We started early with a guided tour of Avignon. This is another ancient city that has changed hands several times. Its biggest change came in 1300s when seven Popes ruled the Catholic Church from Avignon. Beautiful large residences that housed the cardinals surround the Papal Palace. Avignon is surrounded by a fortified wall that protects the city both from invaders and from flooding by the Rhone River.
In addition to the Papal Palace, Avignon is famous for the Pont Benezet, an ancient bridge of 24 arches that crossed the Rhone River until most of it was destroyed by a flood in 1668. We have included pictures of what remains of the bridge which was also made famous by a nursery rhyme that Jan sang in her high school French class: “Sur la pont d’avignon, on y danse, on y danse…”
During the afternoon we took a bus ride westward to see the Pont du Gard. It is a more than 2000 year old Roman aqueduct and bridge that is still standing. A comment Jan overheard from some American tourists: “how could the Romans build such a road/aquaduct, and we can’t build a road that doesn’t get pot holes within a year?” Something to think about…
We finished the afternoon with a wine tasting at Chateauneuf des Papes
Enjoy some of the sights of Avignon.
Pont du Gard - The Roman Aqueduct:
We sailed through the night Tuesday and arrived at Viviers early Wednesday morning. Along the way, we went through the deepest lock on the Rhone (75 feet). Viviers is a very interesting old French town that is virtually unknown even within France. We had a very good guide who walked us around the very narrow streets and explained the history of the town that is the setting for the smallest cathedral in France. The townspeople hosted a lunch for our group in the Town Hall (the former residence of the Bishop of Viviers). Not everyone in our group enjoyed the traditional local fare (the head cheese, in particular) but the setting and the weather were beautiful.
This afternoon we sailed to Tournon. We will tour Tournon and L’Hermitage tomorrow, sampling wine and chocolate.
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