Thursday 12th October 2017
An ideal day to visit the historic city of Avignon. The weather was glorious and set to reach a scorching 27°c!!
First on the agenda, find a car park. As with most busy cities, parking can sometimes be an issue. Although cars are permitted within the walls of the city, throw in the mix, the tiny narrow roads, one way systems and sometimes impatient French drivers and it is often easier to find a park & ride.
As luck would have it, we located one on Île de Piot, which was also accessible from Vallabrégues without entering the busiest part of the city. The day was boding well already.
We parked and waited no time at all for a bus to ferry us over the Pont Édouard Daladier to a bus stop immediately outside the city walls.
There are many UNESCO world heritage sites to visit in Avignon and it would take more than a day to pack in every possibility.
We purchased a combined ticket for Pont D’Avignon (Saint Bénezet) and Palais de Papes.
The 12th century bridge was once the only way to cross the Rhône between Lyon and the Mediterranean Sea. It originally had 22 arches, but only 4 remain today, following several floods. Of course most of us are familiar with the bridge, due to the children’s song ‘Sur le pont d’Avignon’.
As the temperature began to rise we headed off to the Palais des Papes for some shade. We made our way along some quaint, narrow shady ‘chemins’ towards the palace.
This very imposing 14th century building was built in less than 20 years, which is hard to believe when you see it’s size!
It is the biggest Gothic palace in the world and there are more than 20 rooms which you are able to visit including the private apartments.
There were 2 marked routes to follow around the palace. One takes you on a tour of the papal apartments, ceremonial rooms and chapels on the ground floor . We took an audio guide to help us learn as much as possible about the popes, their political power, as well as their daily lives and their palace, including the many beautiful frescoes.
The palace also offers visitors continuous cultural activities throughout the year. This year was an array of contemporary African art on display.
Before we attempted the second route, we paused for lunch at the Benoît X11 cloister with 360° views around a small open air garden.
After lunch we ascended the cloister stairs to enjoy more rooms, which eventually led to The Great Dignitaries’ terrace.
The views over the city and the River Rhône from here were breathtaking. Ray even managed to zoom right in on the gilded statue of Mary on the bell tower of the Cathedral Notre Dames des Doms.
Once our visit was over, we headed off towards the gardens at the Rocher des Doms. It was like a little oasis in the city. It was easy to see why it would be a popular spot for escaping the heat of the day.
Again, there were opportunities to take in even more views, including Mount Ventoux that we had visited the other day.
After enjoying a ‘glace’ by the pond, we headed back towards the Cathedral Notre Dames des Doms, passing the petit train (tourist train) on the start of it’s circuit around the city.
By now, it was close to ‘beer o’clock’, as Ray refers to it. We made our way towards the Place de L’Horlage and quickly found the perfect place to enjoy a drink, opposite the opera house. The clock tower square is the main square and the heart of Avignon and a popular place to meet and enjoy a meal or drink in the many restaurants or cafés.
Feeling refreshed I persuaded Ray to take a walk around the shops, not a pastime that he particularly enjoys but he was agreeable. As we made our way from the Place de L’Horlage, we came across a group of dancers in medieval costumes performing for the crowds. The Place is a venue for annual events like the festival d’Avignon.
We had subsequently found out that our encounter last Saturday, whilst in the car, with a large group of people dressed in costume, was Le 8eme Festival Médiéval de la Rose d’Or. A biannual event of living history from 12th to 15th century. Enthusiasts come from all over the world and begin the festivities with a parade through the city streets on Saturday afternoon. On Sunday, the highlight of the event, contests and tournaments take place, including fencing, sword fighting and archery. As well this, many camps are located on one of the islands, where music, dance, crafts and food of the period may be experienced and enjoyed.
We were a little disappointed not to have found out all this information the previous weekend. Never mind, another excuse to re-visit Avignon in two years time, perhaps.
We made our way to Les Halles, a covered market and must go place to purchase local produce. It also boasts a fascinating living wall at it’s entrance. Unfortunately I hadn’t done my homework and it was closed. (A good excuse to return.)
By now we were both feeling peckish and returned to the Place de L’Horlage for a plat du jour.
Lou Mistrau was our choice, next to the Hotel de Ville, where there happened to be a Blues event on. I enjoyed a Salade Niςoise and Ray a filet d’porc, followed by the dessert of the day – crêpes. Delicious.
Another fantastic day in paradise!!