Avignon

Everyone sing along...

Sur le pont d'Avignon
L'on y danse, l'on y danse
Sur le pont d’Avignon
L'on y danse tous en rond

Most likely, the dancing would have been under Pont Saint-Bénezet, not on it.  If you aren't familiar with this French tune, it dates back to the 15th century when there would have been cafés on the banks under the bridge's arches which spanned across the Rhône.  Flooding took its toll on the bridge over the years, causing parts of it to collapse.

 From 1309 to 1376, the popes resided in Avignon rather than Rome.  Seven popes resided the papal palace of Avignon.

While the palace is largely unfurnished today, there are some rooms with impressive paintings still remaining on the walls and ceilings.  In the 1980s, several hidden vaults were discovered in the floors (no mention if any papal treasure or church documents were still inside).

We used Avignon as a base for exploring nearby towns, but Avignon itself is charming and pedestrian friendly.

 

How about this darling terrace?

While we really didn't have a bad meal on our trip, we had two of the best dinners in Avignon.  One was at this café on the left.  It was recommended in a Rick Steve's book, so my husband made a reservation.  It was tucked away from the street, so we almost couldn't find it!  Check out those blue shutters in the building connected to the church.

 

I forgot to adjust my camera settings back to outdoor lighting so some of my pictures had odd colors.  No matter.  I'll just switch them to black and white. 

 

Next stop...Arles and Orange (the town, not the color).