Started in 2022 and mainly carried out under project management SNCF Gares & Connexions, the project studies and work on the new Avignon Center multimodal station represent a total amount of 20.25 million euros, financed by the State , the European Regional Development Fund (FEDER), the South Region, the Greater Avignon Urban Community, the City of Avignon, the Water Agency and SNCF Stations & Connections. The project enabled the transformation of the railway station, its square and the station area as a whole, to create a real multimodal exchange hub offering more spaces for pedestrians, bicycles and public transport within of a new green square.
Facilitate connections between modes of transport
Located on the Marseille-Lyon-Paris railway line, Avignon Center station welcomes nearly 7,400 travelers and 120 trains every day. It is served by 4 TER ZOU lines! Some TER trains from the Occitanie and Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes regions also stop there, as do the TGV INOUI on the Paris-Miramas line. The station is connected to the ORIZO public transport network in Greater Avignon by the tramway and several bus lines. Located in the immediate vicinity, the bus station completes this offer with regional and interregional service by coach.
The first intention of the project was to streamline the journey for travelers within this multimodal exchange hub. The work on the square consisted of rethinking the organization of mobility to make connections simpler and more legible between the city, the bus station, the bus and tram stops. The ambition was also to calm down this space previously dedicated to cars and make room for new uses. Work on pedestrian paths was accompanied by the development of numerous spaces for bicycles and new shops and services.
In fact, two new pavilions have been built on the square, in reference to the historic kiosks which formerly surrounded the travelers’ courtyard. One of them accommodates a parking lot with 350 secure spaces for bicycles, with double-decker racks, lockers for helmets and an inflation station. The other houses the mobility center on the ground floor and the future restaurant “Le Quai des Saveurs” which will open its doors upstairs on Thursday December 19.
A second bicycle locker, in the extension of the SNCF building, is currently being fitted out. Intended for cycle tourists, its opening is scheduled for early 2025. Thus, the project with its two lockers, its Vélopop’ station and the single arches offers nearly 500 spaces for bicycles.
A new square which reclassifies the station district as a whole and the entrance to the city center of Avignon
Started in March 2022, the exterior work mainly consisted of freeing and transforming the 13,000 m2 of square to create pedestrian and green spaces:
The low square, interfaced with the tramway facilities on Boulevard Saint Roch and the Porte de la République, echoes the ramparts with its stone treatment. A large central embankment now connects the station to the city, highlighting the Porte de la République and the ramparts, ensuring continuity with the Cours Jean Jaurès then the Rue de la République, one of the main arteries of the city center of Avignon.
The service yard, on the western part, brings together the functionalities necessary for the station: access for emergency services, deliveries, taxis and PRM drop-offs.
To the east, within the garden square, are the gently sloping access points, accessible to all travelers, including those with reduced mobility. These paths are accompanied by stands, furniture and games to offer new uses to this square. Finally, overlooking the garden section and the city walls, the high square directly connects the station building, the car park integrating the drop-off point, as well as the bus station.
Boulevard Saint Roch was also transformed last fall with the creation of a raised platform opposite the Porte de la République. The plant strategy, articulated around the existing tree heritage, was particularly careful and worked with the services of the City of Avignon. Nearly 150 trees and shrubs have been planted in the heart of the forecourt of the new Avignon Center multimodal station. 46 out of 52 trees were preserved in this new living space which now occupies a central place in the neighborhood. The surface area of the site, which only had 6% green space, now contains 35%. Over time, these green spaces will provide an ecosystem favorable to the development of biodiversity.
In order to improve comfort within this new public space, particularly during periods of high heat frequent in the region, materials with low thermal inertia were used as much as possible. Vegetation also plays a major role in the fight against heat islands.
The project also focused on restoring as many permeable surfaces as possible to the square for better rainwater management. In addition, a mister and a fountain are also available to users on the square.
Enhancement of the historical heritage of the station
This development project for the new Avignon Center multimodal station was accompanied by the enhancement of the historical heritage of the station building, witness to the first generation of stations built in a neo-classical style in the 19th century. The project thus focused on the renovation of the facade of the building on the square side by highlighting the historic pavilions spared by the work of the 1980s. All of the joinery on the ground floor was replaced and the stones were been renovated and enhanced.
Inside, the station spaces have been restored. The volumes of the central hall and its ceiling with decorated beams have been highlighted. The technical installations have been brought up to standard. These developments are complemented by the creation of new waiting areas, services and shops at the station, including a Zou! sales point, an enlarged press area and new public toilets.
A final phase of beautification work on the upper forecourt of the pedestrian link which provides access to the bus station as well as the station car park and drop-off point remains to be carried out in 2025. Within the same deadlines, development work of the east wing of the station are in progress.
