Tuesday 18th September
No breakfast as we decided to leave early. Still raining and very misty.
Hit the road heading for Arles today but stopping off at Avignon. We kept off the autoroute and travelled down the N roads. Signs are quite good though they get some getting use to as thy seem to point the wrong way to us, sort of 45 deg to the road entry point. They also seem to change the road numbers or just sometimes leave them off altogether. Still we managed to drive into Avignon around noon having passed through country side that looked different, very hilly, different trees and houses made of stone some two storey and poplar trees all over the place. South of Montelimar (the home of nougat)there was still evidence of the terrible fires that had raged through this area not so long ago.
We had a real problem finding somewhere to park, almost giving up until we very luckily came across somebody just leaving. Cars parked all over the place, just anyhow with many blocking others. However we were very lucky and quickly locked the car up and walked away as we kept being asked if we were leaving. At least it was free.
We followed the stream of tourists making their way up to this city walking through an underground passageway under the road and into this magnificent ancient walled city.
Avignon has been inhabited since Roman times. It was an important trading century in the 12th century due mainly to its great bridge, which was the only crossing point on the southern Rhone at the time.
The city sits above the Rhone all cobbled streets and the huge Papal Château, magnificent, like a fortress built by the 9 successive Popes who lived there when they were unable to live in Rome through political reasons. It was built over 20 years starting in 1335.Today it is the biggest existing Gothic Palace in the world. During this time Avignon was then the capital of Catholicism for centuries.
A walk through the city, takes you back to Medieval Avignon, through the streets, Cardinals’ palaces, chapels, squares and narrow winding streets. We visited the Palais Des Papes, (Palace of the Popes) the largest Gothic palace in the world. We did our usual thing and picked up our audio guide and toured here for a good couple of hours. So much to take in that we almost became overcome with it all. We then walked around the city squares, churches, shops and everywhere we could. Tourists everywhere, bus loads of them from every corner of the globe. We heard many Australian accents but we kept being very French and ignored them all. In the height of the summer season I don’t think you would be able to move in this place, it would be so crowded and very uncomfortable. The town centre was full of market stalls and artists with their fine original watercolours. Beatrice had a long chat with a lovely French artist, very brown, blond and healthy looking. She did great Provencal scenes at 40e each. She was mighty impressed with Beatrice’s French especially from someone who came from the other side of the world!
Stopped off for lunch and a beer at Les Domaines in the Place De L’Horloge sitting just inside the doors, as it was still quite windy and cool.
It was getting late and realising that we hadn’t found anywhere to stay the night we thought we should head off to look for somewhere, as we knew there were a lot of tourists around who might also be looking for a bed for the night.
Regrettably we had to just look over to the famous Pont Saint Benezet the bridge built in the 12th century and destroyed and rebuilt many times until they gave up and abandoned it in the 17th century leaving it as it is now, only half a bridge, with its legend and the beloved song Sur La Pont d’Avignon which goes back to the 15th century and is known the world over.
So much to do here, river cruises on the Rhone, more monuments and museums to visit, the culture oozes from everywhere, we’ll just have to put it back on our list to visit again one day.
Weaving our way back through the winding narrow streets, with the aid of our map and a request for a few directions from the locals, we eventually found our car still safe where we had left it in a still very crowded car park.
We drove out of town following the Toutes Directions signs and after 30 odd klms we pulled into the Hotel Montmajour, just outside of Arles, where we were relieved to find had a room vacant, which we eagerly accepted. Settled in, we drove into Arles entering the walled town to find somewhere we could have dinner, parking the car just inside we had no problem finding a spot.
Many places closed however we found a Moroccan restaurant and enjoyed a very satisfying meal washed down with a small amount of red wine.
Back at the car we realised we were in a one-way street, not by much and Beatrice thought I should just reverse out, as it would be much easier. As a law abiding citizen I didn’t think it wise and as I reversed out of my angle parking looking in my mirror and found a police car waiting as I backed out, a wise decision had been made and we drove on and around the block and out through the walled archway and back to our Hotel for a goods nights rest, thankfully without the police following us.
We ordered breakfast and headed for bed. tired and much to dream about.
No breakfast as we decided to leave early. Still raining and very misty.
Hit the road heading for Arles today but stopping off at Avignon. We kept off the autoroute and travelled down the N roads. Signs are quite good though they get some getting use to as thy seem to point the wrong way to us, sort of 45 deg to the road entry point. They also seem to change the road numbers or just sometimes leave them off altogether. Still we managed to drive into Avignon around noon having passed through country side that looked different, very hilly, different trees and houses made of stone some two storey and poplar trees all over the place. South of Montelimar (the home of nougat)there was still evidence of the terrible fires that had raged through this area not so long ago.
We had a real problem finding somewhere to park, almost giving up until we very luckily came across somebody just leaving. Cars parked all over the place, just anyhow with many blocking others. However we were very lucky and quickly locked the car up and walked away as we kept being asked if we were leaving. At least it was free.
We followed the stream of tourists making their way up to this city walking through an underground passageway under the road and into this magnificent ancient walled city.
Avignon has been inhabited since Roman times. It was an important trading century in the 12th century due mainly to its great bridge, which was the only crossing point on the southern Rhone at the time.
The city sits above the Rhone all cobbled streets and the huge Papal Château, magnificent, like a fortress built by the 9 successive Popes who lived there when they were unable to live in Rome through political reasons. It was built over 20 years starting in 1335.Today it is the biggest existing Gothic Palace in the world. During this time Avignon was then the capital of Catholicism for centuries.
A walk through the city, takes you back to Medieval Avignon, through the streets, Cardinals’ palaces, chapels, squares and narrow winding streets. We visited the Palais Des Papes, (Palace of the Popes) the largest Gothic palace in the world. We did our usual thing and picked up our audio guide and toured here for a good couple of hours. So much to take in that we almost became overcome with it all. We then walked around the city squares, churches, shops and everywhere we could. Tourists everywhere, bus loads of them from every corner of the globe. We heard many Australian accents but we kept being very French and ignored them all. In the height of the summer season I don’t think you would be able to move in this place, it would be so crowded and very uncomfortable. The town centre was full of market stalls and artists with their fine original watercolours. Beatrice had a long chat with a lovely French artist, very brown, blond and healthy looking. She did great Provencal scenes at 40e each. She was mighty impressed with Beatrice’s French especially from someone who came from the other side of the world!
Stopped off for lunch and a beer at Les Domaines in the Place De L’Horloge sitting just inside the doors, as it was still quite windy and cool.
It was getting late and realising that we hadn’t found anywhere to stay the night we thought we should head off to look for somewhere, as we knew there were a lot of tourists around who might also be looking for a bed for the night.
Regrettably we had to just look over to the famous Pont Saint Benezet the bridge built in the 12th century and destroyed and rebuilt many times until they gave up and abandoned it in the 17th century leaving it as it is now, only half a bridge, with its legend and the beloved song Sur La Pont d’Avignon which goes back to the 15th century and is known the world over.
So much to do here, river cruises on the Rhone, more monuments and museums to visit, the culture oozes from everywhere, we’ll just have to put it back on our list to visit again one day.
Weaving our way back through the winding narrow streets, with the aid of our map and a request for a few directions from the locals, we eventually found our car still safe where we had left it in a still very crowded car park.
We drove out of town following the Toutes Directions signs and after 30 odd klms we pulled into the Hotel Montmajour, just outside of Arles, where we were relieved to find had a room vacant, which we eagerly accepted. Settled in, we drove into Arles entering the walled town to find somewhere we could have dinner, parking the car just inside we had no problem finding a spot.
Many places closed however we found a Moroccan restaurant and enjoyed a very satisfying meal washed down with a small amount of red wine.
Back at the car we realised we were in a one-way street, not by much and Beatrice thought I should just reverse out, as it would be much easier. As a law abiding citizen I didn’t think it wise and as I reversed out of my angle parking looking in my mirror and found a police car waiting as I backed out, a wise decision had been made and we drove on and around the block and out through the walled archway and back to our Hotel for a goods nights rest, thankfully without the police following us.
We ordered breakfast and headed for bed. tired and much to dream about.
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