Avignon or St. remy
 

We have one day, should we go to Avignon or St. Remy?

Avignon for sure - IMO - St-Remy is a nice smaller town to stay in but no real sights in town itself though the asylum where van Gogh committed himself after slicing his ear off in nearby Arles is a great place - copies of his paintings have been set up in the many venues near the asylum he put on canvas during his stay here.

And Les Baux is just several miles away - research it if never heard of it - awesome site but only if you have a car.

Otherwise Avignon has more things of interest - especially the Palace of the Popes and of course the Pont d'Avignon still standing half straddling the river here.

Arles would be also neat and a smaller town - Roman ruins and lots of venues of Impressionists artists now on famous canvasses in museums around the world.

St Remy does have a couple small museums of minor interest--some art one as I recall, and one of the local area (Alpilles). Mainly archeology as I recall, it's not large. There are some Roman ruins near the Van Gogh site, also, outside of town.

But if you have no dying interest in seeing the Van Gogh asylum, I"d go to Avignon as I think one of its main highlights is its Petit Palais museum, actually, which is excellent (lots of Renaissance art and some Provencal paintings), aside from the palace. I don't find the bridge that fascinating, but I did look at it from afar, of course. They have a nice church, park and some other small museums, also. Historically, it is of course much more important. I would definitely put Avignon higher on my priority list, in general.

Avignon is more interesting. St. Rémy is nice but about 70% of the shops when I was there in July seemed to be tourist oriented.

I agree that the bridge is not worth a visit, but if you want to see it, just climb up to the park to the left of the Palais des Papes. It has a fantastic view of the Rhoône and the bridge.

It was nice to dance on the Pont d'Avignon- too many danced on it in olden times and broke it in half!

But yes except for the children's song it would not have piqued my interest so.

But if you go over the river from the opposite bank there is a splendid view of Avignon and the bridge:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BHsER0a7MGA

I preferred St. Remy.

I thought Avignon was boring, and NOT beautiful.

If you want specific sights to see (museums, galleries and so forth) then Avignon. If you want to meander around an attractive small town, then St Remy.

For a short visit I'd take Arles over both of them.

Avignon is direct from Paris by TGV, with a quick connection by 'local' train or taxi to the center.
Arles would be a bit further by train.
St Remy may be only accessible by bus from Avignon or other departures, but it doesn't have a train station.
(in case you aren't driving)...

I liked St. Remy better than Avignon but I liked Aix en Provence way better than either of them.

I know everyone loves Avignon. I must have just been there on a bad day.

(and I agree with tomboy)
(and market day in St. Remy was lovely)
(but Aix en Provence is swell)

I'd go back to St. Remy, and I'd go back to Aix in Provence.

Not to Avignon (well, I'd get off the TGV at Avignon, but I wouldn't go into the city).

Just returned from Avignon and loved it The shops are very nice and liked the food and the Place L'Horloge is just lined with places to sip rose and people watch. Thought St Remy kind of boring.

Different folks, different strokes.

Or...

Some like strawberry, some like cassis.

What about Arles?