[34] Avignon in Provence

Palais des Popes
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[34]

We met a lovely, friendly family on the train from Genoa to Nice. Unfortunately, they all had colds and REB succumbed. Nobody’s fault, just the joys of traveling. I mention the family not because of the germs we shared but because of the travel stories we shared. We haven’t met that many people while traveling which is probably our fault; we’re not very outgoing. This family from Oregon and Florida were outgoing enough for all of us and we had a very pleasant trip.

I promised to send them a journal and we want to welcome them to our online world for the first time.

Palais des Popes
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This travel day was a little ambitious for us and you’d think we’d know better by now. We had a 3-+ hour ride from Genoa to Nice and ten minutes to make our connection to Avignon. After that, there was a train in another 20 minutes. We missed them both and this is where the wiser and more experienced traveler should have interceded. But that guy left the expedition. We should have grabbed a room and the dear old Ibis (Americinn without the pool) and called our reserved hotel to cancel for that one night. But, noooooooooo, we waited until the next train to Avignon which came at 16:55 (4:55 p.m.) and arrived in Avignon at 22:20 (10:20 p.m.).

Street outside the Palais
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We were booked into a small eight-room, family-owned inn. The people had told us they’d stay until 9:00 but we had to take a chance that they’d be there long. We grabbed a taxi and rushed over to this little residential street where the driveway and door open onto the street from behind metal gates. The gates were closed. There were a call box and buzzer at one gate and we all had a try at raising the household. Even the taxi driver leaned on the buzzer – it was late and he wanted to go home. Fortunately, we didn’t let him get away and he took us back to the train station and the Ibis Hotel right next door. We had never been so glad to see an Ibis, but it was not to be. They were full. However, they did have a sister hotel – another Ibis – "five minutes walk." Ralph and I are still looking for this guy who can walk that distance in five minutes, dragging two large suitcases. We arrived at the end of the street and were grateful to have a room. Ibis Hotel’s are a treat because you always know exactly what you’re getting. A bed, a bathroom (with shower, sink and toilet), and no extra room. At the Ibis, we have to announce that we’re heading to the other side, or into the bathroom. To move around the room means that someone else has to relocate.

Bridge Saint Benezet - Pont d'Avignon
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But I called the hotel we had arranged for that night using the number I got from the booking service. We called a few times, but it was always busy. I didn’t want to log onto the computer because the expense was prohibitive for the amount of time we’d be there.

The next morning, I called again to get another busy signal. You may wonder why I didn’t use the phone book; people don’t have phone books here. That’s an entire discussion for another time. We called another taxi and went back to Boulevard Jacque Monard. This time the drive dropped us and our luggage and sped off before we had a chance to check the gate. The gates were both still closed and locked and we tried buzzing again and again and again. We pushed all the numbers on the dial, we banged on the gate and at one point REB wanted to hoist me over the side. All in all, we were there about an hour. I walked down to the corner where we saw a phone booth but the phone had been removed. So we decided to walk to the corner, dragging our luggage, to call a taxi and go to a different hotel. We got a nice room for about the same price as the little inn, directly across from the entrance to the old city so maybe it’s all for the best. When I finally contacted the hoteliers via the Internet, they said they were there the night before but never heard us. They also indicated that they were there the day we stood outside banging on the door and abusing the buzzer, "But you don’t check into a hotel in the morning." The phone number I had was wrong, of course, so we finally both agreed that it was not meant to be.

Across the river, another castle. The countryside is lousy with them.
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Now, would you like to hear something of Avignon?

It’s a lovely town in Provence and we enjoyed very warm fall weather (mid 70's and sunny) the whole time we were there. We were very mindful of the cold weather in Wisconsin and literally shuddered to think that we’ll be back there very soon.

Early in the 14^th century, Pope Clement V left Rome where things were getting a little dicey for the church and went to Avignon where he set up house and the papacy. The Palais des Popes, which resembles a medieval fortress-castle, was used by the next eight popes, each adding more and more. We also visited the Pont d’Avignon is the bridge Saint Benezet. It only has four remaining sections when it once had 22, but I think you’ll agree how beautiful it is in this setting.

Avignon
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We enjoyed the town but are still looking for that ultimate French experience. Leaving Italy also meant leaving Italian food behind and getting into the land of the sauce. But, although we found lots of mushrooms and seafood, there wasn’t a crepe or roast chicken in sight. We’ll keep looking.

Hope all is well with all of you and that you are staying warm.

-30-

I have a feeling that I’m forgetting something,