Nimes to Avignon

---

---

Nimes to Avignon
We drove from Nimes to Avignon and found a small campground on the Island de Barthelass between the Village of Avignon and Avignon and the Rhone River. We walked from the campground...the wrong way... and soon discovered we needed to check the map. A lovely lady came along in her car and inquired, I think... about our problem. She insisted we hop in, and drove us to the Palace of the Popes, after picking up her son, Louis; she spoke no English and we spoke no French. However we communicated, and she jumpef out of the car and hugged us ...good journey and gave us a European kiss on both cheeks. What a lovely memory.
Avignon is, according to tombs and artifacts unearthed, by far the oldest town in France. For a brief time it was the papal center for the Roman Catholic Church, and the Palais of the Papes (Palace of the Popes) is the dominant feature. It is a walled city, and the wall is intact. It has cobble stones and narrow winding streets and we walked and got lost more than one time. We happened upon a grand market and purchased a few things for lunch and stopped on a bench.
The town has a bridge that goes out into the River Rhone but stops 3/4 of the way, Pont St. Benezet. It once had 22 support arches but most were destroyed by floods in1668, and flooded again and again. This bridge has two chapels, (what bridge has a chapel?) and was built as the result of some kind of miracle.
We decided to play it safe and return "home" by way of the ferry across the Rhone. It was a bit of a walk but it was a grand spring day and good for a walk.

---

Photos

This is the Green Market, we got lunch here for our picnic
Yes they are alive!

The notorious Post Office System
They delivery on bike

Ferry across the Rhone River
We did not drive on