Public
Transport
Transports en Commun de la Région
d’Avignon – TCRA (telephone number: (04) 3274
1832) provides public transport throughout Grand Avignon
(the Avignon Region), including services to Les Angles, Villeneuve-lès-Avignon
and Le Pontet.
The major bus stops in central Avignon are in front of the main
post office (poste), place Pie and rue de la République.
The system runs 0700-1940 hrs Monday to Saturday. The restricted
Sunday service (labelled with a number followed by a ‘D’
for dimanche) operates 0800-1800 hrs. Line 30 runs on weekdays,
weekends and bank holidays. During the Avignon Festival,
there is a special late-running service and reduced price tickets
for public transport throughout the festival (the Bustivale
pass) offering 30 per cent reduction on standard prices.
Tickets can pre-purchased or bought on the bus and must be stamped
upon boarding. Information and bus tickets are available at the
TCRA Point d’Accueil, avenue de Lattre de
Tassigny (telephone number: (04) 3274 1832), located between the
central rail station and the tourist office. Tickets are also available
for purchase at tabacs, newsagents and shops displaying the TCRA
logo. One ticket costs €1, two tickets €1.75 and a carnet
of 10 tickets costs €7.80. Weekly and monthly passes are also
available at €7.80 and €27.30 respectively (concessions
are available).
Taxis
The taxi service is centrally run by Taxi Radio Avignonnais
(telephone number: (04) 9082 2020, fax number: (04) 9086 6169).
The major taxi ranks are located in front of the central and new
TGV rail stations, while others are at Raspail (rue de la République),
St Lazare (near the university) and place Pie. Taxi journeys around
central Avignon are tallied by the kilometre at €1.20 (0700-1900
hrs) and €1.80 (1900-0700 hrs and bank holidays), with a pick-up
fee of €1.90. Luggage (per item) costs €0.61, an animal
€0.71 and a fourth passenger €1.19. Tips are welcome but
not expected.
Limousines
Lieutaud Voyages (telephone number: (04) 9086 3675,
e-mail: contact@cars-lieutaud.fr),
situated in front of the SNCF Avignon Central Station,
charge €392 for one to five passengers and €416 for six
to 15 passengers, for one day of hire, including an English-speaking
chauffeur. Gaillard (telephone number: (04) 3240 9866) offers a
similar service.
Driving
in the City
Avignon’s Old Town is compact enough to be covered on foot
and parts of it are pedestrianised. However, for visitors who choose
to drive, conditions are good, roads rarely traffic-clogged and
there is a special pleasure to be gained in driving through the
portes (gates) of the ancient city walls.
The main supervised and 24-hour car parks are located at the stations,
at 7 avenue Monclar, and underneath the Palais des Papes square.
Free, supervised car parks (telephone number: (04) 9080 8102) are
located at the Ile Piot, with free shuttle buses running to the
city centre, and Parking des Italiens, avenue des Italiens (550
spaces). In peak season, an additional car park opens at the foot
of the Pont St-Bénézet. It is best to choose these
supervised spaces, as car theft is all too frequent. Alternatively,
there are good car parks west of the city centre.
Car
Hire
The minimum age for car hire varies from 21 to 25 years. Drivers
must possess a national driving licence, which they must have held
for at least 1 year. Third party insurance is mandatory for driving
in France and this should be covered in the hire price. Additional
insurance is optional.
Providers include ADA, 23 boulevard St Ruf (telephone
number: (04) 9086 1889), RentaCar, 130 avenue Pierre
Sémard (telephone number: (04) 9088 0802), Sixt, 3 avenue
St Ruf (teephone numberl: (04) 9086 0661), and Véo,
51 avenue Pierre Sémard (telephone number: (04) 9087 5343).
All are centrally located. Daily rates for hire of a small car start
at around €45 for one day.
Bicycle
& Scooter Hire
Provence Bike, 52 boulevard St Roch (telephone number: (04) 9027
9261, e-mail: motorvelo@provencebike.com),
hires out motorbikes at €51-150, scooters at €36-52 and
bicycles at €8-18 per day, from the bus station on boulevard
St Roch, during the high season, April to October. A similar service
is provided by Aymar, 80 rue Guillaume Puy (telephone
number: (04) 9086 3249). bike is required. Canal Bike
also organises group tours of Avignon and Utrecht. |
