Coach Rental Across France

Avignon Coach Hire: Outside the Walls

Avignon's ramparts mark where the coach stops. No heavy vehicle may drive within them, so the day is planned around a few stopping places and a walk in.

Inside the walls, on foot

Intra-muros is a zone de rencontre, where pedestrians share the street with slow traffic, and heavy vehicles have no authorisation to enter. Every drop-off therefore happens beyond the walls. Gare d'Avignon Centre, just outside the walls, is about 2 minutes' walk from the old town.

The TGV station is about 6 km south, linked to the centre by a regional train in a few minutes. A group arriving by TGV can meet the coach there or ride into town first.

Setra high-capacity coach, exterior
Setra high-capacity coach, exterior

Thirty minutes at the bridge

The Esplanade Saint-Bénézet, beside the Pont d'Avignon, has been kept for tourist coaches alone since 1 July 2025. A parking disc limits each stop to half an hour. That is time to unload and reload, not to wait. For longer stays the coach goes to the Île Piot, following signs from the Pont de l'Europe.

The Parking de la Foire has open-air coach parking, unsupervised, entered from avenue du Blanchissage. Leave nothing of value on board.

Airports for groups arriving in Avignon

Stadiums and arenas a coach can serve

  • Cour d'honneur du Palais des Papes — Open-air main stage of the Festival d'Avignon in July
  • Opéra Grand Avignon — Opera house on the Place de l'Horloge

Coach day trips from Avignon

  • Châteauneuf-du-Pape — about 17 km, about 25 min
  • Saint-Rémy-de-Provence — about 25 km, about 35 min
  • Pont du Gard — about 29 km, about 40 min
  • L'Isle-sur-la-Sorgue — about 30 km, about 40 min
  • Les Baux-de-Provence — about 31 km, about 45 min
  • Orange (Roman theatre) — about 33 km, about 35 min
  • Arles — about 40 km, about 50 min
  • Gordes (Luberon) — about 40 km, about 50 min
  • Nîmes — about 45 km, about 45 min
  • Roussillon (Luberon) — about 48 km, about 55 min
  • Vaison-la-Romaine — about 56 km, about 1 h

Rules for coaches in Avignon

  • Aéroport Marseille Provence (MRS) is about 85 km by road from the centre of Avignon, mostly by the A7, about 1-1.25 h in light traffic.
  • Avignon has no low-emission zone (ZFE) in force in October 2026: the Grand Avignon plan to restrict the oldest heavy vehicles was put on hold in 2025. During air-pollution episodes the Préfecture de Vaucluse can order differentiated traffic, which bars heavy vehicles with a Crit'Air 3, 4 or 5 sticker or no sticker, so coaches and minibuses should carry a Crit'Air sticker. Check the rules before travel.
  • Intra-muros, the historic centre inside the ramparts, is a shared low-speed zone (zone de rencontre), and heavy vehicles are not authorised to drive inside the walls. Coaches set groups down outside the ramparts.
  • Since 1 July 2025, only tourist coaches may stop on the Esplanade Saint-Bénézet, by the Pont d'Avignon, for at most 30 minutes with a parking disc. For longer stays coaches go to the Île Piot, following signs from the Pont de l'Europe.
  • The Parking de la Foire on avenue de la Foire has open-air, unsupervised coach parking, entered from avenue du Blanchissage.
  • During the Festival d'Avignon in July, access by vehicle to intra-muros is filtered from 12:00 to 02:00 and only residents and registered users may drive in.
  • Gare d'Avignon Centre: just outside the ramparts, about 2 minutes' walk from the historic centre, served by regional trains.
  • Gare d'Avignon TGV: about 6 km south of the centre, with TGV trains from Paris, Lyon and Lille; a regional train links it to Avignon Centre in a few minutes.
  • Avignon is reached by the A7 (Autoroute du Soleil, exits Avignon Nord and Avignon Sud) and the A9 (exit Remoulins); both are tolled motorways.
  • EU drivers' hours rules (Regulation (EC) No 561/2006) apply to coach drivers: at most 9 hours of driving a day (10 hours twice a week), a 45-minute break after 4.5 hours of driving and at least 11 hours of daily rest.

No ZFE, but carry a sticker

Avignon has no low-emission zone; the Grand Avignon plan was put on hold in 2025. During pollution episodes, though, the Préfecture de Vaucluse can order differentiated traffic, which bars heavy vehicles of Crit'Air 3, 4, 5 or none. A coach without a sticker could be stuck on the wrong day.

Festival month and the Rhône valley

Each July, while the Festival d'Avignon runs, vehicles entering intra-muros are checked between noon and 02:00, with entry limited to residents and registered users. Expect busier roads around the ramparts and longer walks. Avignon Tourisme handles Palais des Papes bookings for groups from 20 people, and sells the bridge tickets too.

By car it takes about 25 minutes to reach Châteauneuf-du-Pape, 35 for Orange, 40 for the Pont du Gard and 50 for Gordes. The A7 and A9 are both tolled.

Organisers ask

Which airport serves Avignon?

Marseille Provence. It is roughly 85 km by road, most of it on the A7, so 1 hour to 1 hour 15 if traffic is light. Many groups come by TGV instead.

Can the Palais des Papes host a meeting?

Yes. The congress centre inside the palace offers 16 spaces, sized for groups of 20 up to 536, plus 1,800 m² of exhibition space.

Is Nîmes close enough for half a day?

It is about 45 km and 45 minutes by car. A morning there and an afternoon in Avignon works if you allow a little extra for the coach.

Other group trips we book

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