12 Tourist Scams in Avignon

Pickpocketing is the most common crime affecting tourists in Avignon.

Thieves operate in crowded areas around the Palace of the Popes, Pont d'Avignon, Place de l'Horloge, and train stations. They often work in teams with one person creating a distraction. During the Festival d'Avignon in July, incidents increase significantly.

Groups of scammers, often pretending to be deaf or representing charities, approach visitors asking ...

Groups of scammers, often pretending to be deaf or representing charities, approach visitors asking 'Do you speak English?' followed by a request to sign a petition. The petition is typically in English (suspicious in France). While you hold the clipboard, an accomplice rifles through your pockets or bags. They may also demand a donation after signing.

Fake police officers approach tourists, flashing bogus badges and demanding to see your passport ...

Fake police officers approach tourists, flashing bogus badges and demanding to see your passport and wallet to 'check for counterfeit bills.' While examining your wallet, they discreetly remove bills. Some pose as 'Tourist Police' to appear more legitimate.

Unofficial taxi drivers target tourists at the Avignon TGV station and airport, offering rides at inflated rates.

Even official taxis may display night tariffs during daytime, claim the meter is broken, or take long routes to inflate fares.

During the annual Festival d'Avignon each July, the city swells with hundreds of thousands of visitors.

This creates ideal conditions for pickpockets who take advantage of distracted crowds watching street performances, queuing for shows, or navigating packed streets. Street vendors also inflate prices significantly.

Some restaurants employ deceptive pricing: giving tourists English menus with higher prices, not ...

Some restaurants employ deceptive pricing: giving tourists English menus with higher prices, not mentioning cheaper set menus, pushing expensive bottled water when tap water is free, adding unauthorized charges to bills, and switching to cheaper wines when premium glasses are ordered.

Avignon's covered market Les Halles has developed a reputation for inflated prices compared to other Provence markets.

Vendors may employ aggressive upselling, recommending expensive items and adding products you did not request. Prices can be 3-4 times higher than comparable markets for identical products.

Criminals install card skimming devices on ATM machines to capture card details and PIN numbers.

These devices blend seamlessly with normal ATM hardware. Scammers may also use fake card slot overlays that cause your card to get stuck, then offer 'help' while capturing your PIN.

Scammers approach tourists and quickly weave a string bracelet around your wrist while maintaining friendly chatter.

Once secured, they aggressively demand payment (often 10-20 euros). If you refuse, they may create a scene or an accomplice may use the distraction to pickpocket you.

A scammer 'finds' a gold ring on the ground near you and offers it as your lost property or as a lucky gift.

They then ask for a finder's fee (5-20 euros). Accomplices may corroborate that the ring looks valuable. The ring is actually worthless brass.

At train stations and on trains, thieves board pretending to be passengers and wait for passengers ...

At train stations and on trains, thieves board pretending to be passengers and wait for passengers to be distracted before grabbing bags from overhead racks and exiting just before doors close. At stations, they offer unsolicited help with luggage, then disappear with your bags.

Fake vacation rental scams have increased across Provence.

Scammers create attractive listings offering apartments at attractive prices, then request deposits via wire transfer outside the official platform. Tourists arrive to find the property doesn't exist or belongs to someone else.