Avignon and Delicious Lunch at Le Gout Du Jour

Avignon is 40 km southwest of Sablet, snuggled inside ancient walls along the Rhône River. The largest town in the Vaucluse, Avignon is very old, full of history, art, music and activity. I never get tired of wandering the narrow streets inside the fortified walls.

We come to Avignon to shop and meet up with cousins. Our stops always include a visit to the Nespresso Boutique, near Place de l'Horloge, to buy espresso capsules to take back to California (way cheaper). Shirley prefers to shop leisurely by herself so I go off to explore and take pictures.

Notre Dame des Doms Cathedral seen below is a Roman Catholic church located next to the Palais des Papes in Avignon. The cathedral is the seat of the Archbishop of Avignon. It is a Romanesque building, constructed primarily in the second half of the 12th century. The bell tower collapsed in 1405 and was rebuilt in 1425.

Notre Dame des Doms Cathedral

The Pope's Palace seen in the picture below is a historical palace in Avignon, one of the largest and most important Medieval Gothic buildings in Europe. One time fortress and palace, the papal residence was the seat of Western Christianity during the 14th century. Six papal conclaves were held in the Palace, leading to the elections of Benedict XII in 1334, Clement VI in 1342, Innocent VI in 1352, Urban V in 1362, Gregory XI in 1370 and Antipope Benedict XIII in 1394.

The Pope's Palace

In the center of Avignon on Place de l'Horloge you will discover the neo-classical town hall known as the Hotel de Ville seen below. It was built in the 19th century as a replacement for an older building. The 14th century Gothic clock tower from the original structure which gave the square its name was incorporated into the construction of the current Hotel de Ville.

Hotel de Ville and 14th Century Clock Tower

While Shirley shops, I choose our restaurant for lunch. We learned early on, that with the exception of cafes that are mostly frequented by tourists, it is not a good idea to drop into French restaurants without reservations. 

You will probably find they are "complet" (full) even if they have empty tables. You might get lucky if you show up just as they open their door for service. Most local restaurants with the exception of the aforementioned cafes for tourists do not turn tables like is customary in the United States.

It appears the pandemic has been hard on restaurants in Avignon like the United States. So some of the restaurants that we have enjoyed over the years are now "permanently closed". So on our visit in January, I decided we would try a new-to-us restaurant called "Le Gout De Jour" which I found in the Michelin Guide.

Shirley and I at "Le Gout Du Jour" with a glass of Mont Redon Gigondas 

Le Gout Du Jour restaurant is located just a few steps from the Hotel de Ville. The chef is a young Avignonnais (born in Avignon) by the name of Julien Chazal. He offers diners a variety of menu options including a vegetarian menu. The following photos show the dishes we enjoyed at lunch.

Pumpkin Soup

Salmon Fillet for Shirley

Venison Loin for Me

Dessert for Me

Dessert for Shirley

Espresso and Brownies to Finish the Meal

I am happy we discovered a new restaurant to recommend to friends who visit Avignon. The restaurant is opened daily for lunch and dinner except for Tuesdays and Wednesdays. As I mentioned earlier in the post, I highly recommend you make reservations and don't show up hoping to get seated without one.

Le Gout Du Jour

20 Rue Saint-Etienne

84000 Avignon

Tel: 04 32 76 32 16

Website: www.legoutdujour84.com