Avignon

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Decided to head south to Avignon today. It was a gorgeous 2 hr train ride. The pictures you see of the French countryside were taken from a very fast train! You go Fujifilm F30! I picked the Hotel de l'Atelier out of the guidebook. I called from the Avignon train station to see if they had a room. But of course! I asked if they needed my name and cc info. No, just show up he said. It would have been really cool if I had just shown up without calling ahead but I was cold, had to pee, and I needed a little bit of certainty, sigh... So, I grabbed a cab and voila I am at the hotel being greeted by a very charming gentleman. I leave my bags in the reception area, not the baggage closet but right out in the open, while the manager graciously shows me some rooms to pick from. So relaxed and casual! I'm already in love...

It's dark, cold and blustery outside but there are a few shops open. I feel so comfortable and safe here I have no problem heading out down the street to do my laundry. I threw my clothes in the wash and walked back out to have a quick meal at the closest restaurant I could find. Within 150m of my hotel i counted maybe 4 bars, 5 patisseries, several more restaurants and other assorted businesses. How do they all maintain their businesses? Maybe it's more a cultural pull than a financial one.

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Photos

Gare de Leon
Train station in Paris.

Hotel de l
My closet appears to be an old doorway.

Hotel de l'Atelier
This is literally a picture window. There appears to be some sort of electrical and/or plumbing conduit behind the painting.

Hotel de l'Atelier
My room key is an honest to goodness functional skeleton key!