Avignon, the city of the Popes. A series of Popes resided at the Palais de Papes in Avignon from starting from Clement V in 1309, not because he wanted to live in the South of France but entirely politically motivated. A series of French Popes followed until Benedict XII in the early 15th century, then after a serious disagreement with the his Cardinals when he died it was back to Rome after a century or so.