Musée du Petit Palais (Little Palace Museum), Avignon (must see)

The Little Palace Museum (Musée du Petit Palais), located in Avignon, is a remarkable museum and art gallery that opened its doors in 1976. Housed in a 14th-century building at the north side of the square dominated by the imposing Palace of the Popes (Palais des Papes), the museum showcases an exceptional collection of early Renaissance paintings and "primitives" from Italy, alongside works from the Avignon school. Much of the Italian collection originates from the famed Giampietro Campana collection, previously housed at the Louvre, while the Avignon pieces were deposited by the Calvet Museum. The Little Palace Museum was listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

The Little Palace built between 1318 and 1320 for bishops under Cardinal Berengar Fredol the Elder, has a history linked to the Avignon Papacy. Purchased by Cardinal Arnaud de Via in 1323, it became the episcopal palace under Pope Benedict XII in 1335. In the late 15th century, Bishops Alain de Coëtivy and Giuliano della Rovere (later Pope Julius II) restored the palace, adding Italian Renaissance-style facades.

Over the centuries, the building's role evolved significantly. Initially a fortified citadel during the Western Schism, it fell into disrepair by the early 15th century. Restoration in the late 15th century shaped much of its current form, but it was again affected by nationalization during the French Revolution. In the 19th century, it became a Catholic secondary school, and later a technical school after the 1904 church-state separation. Declared a historic monument in 1910, it underwent major restoration starting in 1961 under architect Jean Sonnier.

Step into the world of Renaissance brilliance at the Little Palace Museum, where you'll encounter masterpieces by Botticelli and Vittore Carpaccio. The museum also boasts an impressive array of sculpted capitals from Avignon’s churches and an assortment of religious artworks, including altar screens. Botticelli's Madonna with Child is the highlight of the collection.