Hôtel Cloitre Saint Louis Avignon

Hôtel Cloître Saint Louis is a four-star hotel set right in the heart of Avignon, a short walk from the Palace of the Popes. What sets it apart is its home: a late 16th-century monastic complex, once a Jesuit novitiate, now joined to a contemporary wing. The result is a stay where centuries-old stonework and modern hospitality share the same address.

What was this building before it became a hotel?

The Jesuits had run a college in Avignon since 1564. Wanting to expand their presence, they added a novitiate — a house for training new members of the order — funded by a donation from Louise d'Ancézune, known as the Lady of Saint-Chamond. Construction began in 1589. Over the following century, three architects shaped the complex in turn: Étienne Martellange, Jean Péru, and François de Royers de la Valfenière, which is why the cloister's wings show different stages of building rather than a single unified design.

The building's purpose shifted more than once after that. In 1768, a royal edict expelled the Jesuits from France, and the premises were handed over to a convent. Between 1801 and 1850, the complex operated as a branch of the Parisian Hôtel des Invalides, caring for military veterans. In 1852, following a donation by Louis-Napoléon Bonaparte, ownership passed to the city of Avignon, and the building spent the next forty years as a civil hospice.

It wasn't until 1987 that the complex was thoroughly renovated, opening as a hotel with additional space for cultural events, and gaining a new contemporary wing alongside the historic core. The buildings and the cloister itself have been listed as a French historic monument since 1950.

What is there to see inside?

The heart of the property is still its cloister: a courtyard framed on three sides by a barrel-vaulted gallery running across two levels. The north wing is the oldest part, begun under Martellange and reworked in the 1680s. The west wing dates from 1627, built under La Valfenière, while in 1685 Jean Péru redesigned the north wing so it would sit in harmony with the rest of the ensemble. Centuries-old trees still grow in the courtyard, and the hotel restaurant occupies a vaulted space that once served the religious community.

Who is this hotel a good fit for?

Travellers exploring Provence who want to sleep inside a building with genuine historical depth — while still having air conditioning, an on-site restaurant, and modern comfort — will find this a natural base. Because it sits within Avignon's old city walls, the Palace of the Popes, the Saint-Bénézet bridge, and the historic centre are all within easy walking distance.

Frequently asked questions

What was the Cloître Saint Louis originally? It was a Jesuit novitiate, built starting in 1589 to complement the Jesuit college that had operated in Avignon since 1564.

When did it become a hotel? The complex was renovated and opened as a hotel in 1987, after decades spent serving as Avignon's civil hospice.

Is the building protected as a historic monument? Yes. Both the buildings and the cloister have been listed as historic monuments in France since 1950.

How far is it from the Palace of the Popes? The hotel is inside Avignon's historic centre, within easy walking distance of the Palace of the Popes and the city's other main landmarks.