Villeneuve lez Avignon
This charming medieval town, a choice residence of cardinals in the 14th century, is located across the Rhône river. It is definitely worth a visit; you might even want to choose it as your base for visiting Avignon. There are number of excellent B&Bs and hotels there, as well as good restaurants. Villeneuve lez Avignon, also known as Villeneuve lès Avignon, is part of the Gard Provençal, hence no longer Provence proper if you go by today's administrative boundaries.
Villeneuve lez Avignon goes back to the 6th century and used be called bourg Saint André. It was named after a former abbey on the hill where Fort St.André is located. King Philippe IV (1268-1314), also called Philippe le Bel, ordered the construction of Fort St.André and a fortified tower, today's Philippe le Bel Tower, on the right bank of the Rhône to control the traffic over the St.Bénézet bridge and on the Rhône. If you are interested in the history of the Knights Templar you will have heard about Philippe le Bel, adversary of two popes and nightmare of the Knights Templar. He had Boniface VIII murdered (albeit never proven) and had Bertrand de Goth, archbishop from Bordeaux, installed as Clement V, who promptly relocated the holy See from Rome to Avignon. Phillipe le Bel was the main instigator of the persecution and elimination of the Knights Templar order. So why did he construct fortifications here on the right bank and not in Avignon? Very simple, Avignon and the surrounding countryside on the left bank, the Comtat Venaissin, was not part of the King's empire. The Comtat Venaissin had been purchased in 1274 by the Popes and Avignon was ruled by the d'Anjou clan, the rulers of the Provence and the Kingdom of Naples. Pope Clement VI, the 4th pope residing in Avignon, purchased the town in 1348 for 80.000 florins from Joanna d'Anjou, Queen of Naples and the Provence. He subsequently declared Joanna innocent of complicity in the murder of her husband. Those were the times. Villeneuve lez Avignon became the important military base for the French crown to keep an eye on the Papal Territories in France. A relationship which over the centuries ranged from close cooperation to outright hostility and lead to various invasions by French rulers. The Papal Territories only "joined" France in 1791 during the French Revolution.
During the times the popes resided in Avignon many cardinals built luxurious palaces on this side of the Rhône river. It was healthier here than in Avignon. Overall 15 residences were erected in Villeneuve lez Avignon. Most fell into disrepair after the Holy See returned to Rome. But you can still admire a number of these remarkable residences while strolling through the town.
Chartreuse Notre Dame de Val de Bénédiction, also known as Chartreuse de Villeneuve lez Avignon or simply Chartreuse d'Avignon, is the one of the largest monasteries in Europe; a church, three cloisters, a chapel and 40 monks' cells, extensive grounds. Cardinal Étienne Aubert, after his election in 1352 as Pope Innocent VI, expanded his former mansion and donated it to the Carthusian monks. He is buried here. Unfortunately the buildings were pillaged during the French Revolution and fell into decay; restoration is still ongoing. It is a very impressive site; the entrance is right in the middle of the town on Rue de la République. For those interested in World War II history, visit a small courtyard in one of the three cloisters, where on August 8, 1944 the US pilot Louis Capawana parachuted down and got entangled on a chimney, unable to free himself. He was rescued and, despite a strong German presence, smuggled out of the area with the help of the French underground resistance. During the summer time the Chartreuse is used to stage some of the performances of Festival d'Avignon, the most important summer festival for modern theatre and drama in France.
Collégiale Notre Dame de Villeneuve, the 14th century church, right in the town center, was built by Cardinal Arnaud de Via, a nephew of Pope John XXII. It used to house the famous "Vierge d'Ivoire" an ivory pietà (Virgin Mary and Jesus), which was sold in 1900 for 100.000 Francs to the Louvre. An exact copy of the Vierge d'Ivoire can be seen in the Pierre de Luxembourg Museum in town, worthwhile a visit if you want to delve more into local history. It occupies one of the buildings of cardinal Ceccano's palace and has a small but noteworthy collection from the Chartreuse and 16-17th century works from Provençal painters.
Fort St.André, this medieval fortress with its massive walls was built by Philippe the Fair. It was part of the frontier defenses and protected Villeneuve lez Avignon. The fort used to be closer to the river Rhône, but around 1770 the river moved its bed 900 meters away from the rock. Inside are the ruins of St.André Abbey, constructed after Charles Martel had liberated the area from the Saracens in 737. Notable is the beautiful garden.
Philippe le Bel Tower, a defensive tower built on France's frontier (the river Rhône) with the Papal Territories. It controlled the access to the Pont St.Bénezet. Its rooms on 3 levels are used for exhibitions.
