Founded in 1947 by Jean Vilar, the Festival d'Avignon is one of the most important international events in the field of contemporary performing arts. Every year in July, the Festival turns the city into a theatre, welcoming tens of thousands of performing arts lovers from all ages and backgrounds. Among exceptional historical sites, including the Palais des papes, the Festival produces and puts on about sixty shows, as well as readings, exhibitions, films, and many debates.
The OFF Festival: avignonleoff.com
3 weeks of Festival means 40 venues, 60 shows (over 200 curtain risers), and, counting debates, encounters, and screenings, over 400 events for a total of 155,000 admissions (both paid and free), for an average attendance level of 95%.
To organise the Festival, 33 permanent employees work throughout the year along with 750 temporary workers. Counting the artistic teams we welcome here, we create 1,700 jobs and almost 50,000 days' worth of work, not counting our permanent staff.
Throughout the year, 800 hours' worth of artistic events bring together 5,000 students, 140 classes, 77 schools, and 18 towns, and 1,700 people are able to visit the Festival.
Our budget is 13 million euros, 57% of which comes from public subsidies, and 43% from revenue (distribution, co-productions, sponsorship and partnerships, ticket sales).
The Festival is therefore both a driver of growth and an actor of redistribution.
The Festival is also known for the important presence of the professional sector, both French and foreign (12% of festivalgoers), 600 accredited journalists (with 520 interviews for print, audiovisual, and web media, 200 radio interviews and reports, 35 television crews, 112 film shoots, 44 photographers). Our website receives more than 4 million page hits a year, and over 1,000 pictures and 200 videos are added with every edition.
The programme of the Festival d'Avignon leads to a large number of tours. Following the 72nd edition, 36 shows in the programme performed more than 958 times in 26 different countries, for a total of 210 different cities, including 143 French and 67 foreign.
The director of the Festival d'Avignon has a mandate to independently create a programme for each edition. Our teams scout artists and/or shows in France and abroad to then create this programme; there is no application process to perform at the Festival.
The ticket office of the Festival d'Avignon has a service dedicated to professionals which is in charge of studying the many requests sent to professionnel@festival-avignon.com
The press office of the Festival d'Avignon studies accreditation requests sent to accreditation@festival-avignon.com
- I am a teacher, or in charge of a group or association,
is there a service i can contact?
If you want to organise a group event (40 tickets minimum), you can send your request to groupe@festival-avignon.com, preferably before mid-May.
If you want to develop a project of artistic discovery and/or practice:projet@festival-avignon.com
The Festival d'Avignon relays no commercial offers on its website and social networks. If you want to offer accommodations to artistic teams, you can send an email to festival@festival-avignon.comaddressed to the logistics service.
Job and internship offers are available on the website of the Festival d'Avignon (under the “Apply” tab) or on the Linkedin account of the Festival https://www.linkedin.com/company/festival-d'avignon/
Every year, on April 1st, the Festival d'Avignon makes available application forms for seasonal positions (reception agents, guards, cleaning agents, etc...). You can submit your application via this form within 3 weeks.
The Festival d'Avignon doesn't employ volunteers.
The “Archives” section of the website includes the programme of every edition of the Festival d'Avignon since 1947.
You can also contact the BibliothèqueNationale de France, which has a branch at the Maison Jean Vilar in Avignon. It has collected and made available all the history of the Festival d'Avignon: www.bnf.fr
The Festival d'Avignon is supported in its missions by sponsors (individuals, companies, foundations). To learn more, see the section “Becoming a sponsor of the Festival d'Avignon”.
The programme is:
- available on our website after the press conference of the Festival (in late March),
- available to download as a PDF on the main page of the website and in the “downloads” section (at the bottom of the site) in late April,
- available at the Festival d'Avignon (cloître Saint-Louis), at the tourism office of Avignon, and with many of our partners, like the Fnac.
If you want to receive the programme, you need to update your information on the website before March, in the “My account” section.
Unless specifically mentioned, a show is either in French or without any text. Shows that aren't in French all have French surtitles.
Programmes in English are available at individual shows.
There is a calculator called “My programme” (in the upper right corner of the website) which takes into account the duration of the shows and travel time between venues. It shows you which shows are compatible within a single day.
Every show has its duration listed on its page.
Maps are available on the website, on the page dedicated to each venue, and in the “Coming to the Festival” section. They show car parks, bus and shuttle stops, travel time (on foot or by car), and entrances for wheelchair-bound festivalgoers.
You cannot by tickets on the “My programme” page.
You can book your tickets:
- On the internet starting on 11 June at 10 a.m. on billetterie.festival-avignon.com
- By phone (+33 4 90 14 14 14) starting on 11 June from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. from Monday to Friday, then starting on 4 July, from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. every day
- At the ticket office of the Festival d'Avignon (Cloître Saint-Louis, 20 rue du PortailBoquier, Avignon): starting on 11 June, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. from Monday to Friday, then starting on 4 July, from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. every day
- At the store of the Festival d'Avignon (Place de l'Horloge): starting on 3 July, from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. every day
Plane, train, bus, bike... Information about every means of transport is available on the website in the “Coming to the Festival” section, along with maps.
A detailed map of parking spots is available on the website in the “Coming to the Festival” section as well as on the website of the city of Avignon.
Walking and biking are the easiest and quickest ways to get around. Self-service bikes (vélopop') are available.
The city centre won't be accessible by car from noon to 2 a.m. Some car parks are connected to the city centre via shuttle. Buses also make the connection from some nearby towns. See the “Coming to the Festival” section of the website.
Maps and itineraries are available on the website, on the page dedicated to each venue and in the “Coming to the Festival” section.
For a few venues located far from the Festival ((L'Autre Scène du Grand Avignon - Vedène or l'Opéra Confluence), shuttles are available by the ticket office.
For the itinerant show, and in order to make it easier for people from the towns visited to attend, we remind you that there is no shuttle service organised by the Festival for those performances. Acarpooling system ishoweveravailable: popcar.fr
Itineraries for people with reduced mobility are available on the website in the “Accessibility” section.
You can also find them on parking.handicap.fr / avignon.fr / avignon-tourisme.fr
You can contact us at accessibilite@festival-avignon.comso we can better welcome and accommodate you. If at all possible, try booking your tickets over the phone.
To move around the Grand Avignon as a person with reduced mobility, a shuttle is available at +33 800 456 456.
Yes. Part of the programme is aimed specifically at children. A young spectactor's guide is available to know more about the shows, screening, and workshops, and offers games and activities around the theme of the Festival.
Children need to have a ticket, and will not be permitted to sit on your lap.
The Festival d'Avignon relays no commercial offers on its website and social networks. Please contact the tourism office for more information: avignon-tourisme.com
Some of the venues offer food: la Chartreuse-CNES de Villeneuve lez Avignon for
£¥€$ of Ontroerend Goed, Macbeth Philosophe of Olivier Py and Enzo Verdet, La Nuit des odyssées of Sonia Wieder-Atherton la Chartreuse-CNES de Villeneuve lez Avignon pour les représentations de £¥€$ de Ontroerend Goed, Macbeth Philosophe de Olivier Py et Enzo Verdet, La Nuit des odyssées de Sonia Wieder-Atherton, and for Ateliers de la penséeon the site Louis Pasteur Supramuros - Avignon Université. A refreshment area is open at La FabricA on days where shows are playing.
- On the internet starting on 11 Juneat 10 a.m.: festival-avignon.com
- By phone (+33 4 90 14 14 14) starting on 11 June from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. from Monday to Friday, then starting on 4 July, from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. every day
- At the ticket office of the Festival d'Avignon (Cloître Saint-Louis, 20 rue du Portail Boquier, Avignon): starting on 11 June, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. from Monday to Friday, then starting on 4 July, from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. every day
- At the store of the Festival d'Avignon (Place de l'Horloge): starting on 3 July, from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. every day
It isn't possible. The Festival d'Avignon doesn't handle bookings for shows outside of its programme (OFF festival, permanent theatres, Villeneuve-en Scène...). You should contact those structures directly, as they are independent from the Festival d'Avignon.
All prices are available on the website in the “Bookings / Prices” section.
- I'm under 26: yes, upon presentation of a valid ID. To be eligible for a reduced rate, you need to be under 26 at the time you book the tickets. You may also be asked to provide a valid ID at the venue itself, on the night of the show.
- I'm a handicapped person: yes, upon presentation of a disability card and/or proof that you receive an allowance as an adult with disabilities. You may also be asked to provide the aforementioned document at the venue itself, on the night of the show.
- I am currently unemployed: yes, upon presentation of a valid document proving that you are. You may also be asked to provide said document at the venue itself, on the night of the show.
- I'm an RSA beneficiary: yes, upon presentation of a valid document proving that you are. You may also be asked to provide said document at the venue itself, on the night of the show.
- I have a “senior card”: no, the Festival d'Avignon doesn't offer reduced rates for seniors.
- I'm buying tickets for 5+ shows: if you buy tickets for 5 shows or more at full rate, you will receive the “Grand Spectateur” rate starting on the 5th show (the first 4 remain at full rate).
- I'm with a group: if you order over 25 tickets at full rate (a single order for several people), the “Grand Spectateur” rate will be applied to those tickets. (Tickets are nominative, please include information for every member of the group.)
- I am an association, a works concil, a school group, a community, and would wish to offer an experience of the Festival: you can write the group service (if buying at least 40 tickets) in April. You will receive a form to fill out and return by mid-May. The fulfillment of a request depends of availability. Please contact groupe@festival-avignon.com
Yes, children under 18 enjoy a reduced rate for all shows, and a 10€ rate for shows for young audiences.
Two pass systems are available at the Festival d'Avignon:
- GRAND SPECTATEUR :
- 4/40: 4 different shows for 40€ for people under 26. Tickets are nominative and subject to availability. More than one pass can be bought by the same person.
Yes, if you book your tickets directly at the Fnac (in a store, by phone, or on the fnac.com website) rather than at the Festival's ticket office.
Yes! Tickets can be bought at a show's venue, 45 minutes before the beginning of each performance, subject to availability. Passes and some reduced rates aren't available at the ticket offices of the venues. Don't hesitate, tickets are often available until the very last minute...
There is no waiting list at the Festival d'Avignon. You can go to a show's venue 45 minutes before a performance to try and buy tickets.
Cheque, debit card, cash, “chèquesvacances”.
Yes. The SSL secured server insured the reliability of e-commerce by encrypting all personal data provided during payment (address, email, bank information, etc.). During online transfers, it is impossible to read or extract those data.
- If you chose to retrieve your tickets at the ticket office, you can do it until 3 hours before the show at the ticket office of the Cloître Saint-Louis, or until 1 hour before the show at the venue.
- If you chose an electronic ticket: you can download it in the “My account” section of the website. For the ticket to be valid, you have to either print it legibly, or present it on your phone or tablet.
Tickets can't be exchanged or refunded, unless a show is cancelled or postponed. See our general terms and conditions in the “Bookings / Tickets” section of our website.
Selling a ticket for a price higher than its value is prohibited (law of 27 June 1919 and 12 March 2012). However, if you sell it for a price equal to or lower than its value, we can't do anything about it.
- If it's a thermal (physical) ticket with a stub, you don't run much risk:
- If it's an electronic ticket, be careful, it could be a photocopy or a non-valid ticket. You might not be able to enter the venue. We highly discourage buying electronic tickets.
Starting on 11 June 2019 at 10 a.m., our online ticket office will be available by clicking on the “ticket office” button on our website's home page.
On our website, on the page of the show you're interested in, click on the “basket” button, select the date and rate you want; create or log in to your account and pay for your tickets.
- Reactivate your account by clicking on “Reset your password / I forgot my password”, then reset your password.
- As a last resort, if you can't reactivate your account, you can contact us at resaweb@festival-avignon.com
We regularly put tickets on sale, and we encourage you to check on our website, come see us at the Cloître Saint-Louis, or directly at the show's venue (the ticket office there opens 45 minutes before the beginning of the show).
It's no big deal! You can start by checking whether you received a payment ticket from Paybox.
- If yes, go to your account to find your order.
- If not, contact us quickly at resaweb@festival-avignon.com
You can check whether you received a payment ticket from Paybox.
- If yes, go to your account to find your order.
- If not, contact us quickly at resaweb@festival-avignon.com
If you have reduced rate tickets, you have to upload all the relevant documents in the “My account” section.Once you have done that, we have to approve them and confirm so that you can download and print your tickets.
Are you sure you picked an e-ticket? It should be in the confirmation email you received.
If not, we invite you to go to the ticket office at the cloître Saint-Louis with your order number and a valid ID.
If you make a copy of a ticket, only the first person to arrive will be able to enter, as the QR code printed on the ticket is unique.
In 2019, eleven venues have numberedseats: Cour d'honneur of the Palais des papes, La FabricA, Cour Minérale - Avignon Université, Cour du lycée Saint-Joseph, Cloître des Carmes, Théâtre Benoît-XII, L'Autre Scène du Grand Avignon - Vedène, Gymnase Aubanel, Gymnase Mistral, Gymnase du lycée Saint-Joseph, Opéra Confluence.
In all other venues, seats are not numbered.
If you buy your tickets:
- At the ticket office or by phone, you will be told where your seat is.
- Online, you can see when buying the ticket where your seat will be.
- how can i know if the tickets i bought are for seats next to each other?
If the venue doesn't have numbered seats, you are free to sit wherever you want.
If you buy your tickets at the ticket office or by phone, ticket office clerks will take your criteria into account as much as possible.
If you buy your tickets online, they will be for seats next to each other by default, unless such seats are no longer available.
Seats are numbered thus: every row is designated by a letter (A, B, C...), with row A being the closest to the stage. Every seat is designated by a number (even: 2, 4, 6, 8... and odd: 1, 3, 5, 7...)
You can sit wherever you want, as long as the seat is free.
Seats cease to be numbered 5 minutes before the beginning of the performance.
You can then enter the venue:
- Depending on availability if seats are no longer numbered,
- At your assigned seat if they are.
You will find the time and duration of a show on our website, on the show's page. If it says “estimated running time”, it means that the show is currently in production, and that the duration is therefore an estimation and can still change. Changes and final running times will be indicated at the venue, before entering, as well as on our website.
Arriving 30 minutes before the beginning of a show will allow you to go through bag and ticker checks without having to rush, and you will have time to find your seat or to pick one if the seats aren't numbered. For the Courd'honneur of the Palais des papes, the Cour du lycée Saint-Joseph, and the Opéra Confluence, we advise you to come 45 minutes before the beginning of the show.
Whether to let in latecomers or not is up to a show's artistic team. If the entrance to the venue is through the stage or in front of it, no latecomer will be let in once the show has begun.
If a show is cancelled long before the performance, we will contact you (by email and/or text) and let you know if the show is postponed or how to get reimbursed. This is why it is important to provide us with a valid email address or phone number.
If you bought your tickets at the Fnac: we invite you to contact them by email or to go to the Fnac ticket office.
Rain is only a problem for shows playing outside. If we determine that the show cannot be performed, you will receive an email and/or text letting you know if the show is postponed or how to get reimbursed.
Food is available at some of the venues, a list of which is available in the programme and on our website.
The following venues are air-conditioned: gymnase du lycée Mistral, gymnase du lycée Aubanel, gymnase du lycée Saint-Joseph, La FabricA, Opéra Confluence, Théâtre Benoît-XII, chapelle des Pénitents blancs, L'Autre Scène du Grand Avignon – Vedène, la Chartreuse-CNES de Villeneuve lez Avignon, le salon de la Mouette de la Maison Jean Vilar.
It can be cold out at night. Remember to take some warm clothes, especially if the mistral is blowing.
Is there a dress code?
There is no dress code. However, be careful of the mistral (it can be cold out)!
We cannot provide a cloakroom or lockers. Please plan accordingly, and do not come to the venues with large bags and certain items (see below).
As part of the plan Vigipirate, the following items are prohibited within the venues:
- large bags,
- travelbackpacks,
- suitcases,
- helmets,
- firearms,
- bladedweapons (evenfake),
- sharp-edged items: knives, scissors,
- glass or plastic bottles,
- opaque containers: thermos, cans, etc.,
- aerosol cans or compressed-gas cylinders,
- toxic chemicals,
- flammable liquids,
- fireworks (bangers, flares, etc.)
Only spray bottles and clear half-liter water bottles are allowed
Can i come with my pet?
No animal will be let in, except for guide dogs.
It is forbidden to take pictures or record any part of the show. A message will remind you of it before every show. However, during curtain calls (and only then), you can take pictures or record videos.
Yes, a shop is open throughout the Festival, and year-round on our website. For each edition, you'll find different models of t-shirts, bags, posters, as well as a number of stationery items (notebooks, pens, bookmarks), clothes and accessories (fans, hats, sandals), interior decoration (tableware, trays, wine glasses), and the Festival's official vintage (vins de Vacqueyras).
At the Festival's store, on the place de l'Horloge (open from 3 to 24 July, from 10 a.m. to 9:30 p.m.) or on our website (festival-avignon.com/boutique)
The Festival's store is located on the place de l'Horloge, in front of the Hôtel de ville.
The Bookstore is located inside the Maison Jean Vilar (rue de Mons, near the place de l'Horloge). It is open every day of the Festival, from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Some shows have been recorded and are available on DVD, and can be bought at the bookstore and at the Festival's store.
By clicking on “My account”, il the upper right corner of the website.
You can do it directly on your account, or by sending us an email at festival@festival-avignon.com
We do not communicate your information to any third party.
