Even if you know the beautiful city of Avignon really well, you might not be aware of some of the fascinating aspects of its history. Here are 5 interesting facts about Avignon.
5 facts about Avignon
From the Did You Know? files …
1. The holy Rhône
During the 14th century, the Black Death swept through Europe, and in 1348, it arrived in France. At that time, the magnificent Palais des Papes in Avignon was the official home of the Pope. The death toll in Avignon was so high that it was impossible to find the room or the time to bury the dead according to official Church rites.
The Pope, therefore, consecrated the whole river Rhone, making it ‘holy’. When the plague victims were thrown in, they were believed to have all the benefits of a Christian burial.
2. The home of Châteauneuf-du-Pape
When the Popes moved to Avignon in 1309, the wine grown in the area wasn’t too good. The seven succeeding Popes did their best to improve it, focusing on the vineyards around the village of Châteauneuf-du-Pape, which means ‘the new castle of the pope’.
They succeeded, which is evident in the quality of the wine of that region today. Châteauneuf-du-Pape was one of the first to receive protected AOC (Appellation d’Origine Contrôlée) status in 1936.
3. Marie of Avignon
Marie Robine, also known as Marie la Gasque, was a peasant girl from Gascony. She came to Avignon as a pilgrim in 1387 and claimed she was cured after visiting the tomb of the young cardinal Pierre of Luxembourg in St Michael’s cemetery. She stayed, and became known for her visions.
It was the time of the struggle for power between an Italian Pope in Rome and the rival French Pope in Avignon, whom Marie of Avignon supported. Marie also supported the King who was engaged in conflict with various French nobles and the English. She foresaw a great number of weapons and a virgin, bearing arms, who would deliver France from its enemies. Almost fifty years later, Joan of Arc, who was almost certainly aware of Marie’s predictions, identified closely with Marie in her role as the ‘saviour’ of France.
4. Les Demoiselles d’Avignon
Despite what many people think, this famous 1907 painting by Pablo Picasso doesn’t have any connection whatever to the city of Avignon. It was originally called The Brothel of Avignon and the name refers to the street where the brothel stood. The painting shows five prostitutes in a house on Calle de Avinyó (which translates as Avignon Street) in Barcelona.
5. Inspiration for Catch-22 scene
Author Joseph Heller was a bombardier in the US Air Force. On 15 August 1944, during WWll, he was flying over Avignon on a mission. His plane was under heavy fire, and the necessary evasive action sent him into the nose of the aircraft, and the G-forces held him up against the perspex dome.
His experience in the skies over Avignon inspired the scene in Catch-22 where Yossarian’s head is pinned in a similar position, leaving him dangling from the ‘ceiling’.
For more about Avignon, read these Francy That! articles:
Avignon: The Jewel Of Provence
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