Is Avignon good for solo travel?
Walled Provençal city around the Palais des Papes, easy on foot and a base for Provence day trips. Packed and pricey during the July festival; quiet and cold in winter.
Solo travel at a glance
| Solo travel | 4/5 · Very good for solo travel |
|---|---|
| Locals | Friendly |
| English | Common in tourist areas |
| Safety | 4/5 · Safe with normal care |
| Solo women | Comfortable for solo women inside the walls. Use taxis late rather than walking outside the ramparts. |
How to meet people in Avignon
Festival d'Avignon and Off events in July, wine-tasting day tours, cooking classes, language-exchange nights in student cafés and small hostels and guesthouses.
Good things to do alone
- Visit the Palais des Papes early
- Walk the ramparts at sunset
- Browse Les Halles market on a Saturday
- Day trip to Pont du Gard or Gordes
- Ride across to Île de la Barthelasse
Where to stay in Avignon
| Area | Good for |
|---|---|
| Intra-muros (Old Town) | Walkable base: papal palace, restaurants, markets |
| Rue des Teinturiers | Quieter canal-side lane with cafés and boutiques |
| Île de la Barthelasse | Green riverside stays across from the walls |
| Près de la gare TGV (Courtine) | Cheaper stays with fast access by train |
Solo travel across France
| Place | Solo | English |
|---|---|---|
| Paris | 4/5 | Widely spoken |
| Nice | 4/5 | Widely spoken |
| Provence | 4/5 | Common in tourist areas |
| French Riviera | 4/5 | Widely spoken |
| Lyon | 4/5 | Common in tourist areas |
| Marseille | 4/5 | Common in tourist areas |
| Bordeaux | 4/5 | Common in tourist areas |
| Strasbourg | 4/5 | Common in tourist areas |
| Chamonix | 4/5 | Spoken almost everywhere |
| Annecy | 4/5 | Common in tourist areas |
| Corsica | 4/5 | Limited |
| Aix-en-Provence | 4/5 | Common in tourist areas |
| Toulouse | 4/5 | Common in tourist areas |
| Loire Valley | 4/5 | Common in tourist areas |
| Normandy | 4/5 | Common in tourist areas |
| Montpellier | 4/5 | Common in tourist areas |
| Avignon | 4/5 | Common in tourist areas |
| Biarritz | 4/5 | Common in tourist areas |
| Colmar | 4/5 | Common in tourist areas |
| Antibes | 4/5 | Widely spoken |
| Nantes | 4/5 | Common in tourist areas |
| Lille | 4/5 | Common in tourist areas |
| Brittany | 4/5 | Common in tourist areas |
| Cannes | 3/5 | Widely spoken |
| Saint-Tropez | 3/5 | Widely spoken |
| Carcassonne | 3/5 | Common in tourist areas |
| Dordogne | 3/5 | Common in tourist areas |
Quick answers
Is Avignon good for solo travelers?
Very good for solo travel (4/5). Walled Provençal city around the Palais des Papes, easy on foot and a base for Provence day trips.
How do you meet people in Avignon?
Festival d'Avignon and Off events in July, wine-tasting day tours, cooking classes, language-exchange nights in student cafés and small hostels and guesthouses. On SoloSquare you can also join small plans with other travelers who are there now.
Do people speak English in Avignon?
Common in tourist areas.
Is Avignon safe for solo female travelers?
Comfortable for solo women inside the walls. Use taxis late rather than walking outside the ramparts.
More about Avignon
Going to Avignon solo?
SoloSquare is where travelers, nomads and locals in Avignon meet up for small plans: coffee, dinners, walks and day trips. Join one, or start your own in a minute.
Sources
Ratings are SoloSquare's editorial judgment. Compiled and reviewed by SoloSquare. How we compile and score this. Spotted something out of date? Tell us.