Avignon is a commune in southern France with a population of 89,300 in the city, itself, and a population of 290,466 in the metropolitan area.
Founded by a Gallic tribe and later flourished under the Phoenicians and Romans, the town was later captured by the barbarians, followed by the Franks under Charles Martell. After a long period of semi-autonomy in the empire, Avignon finally came under French rule in 1251.
