Villeneuve-lès-Avignon (; Provençal: ''Vilanòva d’Avinhon'') is a

commune A commune is an alternative term for an intentional community. Commune or comună or comune or other derivations may also refer to: Administrative-territorial entities * Commune (administrative division), a municipality or township ** Communes of ...

in the

Gard Gard () is a department in Southern France, located in the region of Occitanie. It had a population of 748,437 as of 2019;department Department may refer to: * Departmentalization, division of a larger organization into parts with specific responsibility Government and military *Department (administrative division), a geographical and administrative division within a country, ...

in southern

France France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of Overseas France, overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic Ocean, Atlantic, Pacific Ocean, Pac ...

. It can also be spelled ''Villeneuve-lez-Avignon''.

History

In the 6th century the

Benedictine , image = Medalla San Benito.PNG , caption = Design on the obverse side of the Saint Benedict Medal , abbreviation = OSB , formation = , motto = (English: 'Pray and Work') , foun ...

abbey of St André was founded on Mount Andaon, and the village which grew up round it took its name. The city itself was founded by

Philippe le Bel Philip IV (April–June 1268 – 29 November 1314), called Philip the Fair (french: Philippe le Bel), was King of France from 1285 to 1314. By virtue of his marriage with Joan I of Navarre, he was also King of Navarre as Philip I from 12 ...

and boasts a castle he built, Fort Saint-André. The town was also the resort of the French

cardinals Cardinal or The Cardinal may refer to: Animals * Cardinal (bird) or Cardinalidae, a family of North and South American birds **''Cardinalis'', genus of cardinal in the family Cardinalidae **''Cardinalis cardinalis'', or northern cardinal, the ...

during the sojourn of the popes at

Avignon Avignon (, ; ; oc, Avinhon, label=Provençal dialect, Provençal or , ; la, Avenio) is the Prefectures in France, prefecture of the Vaucluse Departments of France, department in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur Regions of France, region of So ...

, in the 14th century.

Geography

It is located on the right (western) bank of the river

Rhône The Rhône ( , ; wae, Rotten ; frp, Rôno ; oc, Ròse ) is a major river in France and Switzerland, rising in the Alps and flowing west and south through Lake Geneva and southeastern France before discharging into the Mediterranean Sea. At Ar ...

, opposite

Population

Sights

* Fort Saint-André, on a hill outside the town * Tour Philippe Le Bel, 14th century * The church of Notre Dame, dating from the 14th century, contains a rich marble altar and significant pictures. *

Carthusian The Carthusians, also known as the Order of Carthusians ( la, Ordo Cartusiensis), are a Latin enclosed religious order of the Catholic Church. The order was founded by Bruno of Cologne in 1084 and includes both monks and nuns. The order has its ...

monastery Notre-Dame-du-Val-de-Bénédiction, founded in 1356 by

Pope Innocent VI Pope Innocent VI ( la, Innocentius VI; 1282 or 1295 – 12 September 1362), born Étienne Aubert, was head of the Catholic Church and ruler of the Papal States from 18 December 1352 to his death in September 1362. He was the fifth Avignon pope a ...

International relations

Villeneuve-lès-Avignon is twinned with: *

Rheinbach Rheinbach is a town in the Rhein-Sieg-Kreis district (Landkreis), in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. It belongs to the administrative district (Regierungsbezirk) of Cologne. Geography Situated south-west of Bonn and south of Cologne, Rheinbach ...

Germany Germany,, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It is the second most populous country in Europe after Russia, and the most populous member state of the European Union. Germany is situated betwe ...

Gytheio Gytheio ( el, Γύθειο, ) or Gythio, also the ancient Gythium or Gytheion ( grc, Γύθειον), is a town on the eastern shore of the Mani Peninsula, and a former municipality in Laconia, Peloponnese, Greece. Since the 2011 local government ...

Greece Greece,, or , romanized: ', officially the Hellenic Republic, is a country in Southeast Europe. It is situated on the southern tip of the Balkans, and is located at the crossroads of Europe, Asia, and Africa. Greece shares land borders with ...

San Miniato San Miniato is a town and ''comune'' in the province of Pisa, in the region of Tuscany, Italy. San Miniato sits at an historically strategic location atop three small hills where it dominates the lower Arno valley, between the valleys of Ego ...

Italy Italy ( it, Italia ), officially the Italian Republic, ) or the Republic of Italy, is a country in Southern Europe. It is located in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea, and its territory largely coincides with the homonymous geographical re ...

Gallery

File:TourPhilippeleBel.JPG, Tour Philippe Le Bel File:Fort Saint-André in Villeneuve-lès-Avignon - 20050823.jpg, Fort Saint-André File:Chartreuse du Val de Bénédiction, Villeneuve-lès-Avignon.JPG, Chartreuse du Val de Bénédiction File:Collapsed apse of church, Chartreuse du Val de Bénédiction, Villeneuve-lès-Avignon.JPG, Collapsed apse of church, Chartreuse du Val de Bénédiction File:Cloister of Saint John, Chartreuse du Val de Bénédiction, Villeneuve-lès-Avignon.JPG, Cloister of Saint John, Chartreuse du Val de Bénédiction File:Chapel of the frescos, Chartreuse du Val de Bénédiction, Villeneuve-lès-Avignon.JPG, Chapel of the frescos, Chartreuse du Val de Bénédiction File:Tombeau du pape Innocent VI.jpg, Tomb of Pope

Innocent VI Pope Innocent VI ( la, Innocentius VI; 1282 or 1295 – 12 September 1362), born Étienne Aubert, was head of the Catholic Church and ruler of the Papal States from 18 December 1352 to his death in September 1362. He was the fifth Avignon pope a ...

, Chartreuse du Val de Bénédiction

References

External links

City council and Tourist office website

non official website citeroyale.com

Communes of Gard {{Gard-geo-stub