I recently spent the summer in the South of France, and I understand the challenges of planning an itinerary in this area. Choosing a city to use as your home base as you explore Provence can be confusing, although I know that for many travelers it comes down to a choice between Avignon or Aix-en-Provence.
In this guide I will cover the advantages and disadvantages of both Avignon and Aix-en-Provence, so that you can make an informed decision about which city to use as your base when you’re in Provence. I will also connect you with some of my travel guides for the region, where you can read in detail about the best hotels, activities and day trips from the two cities.
Comparing Avignon and Aix-en-Provence
I spent a full week in Avignon and then spent the next three nights in Aix-en-Provence. I’ll be drawing on my experiences as a solo traveler on a moderate budget when I compare the experience of staying these two cities in Provence.
Advantages of Staying in Avignon
Avignon Has Better Train & Bus Connections
From Avignon, it’s easy to take day trips all around Provence. I have a list of ten day trips from Avignon that you can do via public transportation (no rental car required). You can base yourself in Avignon and still explore the charming small towns and cities of Provence, quickly and without spending too much money. Some of my favorite memories of France are from places I visited for the day from Avignon.
Note: Avignon has two main train stations. Avignon-TGV is the station for high-speed trains. Located five kilometers south of the city center, it is connected to the center by a regional train that runs every 30 minutes or so. The train station I preferred to use was Avignon-Centre, which is just steps away from the walled historic center. For many travelers it will be faster to book a slower train directly to Avignon-Centre, rather than get a fast train to Avignon-TGV but then have to wait for the connecting train.
There Are More Things to Do in Avignon
Avignon has lots of different attractions, sights and activities to keep you busy during your stay. I compiled a list of the 20 best things to do in Avignon, ranging from the obvious (the bridge and the Palace of Popes) to the lesser-known (like a very cool contemporary art museum and a hidden street with ancient wooden waterwheels). You can easily spend several days in Avignon actually doing things – not just “walking around and getting lost in the cobblestone streets”.
Avignon is More Affordable
Being the larger of the two cities (in terms of metropolitan area population), Avignon presents more options at every price point, including accommodation, restaurants, shops and services for travelers on a budget. I paid less to rent a spacious one-bedroom apartment with its own terrace here than I did for a tiny “microstudio” in Aix-en-Provence.
Avignon is On the River
Avignon’s pretty riverfront promenade gave the city its famous bridge, but that’s not its only benefit. The green space is perfect for active travelers who want to get in some jogging or cycling during their stay, and it’s also ideal for families with children who need space to play. A free ferry crosses the river from the bridge to Barthelasse Island, the largest river island in France where you can find working farms and vineyards along the pedestrian and cyclist pathways.
Disadvantages of Staying in Avignon
Avignon Has More Tourists
If you’re coming to Provence to escape the crowds, you might be disappointed in Avignon. The city does see a lot of tourists, especially at the Palace of Popes (shown above) and the surrounding streets. Since many visitors to Avignon are part of an organized tour group, you can often avoid the worst of the crowds by taking day trips to other places and then returning to Avignon in the evening, after the tour buses have departed.
Avignon Can Feel “Grittier”
There were a few parts of the center of Avignon that felt a bit “gritty”, for lack of a better word. Groups of people were hanging out in the street, drinking to excess, and some seemed to be using other drugs as well. This seemed to be concentrated between the Avignon Centre train station and the park beside the tourist information office, in the south part of the historic center.
For context, what I saw in Avignon was much less concerning than what I see every day downtown in my Canadian city, but it was noticeably different than what I saw in other French cities. If you don’t feel comfortable around people loitering, drinking and using drugs, just don’t book any accommodation within one block of Cour Jean Juares, just on the stretch between the train station and Rue Vernet at Rue Jean Henri Fabre. Outside of that four-block stretch, central Avignon is fine.
Advantages of Staying in Aix-en-Provence
Aix-en-Provence Has a Provençal Vibe
Because the historic center of Aix-en-Provence is so small, it has a more typically Provençal atmosphere than Avignon. The streets are often empty, or shared only with an old woman walking her dog. There are a number of decorative fountains (like the famous mossy rock shown above) and historic facades that add charm to the city.
I think that the place where you’ll really feel the small-town vibe the most is in the markets of Aix-en-Provence. When you imagine a quaint Provençal market, the daily market in Place Richelme is exactly what you’d picture. Under the shade of oak trees, local farmers sell fruits and vegetables, beekeepers sell their honey, and florists sell sunflowers and lavender. It’s a stark contrast to Avignon’s modern, indoor Les Halles.
It’s Not Too Crowded in Aix-en-Provence
Even in the peak of the summer travel season Aix-en-Provence didn’t have the crowds of Avignon. I think this is because it’s not a popular stop for tour buses, so the other travelers you encounter are mostly solo travelers, couples and families who are traveling independently. Although Aix-en-Provence doesn’t draw huge hoards of tourists, some of the city’s attractions do reach capacity every day, so if there’s something you can book in advance (especially Cezanne’s Atelier) then do!
Aix-en-Provence is a Luxury Travel Destination
If an important part of your trip to Provence is shopping for luxury goods, eating in high-end restaurants and staying in upscale resorts, then you’ll prefer Aix-en-Provence over Avignon. Aix-en-Provence is one of the most expensive cities in France, with apartments around Cours Mirabeau selling for upwards of €1,000,000. Businesses in Aix-en-Provence cater to both well-heeled locals and tourists with a bigger travel budget.
Disadvantages of Staying in Aix-en-Provence
Aix-en-Provence is More Expensive
I feel like it should be obvious after I just wrote that Aix-en-Provence is a luxury travel destination, but I also want to make it clear that it’s not the best option for travelers on a budget. With only about 150,000, many of whom are wealthy, there isn’t a big market here for budget hotels, restaurants and shops. If you do choose to stay in Aix, I have a list of the city’s best hotels that includes a few affordable options (book them early as they sell out early!).
Aix-en-Provence Has Fewer Attractions
I can count Aix-en-Provence’s noteworthy attractions on my fingers, from memory, because there simply aren’t that many of them. In the guide linked above I highlight how you can see the best of the city in just a day, and two is sometimes a stretch. You might get bored in Aix-en-Provence if you stay more than a day or two.
Aix-en-Provence Has Fewer Bus & Train Connections
I think that because Aix-en-Provence is so close to Marseille, it is presumed that people wanting to travel around Provence by bus and train will simply backtrack to Marseille’s monolithic Saint-Charles train station and travel onwards from there. Although this only takes 35 to 45 minutes, it’s still an inconvenience when you’re trying to do day trips around the region. If you want to take day trips from Aix-en-Provence then you’ll definitely need a rental car.
So Which is Better… Avignon or Aix-en-Provence?
In my opinion, having stayed in both Avignon and Aix-en-Provence, the clear choice for your base in Provence is Avignon. Its excellent transportation connections, lovely riverfront setting, wide variety of activities and affordability make it an excellent place to spend a week (or longer) while you’re in the South of France.
Aix-en-Provence is certainly worth visiting, but I would only recommend using it as a base if you have a rental car and a high-end travel budget.
While you’re in Provence, make sure to also visit Saint-Remy-de-Provence, Arles and L’Isle-Sur-la-Sorgue, some of the prettiest towns I’ve ever visited! You can visit all three on the bus or train from Avignon, yet another reason I’ll be using it as my base when I next return to Provence.
If you need help planning your trip to the South of France, check out my seven-day Provence itinerary (it includes Avignon but Aix-en-Provence didn’t make the cut!).
You can find all my France travel guides here, and my curated list of my favorite excursions and tours in the South of France here.
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