The Avignon Festival

Founded in 1947 by Jean Vilar, the Avignon theater festival is one of the most important in Europe. A promoter of popular theater, it is also renowned for its avant-garde and demanding productions. The most important shows are staged on the stage of the Palais des Papes, an impressive papal residence built in the 14th century. The festival also attracts hundreds of French-speaking companies. It’s a wild, witty and joyful festival.