Avignon - A Nice Change of Pace

---

After experiencing big cities the last few weeks, I was looking forward to having a relatively quiet time in Southern France. I had read that Avignon has a population of about 100 000 people, and I guess that reminded me of home a bit.

I left Barcelona on an 8am train to Montpellier ... this one seemed like it was 100 years old compared to the Spanish AVE. I have put in my own trip notes that it was the putt-putt train, but maybe I'm being a bit snobbish. It was a five and a half hour journey with stops at a few towns along the way. The first bit of ocean we saw was just before a town called Port Bou. I assume this was the first point across the border because some security-type gentleman boarded the train to check our passports. No problems there as my beard is yet to kick into full growth (I am joking with that one). After a while, the train began to sound more and more French as different people boarded and departed.

We arrived in Montpellier at about 1.30pm and I waited at the train station and had some lunch. I had already been practicing my mercis and ouis, but it's hard to kick the Spanish when you've been saying it for all of one week. The words Oui (wee) and Si (see) get a bit confusing in my little brain. At Montpellier train station I came across a few Australian accents ... this meant I was getting closer to the proper tourist places. The train to Avignon rolled through and one hour later I was there, medieval wall and all.

The first thing that strikes you about Avignon is exactly that - the walled city. Having seen a map on the internet when I booked my hotel, I knew I only had to go out of the train station and down the main street. (It's always nice not to have to turn any corners. That just introduces too many sources for error, as my previous entries have explained.) When I say main street, I mean the street of the walled part. There is much more in the surrounding area, but it just isn't old enough to be interesting.

After booking into my hotel I went to the tourist office to see what was on offer. A lot of it was to do with arty stuff and experiencing the wine culture, but I was able to pick out a half-day trip around Provence. I decided to spend the rest of the afternoon wandering around the old city, checking out the all and its ramparts. The wall was pretty cool, like a lot of things in Avignon. It's about 600-700 years old and built by the Popes when they lived here. Anyhow, having a wall around the town and a river on one side makes it fairly easier to find your way around.

The next day, Tuesday, I went to the Palais des Papes. This was the residence of the the Popes that they built over the period they lived in Avignon (1309 - 1377). Parts of it looks likes it's 600 years old, but other parts are noticably renovated. You can still get the feel of what it was like with all the rooms and history exhibits they have. When I bought my ticket at the entrance, they asked me my nationality, to which I said "Australian". When I went to get the audio device (you enter the number of the palace room you are in and it gives you a commentary) they asked me which language I wanted. To this I resonded "Australian", although I meant to say English. They thought this was a bit amusing, but I do think the Australian language has a trait of its own.

The palace is reasonably large, with various bits added by different Popes at different times. The odd fire caused some setbacks, but I think they did an okay job in the end. There are still some faded paintings on the walls and ceilings. I'm sure it's a bit different to the Pope's current home at the Vatican, but seeing the history was well worth the visit.

After the Palace I went for a walk up a hill and found a ncie park with a pond and some wildlife. Down the other side I visited the Pont Benezet, an old Roman bridge which now only goes half way across the river. Not sure if it's worth the admission, but a nice stone bridge is always nice. Apparently there is a nursery rhyme about the bridge in Avignon .... this is the bridge they talk about.

On Wednesday afternoon I went on a tour around the district of Provence. It was in a small van with eight people plus guide, Francois. He was incredibly nice and also a local, having grown up in the nearby town of St Remy. This is where we went first and stopped at the psych hospital on the outskirts where Van Gough spent a year. It is full of olive trees and has plaques of his paintings against the backdrop of the actual scenery he painted.

Next stop was les Baux de Provence, which has a castle/hotel, and something to do with the Prince of Monaco. Then onto Menerbes for a look at a really nice village. All these towns are up in the mountains and give spectacular views of the countryside. Menerbes is known for its wine and truffles, and also the place Picasso stayed with his wife for one year. Next stop was Roussillon, a town with red soil that was mined for bauxite. Our guide Francois told us how, as a child, he got some soil, mixed it with turpentines and oil, and painted his bedroom red. Last stop was Gordes, a place high in the mountains and a perfect place for pictures. Although we saw a few places in just the afternoon, it was a chance to see the surrounding couuntryside of Avignon and be able to choose another place to later visit, if you wanted to.

On my last full day, I wanted to go across the river and see the town of Villuneuve-lez-Avignon. To me it's the same town as Avignon, but I guess the river is a boundary of some sort. Historically the land on the west bank belonged to the King of France, and in 1291 he had a fort built on a high rock on the river's edge. Fort Saint-Andre was used a some defensive position against the town of Avignon (which wasn't part of France until the 1400's. I got to the Fort and had one hour before closing. I was the only person there and had a great time wandering around the walls and other dungeon-like rooms. As I was on top of the last tower, some drops of rain started to fall. By the time I reached the bottom it was raining, and eventually a storm came over. A group of old people (sorry, no other way to describe them) from a nearby abbey where also leaving at that time. We ended up sheltered under the arched entrace to the fort with water running down the cobble stones. Ah, the history of it all.

Eventually the rain stopped and I headed off down the hill. Halfway to the river it started to rain again, this time much heavier. I made it to a bus shelter just in time, where I spent the next 20 minutes standing on the bench trying to avoid the waves of oncoming cars. The rain stopped, I was a bit wet, but it was actually a lot of fun. Heading back to Avignon I decided I deserved an icecream, although not much justification is needed for those on my trip.

Avignon was a great place to visit even though I don't know many French words. I actually think they make their language more difficult than they have to as they put extra letters in here and there. I figure that the names Leslie and Desmond must have been very popular many years ago, judging by the number of things starting with Les and Des. I'll leave any further comment on the French until I leave the country.

Next stop is Paris and all the monuments and croissants they have to offer. You can't beat paying two Euro for two croissants at breakfast. Mmmm.

---

Photos

Saint-andre Fort
This pic reminded me of the seen from Monty Python's The Holy Grail, where John Cleese is the arrogant French soldier up in the castle.

Fort Saint-Andre
The imminent storm clouds are approaching.

Sheltering from the rain.
Everyone was speaking French, but it was still a bit of fun.