The Festival d'Avignon sprawls across the biggest part of July every year, and I generally try to spend five or six days there because I love it. The "official" festival presents about 60 spectacles, the most prestigious ones in the courtyard of the Palais des Papes. However, the real draw to Avignon is the unofficial festival, called the "Off." This year it is presenting a mind boggling 1092 shows, most of them performed every day for about 22 days.

The catalogue of programs for the Off is available free everywhere, and as you can imagine, it is the size of a telephone directory. This year, in five days, I saw fewer shows than usual -- only a total of eleven -- but I have learned to live with the frustration. It is generally on my very last day that about 20 shows pop out of the program at me to cause immense frustration at all of the things I don't have time to see.

I would like to mention that this year there was an excellent and long overdue innovation in the catalogue of shows. There was a coding system that showed, among other things, if the program was "accessible" to non French speaking viewers -- obviously the dance and mime shows are, but there are lots of other spectacles that require little or no knowledge of French -- not to mention presentations by English speaking troupes.

I have made a photo report of what I saw and did there this year, in case anybody is interested. I heartily recommend spending at least one day in Avignon in July to discover this event (oh, but you will be so frustrated....).

Here is the report: http://tinyurl.com/3yk92wf

Amazing stuff, kerouac. Thanks so much for sharing all the details, photos, and video, too! It seems a little like a suburban version of Burning Man.

It was almost as hot in Paris as in Avignon... until I returned home. Now it is cool with sprinkles of rain.

Yet again, thanks so much for sharing your great photos and commentary. I would be interested in hearing about logistics. I think I read on another thread that you stay outside the city and travel in. Drive? Public transport? How to purcase tickets? Thanks again.

Did you see any work by Jean Lambert-Wild this year? If so, what did you think?

Thanks for taking the time to share with those of us who couldn't be there--most generous of you. I can certainly appreciate your fascination and enjoyment of the event.

Love it kerouak. The balancing elephant was amazing. I too worry about the performing family with the three children. Your night pictures are wonderful.

Cathinjoetown, yes I rent a car during my 5 or 6 days, but I have had to learn to ropes over the years -- where to park around the walls during the day, what times one can expect the cars to move, tricks to get a space when no spaces seem available, etc. That is fine for regular visitors, but someone going just once should either 1) not rent a car and use the bus system like thousands of other visitors or 2) accept to pay the underground car park fees (not really outrageous at all), or use the free park + ride lots on the outskirts that have shuttles every 10 minutes.

I would still vote for renting a car, because it allows you to spend a half day at the Pont du Gard, in Arles, les Baux, Saint Rémy or Orange -- all less than an hour from Avignon.

The advantages of the suburban hotels -- in Le Pontet in my case -- are multiple.
1. rates of 40-50 euros for a modern air conditoned room compared to 100-300 euros intra muros.
2. most hotels/motels are next to a shopping mall -- great for daily necessities and meal items
3. the ambience inside the city is so intense that frankly it is a relief to be away from it from time to time.

Oh, and I wanted to add that you can still book the chains -- Première Classe, Etap, B&B, Acotel, Fast Hôtel, etc., only about 2 months before the festival instead of 6 months in the city. I did notice that my hotel (one of the two B&B Hôtels at Le Pontet) was full every single day except Sunday night while I was there, and on Sunday the 'full' sign was up by noon. I was paying 42 euros a night and 5 euros for the unlimited buffet breakfast.

Thanks so much, K. Good info--maybe 2011!

The Avignon "On" (official) festival ended on Tuesday. The "Off" ends tonight.

If anybody wants to know what I actually went to see, the report is here: http://tinyurl.com/3yrdfa5

Thank you so much for these wonderful pics ! We'll be there next year !