We discover the big road

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Geo: 43.5249, 5.45414

We had spent the past two days travelling the Provence countryside with Jane's help but some days it seemed we were travelling right alongside the motorways or taking the longer, scenic route although we had asked her for the fastest route. Perhaps G just wasn't driving fast enough.

I played with the GPS last night and found a setting "avoid motorways". Oh. That's why. Now unchecked.

Today we travelled to Avignon via the motorway. Who knew the motorway ran right alongside our hotel and we didn't need to work our way through the centre of Aix every peak hour, morning and night. Bad, bad Jane.

Quick drive to Avignon and our first stop was a 2 hour audio tour of the Palais des Papes, the Popes Palace. This place is massive. It is one of the largest and most important medieval Gothic buildings in Europe and was the papal residency for Western Christianity during the 14th century. The residence returned to Rome (the Vatican) in 1377. It was very interested and I was surprised G lasted so long in a church. (PS there was a cat inside).

Next stop after lunch (no wine today - that's odd) was the famous medieval bridge, Pont Saint-Bénézet (I'd never heard of it) across the Rhone River. On the way G had to stop and pose for photos next to a Ferrari. The bridge was the idea of a shepherd boy, Saint Benezet, who heard the voice of Jesus asking him to build a bridge across the river. He proved his calling by miraculously lifting a huge block of stone and won support to build the bridge. The bridge is the inspiration for a French song and tourists spin around in circles on the bridge singing the song. There was a girl there looking stupid spinning around.

After some shoe shopping we had a great dinner at the Theatre Restaurant. I had traditional onion soup served in a toasted cob loaf. It was soooo delicious.

We headed back to the hotel quite late that night, and Jane once again let us take the big road.

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Photos

Avignon
Avignon

Avignon
Avignon

Avignon
Avignon