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Logo Le Prieuré

7 Place du Chapitre
30400
Villeneuve-lès-Avignon

Restaurant La petite table Le Prieuré -Déjeuner Bistronomique

from 12:00 à 13:30

Weekly closure
on Tuesdays and Wednesdays

Restaurant Gastronomique Le Prieuré-Baumanière

from 19:30 to 21:15

Weekly closure
on Tuesdays in September
on Tuesdays and Wednesdays in October

Open
every lunchtime from June 16th to August 31st

Home > Villeneuve-les-Avignon

Villeneuve-les-Avignon

Our beautiful village

Villeneuve-lès-Avignon, a resort of popes and cardinals in the 14th century, offers its visitors an exceptional heritage. You will discover the Pontifical Charterhouse of Val de Bénédiction, the Tour Philippe Le Bel, Fort Saint-André, Saint-André Abbey and its gardens, the Collegiate Church Notre-Dame and its cloister, the cardinal palaces, not to mention the Pierre de Luxembourg Museum and its world-renowned masterpieces.

Markets, flea markets, exhibitions, shows, and festivals animate the city throughout the year, and many trails, on foot or by bike, lead hikers into the surrounding pristine nature. Villeneuve-lès-Avignon is just a stone's throw from Avignon and the must-see Palais des Papes and Pont Saint-Bénezet. Dubbed "daughter of the Rhône" or "city of the Popes," Avignon is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Our hotel Le Prieuré Baumanière offers you two walks. These walks are accessible to most of you, no need to be a great athlete. Depending on your pace, this tour of Villeneuve's monuments can easily be done in the morning, which is the most favorable time when the light enhances the landscapes, and the heat has not yet invaded the streets of our beautiful village.

The Cultural

Discovery of the monuments of Villeneuve

Villeneuve-lès-Avignon has a very rich history due to the presence of the Popes in the past. Thus, we offer you a cultural walk through the streets of our village.

Pass through the pedestrian gate of the Prieuré, you are on the place du chapitre, and there stands before you, majestic

The Collegiate Church Notre Dame built in the 14th century by Cardinal Arnaud de Via, nephew of Pope John XXII. The church houses numerous works of art, as well as a copy of the famous Pietà, the original of which is kept at the Louvre Museum.

After the visit, exit left from the church and cross the cloister attached to the north side of the Collegiate, an ideal and beautiful shortcut to reach the main street of our old center, rue de la République. You won’t walk more than 20 meters to find on your left the entrance to the museum.

The Pierre de Luxembourg Museum is housed in a magnificent mansion arranged in the 17th century in the former palace of Cardinal Ceccano. It holds the masterpiece by Enguerrand Quarton, The Coronation of the Virgin (1453), the famous Ivory Virgin (14th century), and presents a panorama of Provençal painting from the 16th to the 18th century: Simon de Châlons, Nicolas Mignard, Philippe de Champaigne, Reynaud Levieux…

Exiting the museum, facing you, the village square and its terraces invite you; why not indulge in a small coffee before continuing your walk? The climb to the fort, which is at the top left, will lead you directly to it.

The Fort Saint André, a symbol of the power of the King of France, consists of a fortified enclosure from the 14th century built to protect the Benedictine Abbey and the borough of Saint André, the cradle of Villeneuve. Within its walls, you will find The Gardens of The Abbey. These magnificent terraced gardens overlook the Rhône Valley and offer a splendid panorama of Avignon and the Palais des Papes. Allow 3 hours for the visit.

A break is in order. Time for lunch under the centuries-old trees of the Prieuré or by the pool.

The afternoon can be devoted to visiting the charterhouse, which is a 5-minute walk from the Prieuré, on rue de la République.

The Chartreuse is one of the largest houses of the Carthusian order in Europe with its church, its three cloisters, its frescoes painted by Matteo Giovannetti, its forty monk cells and their garden. The visit to the Chartreuse can take you 2 hours.

Sport, nature, and panorama

After breakfast on the terrace of the restaurant, you are ready and equipped to discover the treasures of Villeneuve.
This walk has a more sportive character as the terrain is a bit more rugged; it is suitable for everyone, whether you are a walker, a runner, or with family.

We are going to show you La Colline des Mourgues, a closed 8-hectare wooded domain, just steps from the Prieuré. o get there, exit through the pedestrian exit of the hotel and go up to the top of the street, on your left. Montolivet School stands in front of you.

This school complex was built in 1935 by the Deshommes municipality. The imposing Art Deco-style building, designed by the architect from Nîmes, Paul Chabert, was at the forefront of hygiene and comfort advancements. Symbol of modernity, the building was also a weapon resulting from the quarrel between public and private schools, which is why it is taller than the church steeple!

Turn left and pass through the gate of La Colline des Mourgues.

This place consists of landscaped paths dotted with oratories, picnic areas, and playgrounds for children as well as breathtaking viewpoints over the Palais des Papes, Avignon, the village, and the monuments of Villeneuve-lès-Avignon. The name “mourgues” comes from the Occitan word for “monk,” as the area was a former religious property. There are still some remnants of the hermitage where Father Crouzet-Lacombe, coming from the Chartreuse, took refuge during the Revolution. You can still see the tomb carved into the rock (but contrary to his last wish, the father is buried in the cemetery like everyone else). At the top, the small chapel of Notre-Dame de Consolation was restored in the early 2000s. nside, frescoes painted by an artist from Nîmes depict the wine ritual: the Last Supper, the Wedding at Cana, even a drunken Noah on his ark, and revelers dancing.
Finally, to evoke ancient Greece, further down the hill, the Théâtre de Verdure has been fitted with stone tiers and hosts outdoor shows in the summer. Note that the Hill is closed in the evening.

If you still have energy left then exit the Hill through the gate on the ascent to the Tour, turn right, and here it is, large, majestic, The Tour Philippe Le Bel.

It is a true sentinel at the entrance to the city, erected between 1292 and 1307 by order of Philippe le Bel, who was also concerned with keeping Avignon in check. Standing opposite, it controlled access to the Pont d’Avignon until the end of the 17th century. It consists of three floors with beautiful rib-vaulted rooms, and in the 15th century, a watchtower was added. From the top, there is an exceptional panorama of the Rhône.