Festival d’Avignon 2019: tickets, prices, schedules

What if we went to the Avignon Festival this summer? Here is our mini guide to make the 73rd Festival of Avignon 2019, from July 4 to 23, 2019!

As the largest manifestation of theatre and live performances of the world by the number of performances and spectators who flock to it, the Festival d’Avignon is, as every year, a must-see. If you come to visit Avignon and Provence in July this year, it would be a shame to miss this event considered the oldest and most famous art festival in France.

Since 1947, 73 years of history, the city of Avignon has brought the theatre and street art to the spotlight, providing the public and artists the Court of Honour of the Palais des Papes and more than 30 places and buildings classified on the UNESCO World Heritage List, but also gymnasiums, cloisters, chapels, gardens, quarries and churches.

This year, the Festival d’Avignon 2019 will be held over 20 days, one day more than in 2018, which is a testament to its growing success: in the program, 43 shows including 33 creations. Want to do the Festival d’Avignon 2019? Discover our article to know the programming and book your ticket!

History of the Festival

The adventure of the Avignon Festival began in 1947, following a meeting between Jean Vilar (1912-1971) – actor and director – and René Char (1907-1988) – poet - which organizes with Christian Zervos (1889-1970) an exhibition of contemporary painting and sculpture at Palace of the Popes d’Avignon.

J. Vilar proposes to present three pieces: Richard II (Shakespeare), Tobie and Sara (P. Claudel) and La Terrasse de midi (Mr. Clavel). The goal: popularize theatre , render it accessible to all and not just a small Parisian elite. Thus, the “Art Week in Avignon” was born in September. In a few years, the festival becomes the symbol of a renaissance of French theatre. The National Popular Theatre (TNP) was created on 17 July 1951.

The Festival de théâtre de plein air d’Avignon, led by Jean Vilar, played the popular theatre until 1963, largely influenced by the cultural activism inherited from the post-war spirit. The Avignonnaise population continues to swell in the summer while the Court of Honour of the Palais des Papes is the mythical place of the festival.

During the 1960s, the festival opened to dance (1966), film (1967), and musical theatre. Progressively, the idea of setting up another festival in the emerging festival, in parallel to Jean Vilar’s programming. Thus, the “off” is created: it is a group of local and national troops that flock to Avignon without necessarily being invited to it. Since then, the Festival d’Avignon – different each year – publishes between 110,000 and 120,000 tickets for paid shows and attracts nearly 50,000 spectators to free performances.

Programming 2019

La 73ème édition du Festival d’Avignon 2019 se tiendra du Thursday 4 July to 23 July 2019 , and the Off will begin on July 5 to last until July 28. The theme will be oriented to L’Odyssée, by reference to Homer and migrants from all over the planet. The program is to be consulted on the official website of Festival d’Avignon 2019 .

This year we find the artists and directors Pascal Rambert , Olivier Py (the director of the Avignon Festival), Macha Makaïeff , Julie Duclos or François Gremaud . To give you a glimpse, here is a small ten pieces, which you can consult on the preview of the festival :

• Architecture, by Pascal Rambert (4, 5, 6, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12 and 13 July)
• Devotion by Clément Bondu (5, 6, 7 and 8 July)
• Oskara, by Kukai Dantza (5, 6, 7, 9, 10 and 11 July)
• The Overflowing Present – Our Odyssey II, by Christiane Jatahy (5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11 and 12 July)
• Pelléas et Mélisande, by Julie Duclos (5, 6, 7, 9 and 10 July)
• £¥$, by Ontroerend Goed (5, 6, 7, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13 and 14 July)
• Friendship, by Irene Bonnaud (every day)
• The winning love, by Olivier Py (5, 6, 7, 8, 10, 11, 12 and 13 July)
• Points de non-retour (Quais de Seine), by Alexandra Balea (5, 6, 8, 9, 10, 11 and 12 July)
• Snow White, history of a prince, by Michel Raskine (6, 7, 8, 10, 11 and 12 July)

There are, of course, many other shows, as well as exhibitions, concerts and the entire Festival du Off. Visit the official website of the Festival d’Avignon to access the full programme .

Prices of the Festival d’Avignon

You are strongly advised to book your tickets for the Festival d’Avignon 2019 in advance. We can book:

• On the internet: From 11 June 2019 to 7 p.m.

• By phone (04 90 14 14 14 14):
  - Pre-sales: From June 11 to July 5, 2018
  - Sales: From 6 July every day from 10am to 7pm

• At the Cloître Saint-Louis (20, rue du Portail Boquier):
  - Pre-sales: Saturday, June 8 from 1 pm to 6 pm – Sales of 10,000 seats at the counter only.
  - Sales: From 11 June to 5 July or from 6 July, daily

• At the Festival Boutique: Place de l’Horloge, starting July 6

• To the Fnac: At the counter, by telephone and on the site of La Fnac,
  - Pre-sales: On Saturday 8 June for Fnac Avignon Centre and Le Pontet.
  - Sales: On Tuesday 11 June at 10am for Fnac France, Switzerland and Belgium

The prices of the Festival d’Avignon 2019 range from €9 to €40, depending on the show chosen, whether discounted or not, etc.

How to go to the Avignon Festival?

In order to arrive at the show time, it is advisable to leave earlier because due to the weakening, strong at this time, delays may occur. It should be noted that throughout the Festival d’Avignon 2019 and the Off, July 4 to July 28, 2019, the car access to downtown Avignon will be prohibited (from 12h to 2h in the morning in 2018). Detailed plans of the city’s neighbourhoods allow you to spot the streets and public areas of Avignon, which is useful in particular to find out where to park, and how to access the show rooms.

Doors open 30 minutes before the beginning of each representation. Note that the placement is no longer guaranteed from 5 minutes before the start of the show.

To come to Avignon from Paris or other large city in the north of France, one can opt for aircraft , with Marseille Provence Airport is 88 kilometres south of Avignon and serves many national and international flights. Then take the A7 (go to Avignon-Nord or Avignon-Sud). Another solution: train , with the TER network (count between 50 minutes and 1h30 depending on the routes) or bus (the journey takes 1h15 with the Ouibus or Flixbus companies).

Where to stay during the Avignon Festival?

Are you coming to the Avignon Festival 2019? Since it is a unique event in France, countless owners and hoteliers are taking care of the festival-goers. To stay, the hotels and apartments in the city will logically be stormed and the rates will climb up. This is Compare hotels should nevertheless allow you to find a good hotel at the best price.

View the accommodation in the living room (style) Airbnb ), the campsites around Avignon (check the proximity with public transport), the guest rooms in Avignon and around the city (Les Angles, Villeneuve-lès-Avignon, Le Pontet, Monfavet, Rognonas, Barbentane, Sorgues, Entraigues-sur-la-Sorgue, etc). To help you, read our article " Which area is in Avignon? » .