The Festival-Goer’s Guide

A guide to the festival: practical information and top tips

In July, the Avignon Festival and the Avignon Off Festival transform Avignon into a vast open-air stage. For nearly a month, shows, artists and festival-goers take over the city’s streets and iconic venues. To plan your stay and make the most of the event, you’ll find all the practical information, advice and useful tips you need for the festival here.

How do you book your tickets?

For the Avignon Festival

By telephone on 04 90 14 14 14

On the official website

On site at the Cloître St-Louis

At FNAC

👉 Most tickets sell out as soon as they go on sale. But it’s always possible to find some, sometimes even on the day of the performance: some festival-goers resell their tickets at the last minute, usually in the Cloître Saint-Louis, where the ticket office is located! There you’ll find a noticeboard full of classified adverts with plenty of tickets for sale.

👉 Alternatively, you can go to the theatre showing the performance of your choice an hour before it starts. Reserved seats must be collected no later than 30 minutes before the start of the performance: after this time, they are put back on sale, giving a few lucky people the chance to snap up a coveted ticket.

👉 Throughout the Festival, holders of an Avignon Festival ticket, a Festival Pass or a 3-Key Pass (valid at the time) can enjoy a reduced rate to visit the Palais des Papes and the Pont d’Avignon.

For the Avignon Off Festival

At the theatre box office before the show

On Ticket'Off, the solidarity ticketing service

On online ticket sales sites

👉 Buy the public season ticket at the Tourist Office or at the Village du Off; it entitles you to a 30 per cent discount on all shows in the programme, access to evening events and concerts at the Village du Off, reduced-price entry to the Palais des Papes, and many other benefits…

Tourism and Festivals Office

Throughout the festival, the Tourist Office becomes the Tourist and Festival Office!

Our teams are on hand to answer any questions you may have and help you make the most of your festival experience: practical information, maps of venues and performance locations, personalised advice, transport options, programmes for young audiences… make the most of our advisers’ expertise to organise your stay as effectively as possible.

👉 Information point and ticket office for the Festival Off Avignon season tickets.

👉 And to extend the experience, pop into our shop!
You’ll find official merchandise and plenty of festival souvenirs there. A selection of items is also available in our online shop.

See the online shop

Practical information:

Mobility

Getting to Avignon

Easily accessible by train, car, bus or bike, Avignon enjoys an ideal location in the heart of Provence.

Find out more

Parking in Avignon

During the Avignon Festival and the Avignon Off Festival, there are several parking options available, making it easy to reach the historic centre and the performance venues.

Find out more

Accessibility

The Tourist Office holds the ‘Tourisme & Handicap’ accreditation for the following four types of disability: mobility, visual, hearing and intellectual. To ensure we can provide the best possible welcome for visitors, please take a look at our information leaflets.

Find out more

Practical information:

Accommodation and dining

Where to eat?

All restaurants

Where to stay?

All accommodation

Festival-goer’s essentials

Festival-goer’s essentials

In July, temperatures can be high and the days can be packed with activities. Remember to pack a few essentials before heading off to a gig:

a reusable water bottle

sunglasses

a hat or cap

sun cream

a fan

comfortable shoes

a power bank for your mobile phone

A small, lightweight bag will also help you keep your essentials to hand throughout the day.

Good practices during the festival

During your stay, adopt a few simple habits to help make the festival more enjoyable and sustainable:

choose to walk or cycle wherever possible

use the recycling bins and minimise waste

opt for a water bottle and reusable containers

shop locally in the town’s shops and restaurants

respect public spaces and historic sites

These actions help to preserve the character of the historic centre and ensure a welcoming atmosphere during the festival.

Respect the city and its residents

The festival takes place in the streets, squares and theatres of Avignon, in the heart of a living city. To ensure everyone can enjoy the festival to the full, please remember to:

keep noise to a minimum at night

be mindful in busy streets

show respect for residents, artists and festival staff

be kind and respectful towards everyone

Respect for our heritage, public spaces and fellow festival-goers helps to make the festival a friendly and shared experience.

Enjoy with peace of mind

Comfort and freshness

Swimming and activities to beat the heat

Looking for a bit of a cool-down? Caves, boat trips, water sports… find plenty of ideas!

Cool spots

To stay cool and enjoy the city despite the heat.

See the map

Managing waste during the festival

During the Avignon Festival and the Avignon Off Festival, everyone can help to keep the historic centre clean and maintain the quality of the local environment. Collection points and waste sorting facilities have been set up in several areas of the city to facilitate recycling and waste management during the event.

View the waste sorting guide

Adopting the right habits

A few simple actions can help minimise the festival’s impact on the environment:

use the recycling points available around town
opt for reusable water bottles and containers
reduce single-use packaging
do not leave litter in public spaces
follow the collection timetables and instructions
dispose of cigarette ends in public ashtrays, or in a pocket ashtray available free of charge from the Tourist Office

Recycling points in several neighbourhoods

During the festival, recycling and collection points are available near the busiest areas to make it easier to recycle everyday waste.

A more responsible festival

Preserving Avignon’s streets, squares and heritage helps to make the festival more enjoyable for everyone: residents, artists, visitors and the organising teams.

Every little helps in minimising the festival’s environmental impact and preserving the beauty of the historic centre.

Translated with DeepL.com (free version)

In the event of an emergency

The festival must remain a friendly and respectful experience for everyone. In the event of a risky situation, harassment, violence or a need for assistance, support, counselling and reporting services will be available throughout the event. On certain days, the Off Village will host Safer, Addictions France and Groupe SOS to manage cases of substance use and alcohol abuse (VSS) and to prevent risks.

Emergency numbers

15: SAMU — medical emergency
17: Police
18: Fire brigade
112: European emergency number
114: emergency number accessible via text message and video call for people with hearing or speech difficulties

Other numbers

Avignon Hospital: +33 (0)4 32 75 33 33
Violence Against Women Helpline: 3919
Victims or witnesses of discrimination: 3928

Useful services in Avignon

Avignon Hospital
A leading hospital located close to the city centre.

Municipal and national police
On duty throughout the festival to ensure safety and assist visitors.

Red Cross and first-aid posts
Emergency teams and facilities are deployed across several areas during major events and periods of high visitor numbers.