Villeneuve-lès-Avignon (; Provençal: ''Vilanòva d’Avinhon'') is a commune 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 in southern
France
France, officially the French Republic, is a country located primarily in Western Europe. Overseas France, Its overseas regions and territories include French Guiana in South America, Saint Pierre and Miquelon in the Atlantic Ocean#North Atlan ...
. It can also be spelled ''Villeneuve-lez-Avignon''.
History
In the 6th century the
Benedictine
The Benedictines, officially the Order of Saint Benedict (, abbreviated as O.S.B. or OSB), are a mainly contemplative monastic order of the Catholic Church for men and for women who follow the Rule of Saint Benedict. Initiated in 529, th ...
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 and boasts a castle he built, Fort Saint-André.
The town was also the resort of the French cardinals during the sojourn of the popes at
Avignon
Avignon (, , ; or , ; ) is the Prefectures in France, prefecture of the Vaucluse department in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region of southeastern France. Located on the left bank of the river Rhône, the Communes of France, commune had a ...
, in the 14th century. Another notable tourist attraction is the
Tour Philippe-le-Bel
Tour Philippe-le-Bel () is a medieval tower in Villeneuve-lès-Avignon which marked the French terminus of the Pont Saint-Bénézet, Saint-Bénézet Bridge across the Rhone between the Kingdom of France and Avignon Papacy, Papal territory of Avi ...
, which marks the former northern terminus of the Pont d'Avignon.
Geography
It is located on the right (western) bank of the river
Rhône
The Rhône ( , ; Occitan language, Occitan: ''Ròse''; Franco-Provençal, Arpitan: ''Rôno'') is a major river in France and Switzerland, rising in the Alps and flowing west and south through Lake Geneva and Southeastern France before dischargi ...
, opposite
Avignon
Avignon (, , ; or , ; ) is the Prefectures in France, prefecture of the Vaucluse department in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region of southeastern France. Located on the left bank of the river Rhône, the Communes of France, commune had a ...
.
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 (), 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 own rule, called th ...
monastery Notre-Dame-du-Val-de-Bénédiction, founded in 1356 by Pope Innocent VI
Germany
Germany, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It lies between the Baltic Sea and the North Sea to the north and the Alps to the south. Its sixteen States of Germany, constituent states have a total popu ...
*
Gytheio
Gytheio ( ) or Gythio, also the ancient Gythium or Gytheion (), is a town on the eastern shore of the Mani Peninsula, and a former municipality in Laconia, Peloponnese (region), Peloponnese, Greece. Since the 2011 local government reform it is par ...
,
Greece
Greece, officially the Hellenic Republic, is a country in Southeast Europe. Located on the southern tip of the Balkan peninsula, it shares land borders with Albania to the northwest, North Macedonia and Bulgaria to the north, and Turkey to th ...
Italy
Italy, officially the Italian Republic, is a country in Southern Europe, Southern and Western Europe, Western Europe. It consists of Italian Peninsula, a peninsula that extends into the Mediterranean Sea, with the Alps on its northern land b ...
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, Chartreuse du Val de Bénédiction
See also
*
Communes of the Gard department
This is a list of the 350 communes of the Gard department of France.
The communes cooperate in the following intercommunalities (as of 2025):Pont d'Avignon