A Sunday in Avignon

Avignon is the first Sunday excursion I've allowed myself since I moved to live in Provence (just over a month ago). Leaving around 3 in the afternoon from Aix en Provence (my new city) and arriving after about 45 minutes in Avignon, the city of the popes, made famous also by a very silly song......sur le pont d'Avignon on y danse tous en ronde........!!! The town centre (the tourist one, that is) is enclosed by imposing, very well preserved walls; there are free car parks outside, but I haven't yet lost the trait of the comfort-loving Milanese and so I prefer to drive inside the walls up to the Palais des Papes, in the paid car park just below.

As soon as you come out of the car park the square shows itself in all its splendour and its vastness....magnificent!!!! We take a little walk on foot around the historic centre (very small....you can get round it in a comfortable half-hour) and we immediately realise that the little town is very well kept....restored historic buildings, clean streets, nice shops.....in short, a city made on purpose to please tourists. Unmissable is the trip to the famous Pont d'Avignon.....characteristic because it still stands only half-way across the Rhône (Rodano); you can walk right to the end of the bridge and from there you have a really beautiful view both of the historic town and of the river banks.

Unfortunately it starts to rain, so we decide that the time has come to visit the immense Palais des Papes inside; we get there and there's a nasty surprise.........it's already closed!!!!!!!!....and it's only 5 in the afternoon!!!!!..........Never mind, it'll be for next time, after all we live less than an hour away by car!!!!! So we head back towards Aix en Provence happy with our lovely Sunday outing, certain that as soon as friends come to visit us a little trip to the Palais des Papes won't escape us!! Along the way the trees are already in bloom and spring seems to have arrived early,............what a marvel the land of Provence is!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Bye max