Place de l'Horloge

The Place de l'Horloge is the central square of Avignon, in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region of France, and the main gathering point of the walled old town. The square takes its name from the clock tower, a 14th-century Gothic belfry with a mechanical clock and a small bell once used for civic announcements, standing beside the Hôtel de Ville, the town hall, built in the 19th century. The Théâtre du Verdun-Opéra Grand Avignon, a neoclassical opera house, faces the square, and a carousel stands in front of its colonnade. Plane trees shade rows of café and restaurant terraces that fill the centre of the square, where visitors can sit with a coffee, a pastis or a meal and watch street performers. During the July Festival d'Avignon, the square becomes a major hub, with actors in costume handing out flyers, street theatre and crowded terraces late into the night. A visit takes about 30 minutes without a meal, or a few hours if combined with lunch. The square is open at all times and free, while the cafés operate from roughly 08:00 to midnight. Prices at the terraces are higher than in side streets, so visitors on a budget often buy a drink or snack elsewhere and sit on the steps. The Palais des Papes is a short walk uphill along Rue de la République and Rue Peyrollerie, and the Rue des Teinturiers and Les Halles are each about ten minutes away. Early morning offers the quietest views of the architecture.