Villeneuve-lès-Avignon

Villeneuve-lès-Avignon
Villeneuve-lès-Avignon
Commune
	Fort Saint-André on Mont Andaon
	Coat of arms
	show Location of Villeneuve-lès-Avignon
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	Coordinates: 43°58′02″N 4°47′48″E / 43.9672°N 4.7967°ECoordinates: 43°58′02″N 4°47′48″E / 43.9672°N 4.7967°E
Country	France
Region	Occitanie
Department	Gard
Arrondissement	Nîmes
Canton	Villeneuve-lès-Avignon
Intercommunality	CA Grand Avignon
Government
• Mayor (2020-2026)	Pascale Bories
Area 1	18.27 km2 (7.05 sq mi)
Population (Jan. 2018)	11,769
• Density	640/km2 (1,700/sq mi)
Time zone	UTC+01:00 (CET)
• Summer (DST)	UTC+02:00 (CEST)
INSEE/Postal code	30351 /30400
Elevation	10–181 m (33–594 ft) ; (avg. 25 m or 82 ft)
	1 French Land Register data, which excludes lakes, ponds, glaciers > 1 km2 (0.386 sq mi or 247 acres) and river estuaries.

Villeneuve-lès-Avignon (French pronunciation: [vil'nœv lez‿avi'ɲɔ̃]; Provençal: Vilanòva d’Avinhon) is a commune in the Gard department in southern France. It can also be spelled Villeneuve-lez-Avignon.

History[]

In the 6th century the Benedictine abbey of St André was founded on Mount Andaon, and the village which grew up round it took its name.^[2] The city itself was founded by Philippe le Bel and boasts a castle he built, Fort Saint-André.

The town was also the resort of the French cardinals during the sojourn of the popes at Avignon, in the 14th century.^[2]

Geography[]

It is located on the right (western) bank of the river Rhône, opposite Avignon.

Population[]

Historical population

Year	Pop.	±%
1793	3,300	—
1800	3,297	−0.1%
1806	3,279	−0.5%
1821	3,232	−1.4%
1831	3,564	+10.3%
1836	3,633	+1.9%
1841	3,671	+1.0%
1846	3,723	+1.4%
1851	3,733	+0.3%
1856	3,252	−12.9%
1861	3,162	−2.8%
1866	3,067	−3.0%
1872	2,730	−11.0%
1876	2,910	+6.6%
1881	2,630	−9.6%
1886	2,644	+0.5%
1891	2,622	−0.8%
1896	2,735	+4.3%

Year	Pop.	±%
1901	2,922	+6.8%
1906	2,890	−1.1%
1911	2,709	−6.3%
1921	2,561	−5.5%
1926	3,035	+18.5%
1931	3,635	+19.8%
1936	3,740	+2.9%
1946	4,399	+17.6%
1954	5,157	+17.2%
1962	6,422	+24.5%
1968	6,977	+8.6%
1975	8,540	+22.4%
1982	9,282	+8.7%
1990	10,730	+15.6%
1999	11,791	+9.9%
2008	12,756	+8.2%
2012	12,232	−4.1%
2017	11,698	−4.4%

Sights[]

Fort Saint-André, on a hill outside the town
Tour Philippe Le Bel, 14th century
The church of Notre Dame, dating from the 14th century, contains a rich marble altar and significant pictures.^[2]
Carthusian monastery Notre-Dame-du-val-de-Bénédiction, founded in 1356 by Pope Innocent VI^[2]

International relations[]

Villeneuve-lès-Avignon is twinned with:

Rheinbach, Germany
Gytheio, Greece
San Miniato, Italy

Gallery[]

Tour Philippe Le Bel
Fort Saint-André
Chartreuse du Val de Bénédiction
Collapsed apse of church, Chartreuse du Val de Bénédiction
Cloister of Saint John, Chartreuse du Val de Bénédiction
Chapel of the frescos, Chartreuse du Val de Bénédiction
Tomb of Pope Innocent VI, Chartreuse du Val de Bénédiction

References[]

^ "Populations légales 2018". INSEE. 28 December 2020.
^ Jump up to: ^a ^b ^c ^d One or more of the preceding sentences incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Chisholm, Hugh, ed. (1911). "Villeneuve-lès-Avignon". Encyclopædia Britannica. 28 (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press. p. 85.