Avignon, the South of France near the Mediterranean. That’s all you need to know to consider it for your own retirement but I bet you were guessing that the first city I’d be looking at for retirement would be Paris. And you’re probably not sure where Avignon is anyway. No worries, I didn’t know where it was either until I happened to have a mind-expanding conversation over insanely good red wine with a French wine distributor from Avignon while dining at Brasserie Provence, my favorite restaurant in Louisville, Kentucky.

A great French restaurant in Kentucky? Yes, not to be missed when you’re in town. But back to Avignon and my conversation with the French wine distributor. 

One night not so long ago I was chatting in French with Guy Genoud, the owner of Brasserie Provence in Louisville, Kentucky, while enjoying a wonderful dinner at his restaurant. Guy knew I loved chatting in French with him whenever I was in town but, of course, he has to tend to his customers and run his business, not just chat with me.  He turned to me and said “André, why don’t you go speak with John Junguenet over there – he’s American but he grew up in Avignon where his family has a wine distribution business and he speaks French fluently. He runs his family’s business in the U.S. now and you two can have a great talk.”

The name of his business is Alain Junguenet Selection in case you were wondering about that. Check out their website here.

Fast forward to one of the (many) interesting parts of our conversation. I was talking to both Guy and John about my next trip to France and how my wife and I after 5 days or so in Paris were going to spend a couple of weeks in the South of France. They asked where I was going, I said I was thinking of Aix-en-Provence and Montpellier, and they said (in unison) “Not Avignon? You HAVE to visit Avignon!” (Pas Avignon? Tu DOIS visiter Avignon!).

And they were right.

9 Reasons to Retire to Avignon

1. Avignon is located in the South of France. The weather is beautiful. Really beautiful. And while you’ve probably heard in a movie or television show “I’m summering in the South of France” usually uttered, rather dryly, by a well-to-do character, you may not have known why. The weather is the reason. And during the summer months when the French go on vacation for all of July and August, half the country can likely be found in the South of France.
2. Avignon is in Provence. For an American, think of Avignon as the city and Provence as the state, a wonderfully beautiful state which stretches across some of the most desirable parts of southern France down to the coast. Provence, while famous for many things (wine, cuisine, food markets, the picturesque countryside, music festivals, the Mediterranean), is most famous for lavender fields which are at peak season in mid-July. Of course, you can easily reach all of Provence living in Avignon.
3. Avignon is centrally located in Provence. In addition to being in Provence, Avignon is perfectly situated in the most central part of Provence, making it very easy to get around without a car. The public transportation system is excellent and you can easily get out to the vineyards, the ruins of Arles, small villages, markets, and of course the tourist areas. That being said, if you do have a car, be prepared for heavy traffic especially during the summer months.
4. Palace of the Popes (Le Palais des Papes). Did you know that Avignon was home to 6 popes from 1309 to 1377 and that Avignon remained part of the papal enclave until the French Revolution in 1791, when it became part of France? It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, open to visitors, and the largest gothic cathedral in the world.
5. Avignon Festival. Founded in 1947 and held every year during the month of July, except of course during Covid, it is the oldest arts festival in France and the grandest. Both the “In” Festival and the “Off” Festival are not to be missed with hundreds of music, dance, fine arts, and theatre productions available for viewing by the general public.  
6. Arles. Famous for both its ancient Roman ruins and where Vincent Van Gogh spent two years painting some of his most famous works, Arles is another small French town well worth the visit. You can spend many hours in the Museum of Arles and of Ancient Provence, at the Amphitheatre (with concerts and bullfighting), the Theatre (where shows and productions are still put on), or just stroll for no particular reason along the Rhône River.
7. Luberon Lavender Fields. Ah, lavender, the essence of Provence! The lavender fields usually begin to bloom by late June and are in full bloom by early- to mid-July. The Luberon lavender fields are typically the first to bloom and are at their peak in early-July. Luberon is generally what Americans think of when they picture Provence in their minds – dense fields of lavender stretching to the horizon, twisty-curvy roads meandering across the landscape, vineyards tucked subtly tucked away in discreet valleys, and of course, sun-drenched villages seemingly randomly dabbled here and there.  
8. Cost of Living. Ah, an important question! So that depends on whether you want to live in Avignon or just outside of the city in a smaller village, how well you want to live, how mobile you are (car, public transportation, bicycle, etc.), and what you’d like your lifestyle to be like. With that all in mind, and assuming you’re considering a nice 1BR furnished apartment in the city center, as of this blog post your rent would be slightly less than $850 US, utilities would be about $150 US, and the usual entertainment and costs – I’m assuming you would want to be relatively engaged in the goings-on of the community – would be approximately $800 US. To be safe, I’d build in a 10% buffer and consider $2,000 US per month as more than enough income to enjoy this part of French paradise!
9. Realtor for Buying and Renting Homes and Apartments. I always like to go with local French realtors who know the market. I will tell you that living in the “centre-ville” (city center) or Avignon will of course cost more than living in one of the surrounding villages and, to be sure, cost is going to depend on how many square meters you’re looking for, how many bedrooms, if you want to be near public transportation, if you need a garage, and on and on. So here are, in no particular order, three realtors who have multiple listings in Avignon and the surrounding area:
   • Agence Nestenn Immobilière Avignon. 95 Avenue Pierre Semard, 84000 Avignon, Tél 04 90 14 10
   • Côté Sud Côté Rêve. 48 Rue Joseph Vernet, 84000 Avignon, Tél 04.84.25.08.76
   • Bonfils Immobilier. This agency has three locations in and around Avignon:
     • Agence Bonfils Avignon, 8 rue de la République, 84000 Avignon, Tél 04 90 16 05 20
     • Agence Bonfils Villeneuve, 85 Avenue Pasteur, 30400 Villeneuve les Avignon, Tèl 04 90 25 58 58
     • Agence Bonfils Les Angles, 22 Boulevard Jean Rey, 30133 Les Angles, Tèl 04 90 25 58 58

Bonne chance !