A Travel Price Comparison for Families, Couples, and Backpackers Lausanne vs. Avignon for Attractions, Food, Old Town, and Couples

Should you visit Lausanne or Avignon?

Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?

If you're trying to decide where to visit between Lausanne or Avignon, this travel comparison, which includes costs, can help. The overall cost of travel is usually a consideration when deciding where to go next, and the cost comparison down below can help you decide based on the average prices from other travelers along with your own travel budget.

Lausanne

Lausanne is a international, diverse, and vibrant city. It offers plenty of beauty for visitors. It's also popular because of the food, shopping, and museums.

Avignon

Avignon is a picturesque, historical, and quaint town. Because it offers so much small town charm with a variety of activities, it attracts plenty of visitors for a good reason. Other popular activities here include museums, food, and shopping.

Lausanne and Avignon: Pros and Cons

Is there more to do in Lausanne or Avignon?

Travelers will generally find more things to do in Avignon than Lausanne. While Lausanne is larger than Avignon, Avignon has more sights and attractions for tourists. Avignon is very popular for its museums, food, historical sights, and small town charm, while Lausanne attracts visitors for its nightlife, shopping, and impressive beauty. Avignon is more touristy than Lausanne and is popular for its architectural beauty and historical importance. It is also well known for Palais des Papes. Lausanne is famous for being the home of the International Olympic Committee headquarters.

How is Lausanne different from Avignon?

Which is Better for a Holiday?

Let's take a look at the differences and similarities between Avignon and Lausanne. Then, you can decide for yourself which place is better for your next trip.

Are the Museums and Historical Sights Better in Lausanne or Avignon?

Avignon is a world-class destination for its museums and landmarks. Also, Lausanne is still popular, but not quite as popular for its historical sights.

You'll find many recognizable landmarks that put Avignon on the map. The town is filled with historical landmarks such as Palais des Papes, Pont Saint Bénézet, Musée du Petit Palais, and Basilique Métropolitaine Notre-Dame des Doms.

You'll find a good number of museums and monuments packed into Lausanne. You'll find many great museums around town that cover a range of topics. The Olympic Museum is very interesting. You should also check out the Cathedral of Notre-Dame, and the Hermitage Foundation.

Is the Food Better in Lausanne or Avignon? Which Destination has the Best Restaurants?

Avignon is a world-class destination for its restaurant scene. Also, Lausanne is still popular, but not quite as popular for its local flavors and cuisine.

Known for it's food and restaurant scene, Avignon is always at the top of any foodie's travel list. For such a small town you'll find many great eateries where you can sample French cuisine. You'll find bakeries, patisseries, restaurants, chocolatiers, and cafes to try. Cooking classes are also a popular activity in town.

The food selection at local restaurants is excellent in Lausanne. The city is filled with delicious chocolate, cheese, and wine. Fondue is a favorite, but you'll also find cured meats on most menus. While food can be expensive, it's also high quality and usually locally produced.

Is Lausanne or Avignon Better for Nightlife?

Lausanne is a good destination for its evening party scene. However, Avignon is lacking in good options for nightlife.

With a handful of venues, visitors can find a fairly lively vibe in Lausanne. There are a surprising number of clubs around town and it's not hard to find somewhere to party. The large student population and the international vibe make this a fascinating place for nightlife.

Avignon is generally a quiet destination but there are options around. There's a limited nightlife scene but the bars you'll find are usually centered around Place de lHorloge, Place du Palais, Rue Carnot, and Place des Corps-Saints.

Is Lausanne or Avignon Better for its Old Town?

Avignon is a world-class destination for its historic old town charm. Also, Lausanne is still popular, but not quite as popular for its historic old town.

The historic old town of Avignon is revered around the world. The walled medieval old town is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and it's filled with history.

Lausanne is a good destination for visiting its old town. There's a relatively large historic section that has a Gothic cathedral and many quaint shops.

Is the Shopping Better in Lausanne or Avignon?

Lausanne is a very popular place for its shopping areas. Also, Avignon is not quite as popular, but is fairly good for shopping.

Many visitors explore the shopping areas in Lausanne. You'll find luxury Swiss watch brands, jewelry, chocolate, and many other interesting things to buy. Prices can be high, but so is the quality. It's fun to look, even if you're not planning to purchase.

Avignon is a great destination for shopping. There are several shopping streets in town like Rue de la Republique, Rue Joseph-Vernet, and Rue St Agricol.

Is Lausanne or Avignon Better for Families?

Lausanne and Avignon are both nice destinations for the whole family.

You'll find plenty of kid-friendly things to do in Lausanne. There are kid-friendly museums, petting zoos, and other fun activities in town. You can also take a boat ride or let the kids run around one of the parks in town.

Avignon offers lots of family activities. Families can enjoy cooking classes, boat tours, and exploring the old town together.

Is Lausanne or Avignon Better for Couples?

Avignon is well known for couples. Also, Lausanne is still popular, but not quite as popular for romance.

Couples visit Avignon frequently as it offers plenty of romantic activities. Filled with history, couples can enjoy strolling through the old town or dinner on amazing French food.

Lausanne is a nice destination for couples. The medieval old city is fun to explore. The lakefront setting also offers fun activities like boating. There are also a number of museums in town to explore.

Is Lausanne or Avignon Better for Backpackers and Budget Travelers?

Avignon is a nice place to visit for backpackers. However, Lausanne is not particularly known for backpackers and budget travelers.

It's common for backpackers to visit Avignon. You'll find a few affordable hotels, but hostels are a little bit more difficult to come by.

Lausanne is a challenging destination for budget travelers and backpackers due to the higher prices. It's not the most popular town for backpackers but there are some affordable hotels. It's also more reasonably priced than many Swiss cities.

Is Lausanne or Avignon Better for Students?

Lausanne is a very popular place for its student-friendly activities. However, Avignon is not popular with students.

Many students visit Lausanne. There are 11 institutes for higher learning in town, so students make up a significant percentage of the population. The city is also full of culture, making it a very livable city.

Avignon is not popular with students.

Is Lausanne or Avignon Better for Public Transit? Which Is Easier to Get Around Without a Car?

You'll find somewhat comparable public transit options in both Lausanne and Avignon.

You'll find some public transit in Lausanne, but it may not be enough to take you everywhere. There is a comprehensive network of transportation options available in town including buses and boats.

While Avignon offers some public transit options, it might not be your first choice. There are city buses as well as tourist shuttles around town.

Is Lausanne or Avignon a more walkable city?

Avignon is a world-class destination for its ease of walking around. Also, Lausanne is still popular, but not quite as popular for its walkability.

Getting around Avignon on foot is easy. There's almost no traffic in the city center so it's easy to explore on foot.

Lausanne is somewhat walkable. Many parts of the city, including the historic sections, and relatively easy to explore on foot.

For even more information, also check out Is Lausanne Worth Visiting? and Is Avignon Worth Visiting?.

Should I spend more time in Avignon or Lausanne?

How long in Lausanne or Avignon?

You'll be able to find lots of things to do in Lausanne or Avignon to fill your time. In our opinion, Avignon has more to see and do, so we recommend spending more time in Avignon than Lausanne. However, 1-2 days is a good amount of time to spend in either destination.

Families should spend more time in Avignon than Lausanne. Because of the many family-friendly attractions and fun things to do for kids in Avignon, it's a great place to visit with the whole family.

Couples should spend more time in Avignon than Lausanne. You'll find plenty of romantic sights and fun activities in Avignon that are perfect for a weekend getaway or a longer couple's trip.

Backpackers and budget travelers should spend more time in Avignon than Lausanne if your budget allows for it. With a larger number of budget-friendly sights, good nightlife, and active things to do, anyone traveling on a budget would have a good time in Avignon.

One day in Lausanne or Avignon?

In Lausanne, you'll find nightlife and food. This city offers something for everyone. This would be the perfect place to spend one day, as it has just the right amount of activities.

Avignon is a small town where visitors enjoy the food and shopping. Exploring the old town is a popular activity. With all of its activities, you can easily fill one day here. It will give you the chance to have new experiences.

A weekend in Lausanne or Avignon?

In Lausanne, you'll find food and shopping. The length of your trip often depends on your style of travel. A weekend here is typical. A weekend is a great amount of time to relax and see the many things that Lausanne has to offer.

Avignon is a popular place that is full of things to see and experience. If you have a weekend, this town makes for a great vacation. Make sure you visit the old town while you're here. While some people choose to spend more or less time in Avignon, a weekend is sufficent for most. Take your pick from the many activities offered here.

Five days in Lausanne or Avignon?

Lausanne is a great place to explore. Five days is more than enough time to enjoy everything. Take some day trips to nearby places to fill the extra days. Anyone can find something fun to do here.

Avignon is a popular choice for travelers. Five days is usually plenty of time to spend here with extra days to spare. With this much time, visitors often visit nearby destinations or take day trips. The entire region has so many activities, and you'll want time to do everything.

A week in Lausanne or Avignon?

It's hard to know how much time to spend in Lausanne. Many people enjoy the museums and nightlife when visiting Lausanne. One week may feel like too much time unless you plan to do a lot of relaxing.

Avignon is a great place to explore. Visiting the old town is also a must. One week is more than enough time to enjoy everything. Take some day trips to nearby places to fill the extra days. This town offers something for everyone.

For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Luxury Tours to Switzerland, The Best Tours for Seniors to Switzerland, The Best 10-Day Tours in France, and The Best One Week (7-Day) Tours in France.

When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Lausanne and Avignon, we can see that Avignon is more expensive. And not only is Lausanne much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Lausanne would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Lausanne and be able to afford a more luxurious travel style by staying in nicer hotels, eating at more expensive restaurants, taking tours, and experiencing more activities. The same level of travel in Avignon would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Avignon than you might in Lausanne.

If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Lausanne Expensive? and Is Avignon Expensive?.

Which is Bigger, Lausanne or Avignon?

Lausanne has a larger population, and is about 30% larger than the population of Avignon. When comparing the sizes of Lausanne and Avignon, keep in mind that a larger population does not always imply the destination has more attractions or better activities. So, always research the type of place that you want to visit along with the activities and attractions that interest you.