Dining Information

Good-value midday meals are easy to come by in Avignon and eating well in the evening needn't break the bank. The large terraced café-brasseries on place de l'Horloge, rue de la République, place du Change and place des Corps-Saints all serve quick basic meals. Rue des Teinturiers is good for menu-browsing if you're on a budget, and the streets between place de Crillon and place du Palais are full of temptation if you're not.

Le Belgocargo, 10 place des Châtaignes (tel 04.90.85.72.99). Belgian restaurant, specializing in moules frites and beer; lunch menu with drink for under 50F/€7.53. Closed Sun out of season.

Brunel, 46 rue Balance (tel 04.90.85.24.83). Superb regional dishes, with menus from 100F/€15.25. Closed Sun & Mon, and mid-July to mid-Aug.

Couscousserie de l'Horloge, 2 rue de Mons (tel 04.90.85.84.86). Popular Algerian-run restaurant with a jovial atmosphere and excellent North African food. Try the delicious tajine aux prunes at 75F/€11.44.

L'Entrée des Artistes, 1 place des Carmes (tel 04.90.82.46.90). Small, friendly bistro serving traditional French dishes; 92F/€14.03 weekday menu. Closed lunch Sat, Sun & first two weeks of Sept.

La Ferme, chemin du Bois, Île de la Barthelasse (tel 04.90.82.57.53). A traditional farmhouse, serving well-prepared simple dishes. From 110F/€16.78. Closed Sat lunch.

Hiély-Lucullus, 5 rue de la République (tel 04.90.86.17.07). This is one of Avignon's top gastronomic palaces, preparing beautiful Provençal cuisine. The Rhône wines are the very best, and will add a good whack to an already groaning bill if you order à la carte. 155F/€23.64 menu or else 320F/€48.80 menu gourmand. Closed Mon & Tues, and last two weeks of Jan & June.

Rose au Petit Bedon, 70 rue Joseph-Vernet (tel 04.90.82.33.98). The "Potbelly " does the best meal for under 170F/€25.93 to be had anywhere in the city.

La Tache d'Encre, 22 rue des Teinturiers (tel 04.90.85.97.13). The food isn't brilliant but the music - jazz, rock, chansons, African or salsa - usually is and the atmosphere is congenial. There's live music on Fri and Sat nights, occasionally weekdays, too; booking advisable. Menus from 92F/€14.03. Closed Mon.

Le Venaissin, 16 place de l'Horloge (tel 04.90.86.20.99). In the height of summer, you'll be lucky to get a table here - it's the only cheap brasserie on place de l'Horloge that serves more than steak frites; two menus under 100F/€15.25. Closed mid-Nov to Jan.

Bloomsbury's, 11 rue de la Balance. As English a teahouse as you could find on this side of the Channel. Excellent cakes, and a good, quiet place to read the paper. Mon-Sat 1-6pm.

Les Célestins, place des Corps-Saints. Café-bar with a young, fairly trendy clientele. Mon-Sat 7am-1am.

Grand Café du Commerce, 21 rue St-Jean-de-Vieux. Pleasant café for all tastes.

Pub Z, cnr rue Bonneterie & rue Artaud (bus #58). Rock bar with black and white decor. Open till 1.30am; closed Sun & first three weeks of Aug.

Le Red Zone, 25 rue Carnot (tel 04.90.27.02.44). Bar with DJs and weekly concerts. Thurs-Sat 7pm-1.30am.

Shakespeare, 155 rue Carreterie. English bookshop and salon de thé . Closed Sun, Mon & evenings.

Tapalocas, 10 rue Galante (tel 04.90.82.56.84). Tapas at 12F/€1.83 a dish, and Spanish music, sometimes live. Daily 11.45am-1.30am.