TRAVELAvignon Has a Side Most People Never See8 min read

A Museum Inside an 18th-Century Mansion

The Musée Calvet occupies a well-preserved 18th-century mansion in Avignon’s historic center, and the building itself is part of the appeal. Elegant salons, ornate ceilings, and landscaped gardens frame a collection that spans from the Renaissance through the 20th century. The paintings and sculptures include works by Botticelli, Rembrandt, and Delacroix — not reproductions, but original pieces that rarely attract the crowds they would receive in Paris or Florence. Beyond the fine art, the museum holds archaeological artifacts including ancient Greek and Roman sculptures, pottery, and finds from the surrounding region. The combination of a genuinely distinguished collection and an unhurried visiting experience makes this one of the more underrated museums in southern France.

The Street Where Fabric Was Dyed for Centuries

Rue de Teinturiers translates as the Street of Dyers, and the name is accurate — this was once the center of Avignon’s textile dyeing industry, and the canal running alongside the street once powered the dyeing workshops. The waterwheels that remain along the canal are remnants of that working past, now surrounded by flowers and greenery rather than industrial activity. The street today is cobblestoned and lined with cafes, restaurants, and small boutiques. It runs along the canal with enough shade from overhanging trees to make it comfortable even in summer heat. In the evenings, the street becomes a gathering point for live music and outdoor dining, and the sound of water from the canal runs under the conversation at the tables. It is one of the more atmospheric corners of a city that has many.