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Palais des Papes (Popes’ Palace) Description: The imposing Palais des Papes towers over Avignon, a symbol of the time when the Provençal city was the centre of the Christian world, after the papacy was moved here from Rome in 1309, due to a schism within the Church. The palace was commissioned by Pope Clement VI, who decided that the existing building was unworthy of his prestige. Although the papacy moved back to Rome in 1377, Avignon remained the property of the Holy See and the palace was used to house papal legates and Italian vice-legates, and also to house Avignon’s two rival popes during the Great Schism between 1378-1417. Various popes added to the buildings during the Middle Ages, creating the largest Gothic palace in Europe, and today visitors can enter 25 of the rooms. Although the ransacking of the palace by the French National Assembly in 1791 left many of the rooms rather empty, some of the original frescoes remain, including those painted by Italian artist Matteo Giovanetti in the Great Audience Room. One part of the palace not to be missed is the Great Chapel, also built by Clement VI, which is more like a cathedral than a chapel in terms of size. The palace also gave its name to the famous Châteauneuf-du-Pape wine, and regular tastings are held in a new wine store located in the heart of the palace. Contact Addresses: Palais des Papes, RMG – 6 rue Pente Rapide Charles Ansidéi, BP 149, 84008 Avignon, Cedex 1, France Tel: (04) 9027 5074. Fax: (04) 9027 5058. E-mail: monument@palais-des-papes.com Website: www.palais-des-papes.com Transportation: Air: Marseille-Provence Airport. Rail: Train: High-speed TGV services to Avignon (from Paris Gare de Lyon, Montpellier, Barcelona and Lyon). Road: Car: A7 or A9 (from Lyon, Marseille and Nîmes). Opening Times: Daily 0930-1745 (2 Nov-31 Mar); daily 0900-1900 (1 Apr-31 May); daily 0900-2100 (1-31 Jul); daily 0900-2000 (1 Aug-30 Sep). Last tickets sold one hour before closing. Admission Fees: EUR7.5/FFr49 (adult), EUR6/FFr39 (child 8-18), free (child under 8) (1 Nov-14 Mar); EUR9.5/FFr62 (adult), EUR7.5/FFr49 (child 8-18), free (child under 8) (15 Mar-31 Oct). 
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