédie, Avignon

In this magnificent private mansion hidden in the middle of a 2,600 m² garden in the heart of Avignon's city center, you'll enjoy the confidential charm of a residence decorated by two art enthusiasts, where antique furniture, moldings, stone floors, warm colors and touches of contemporary design come together. Upstairs, once you've climbed the impressive central staircase, you'll need to get in early to reserve one of the 5 vast suites with names evocative of travel and literature: Venise, Naples, Aphrodite, Consul and Anatole. Outside, you'll find a beautiful orangery under a glass roof where you can admire an Aubusson tapestry, a garden planted with over 100 different species of trees, a long, secluded swimming pool and a spa with a view of the Palais des Papes lit by candles.

What makes the difference? On the first floor, everything has been designed as a tribute to art in all its forms, with lounges and a winter garden where you can admire a collection of works from the 17th to the 20th-centuries, enriched by a library also entirely dedicated to objets d'art.

La Divine Comédie
From 480€ per night in a suite.
16 Impasse Jean Pierre Gras, 84000 Avignon

6. Les Jardins de Baracane, Avignon

Just a stone's throw from the Place des Corps Saints, a world away from the hustle and bustle of the Palais des Papes, this large 17th-century family home surrounded by a luxuriant garden could almost be mistaken for a riad... in Provence! Around a central staircase, three rooms and two suites are spread out over the floors, each with a charmingly old-fashioned feel - with terracotta floors, terracotta tiles, old beams and country-style bourgeois furniture - and names that take you far away, such as Majorelle, Alhambra, Monet... In the morning, breakfast is served in the shade of the arbour, listening to the lapping of the pond.

Good to know ? All rooms are south-facing, so you can soak up the light from morning to night.

Les Jardins de Baracane
From €200 per night in a classic double room.
12 Rue Baracane, 84000 Avignon

7. Mas Château Blanc Guest House, Avignon

This authentic stone building on Barthelasse Island (a 10-minute drive from the center of Avignon) offers the peace and quiet of a country house away from the hordes of tourists. Nestled in a one-hectare park planted with multi-centenary trees and other local fruit trees, the mas houses five suites with Provençal decor, but with a great deal of taste and sobriety: exposed stonework, whitewashed walls, terracotta floors, natural linen and percale bed linen... On the first floor, there's a large room where you can read or play chess by the fireplace.

What makes the difference? The vast outdoor saltwater pool, ideal for escaping the summer torpor.

Mas Château Blanc
From €275 per night in a classic double room.
1410 Chemin des Pêchers, 84000 Avignon

Near Avignon

8. Après la Sieste, Saint-Laurent-des-Arbres

Just 20 minutes from Avignon, in the listed medieval village of Saint-Laurent-des-Arbres, you'll find this 19th-century guest house with its typical Cévennes architecture. The 6 rooms are decorated in a zen, minimalist style: warm colors, parquet floors, waxed concrete, natural materials... Outside, you can relax in a hammock in the shade of the trees, admiring the beautiful hundred-year-old olive tree in the courtyard, before diving into the pool to the sound of cicadas. Sports enthusiasts can enjoy a game of tennis on one of the free-access courts a few hundred meters away (reservation required), before treating themselves to an Ayurvedic massage with essential oils. Special mention must be made of the hearty breakfast, featuring homemade products.

Good to know? Some rooms are equipped with a kitchen area and terrace, while families or groups of friends can opt for the superb adjoining 4-person gîte.

Après la sieste
From €137 per night in a classic double room.
358 Rue Alexis Martin, 30126 Saint-Laurent-des-Arbres

10. Coucoo Grands Cépages, Sorgues

No one would suspect that in the heart of the Châteauneuf-du-Pape vineyards, just 20 minutes from the center of Avignon, lie some twenty luxury wilderness cabins, brought together on the eco-responsible Coucoo Grands Cépages site. On stilts or floating on Lac de la Lionne, each of these wooden nests resembles a work of land art, with minimalist Scandinavian decor: floor-to-ceiling panelling, light wood furniture, omnipresent light... The ideal place to cut yourself off from the world, unless you're looking for a little company by the infinity pool, overlooking acres of vineyards.

Good to know? In 2020, the estate inaugurated 5 new duo cabins with private heated Nordic baths.

Coucoo Grands Cépages
From 180€ per night in a duo cabin.
2061 Chemin des Pompes, 84700 Sorgues
https://www.cabanesdesgrandscepages.com/