Of all the places I visited on this trip to France(-o) Avignon is the only one I'd spent time on a previous trip - nearly 20 years before this journey in Fall 1999. Below you can see me hard at work at the Palais des Papes.
On that trip, a Spring 1999 sabbatical from Ithaca College, my objective was to visit theatrical capitals in Europe, to take notes on theatre in those places, and especially to take photos that would enhance my Theatre History slide collection. Two of several pics I took on that journey in Avignon are below. First the grand old opera house, where I had a seat in the loges for La Boheme. Seated next to me was one of the most beautiful women I'd ever seen - anywhere. Alas for reasons quite other than in the plot of the tragedy played out in front of us ("Mimi! Mimi! Mimi!") my heart was broken. She smiled and chatted briefly, then politely ignored me throughout.
And next, a tiny theatre at the other end of the opulence scale. There are many, many of these little playing spaces in Avignon, but few have a name as evocative as this:
The theatre of the "Dog That Smokes"? the "Smoking Dog"? Why not!
I doubled my time at Avignon in1999 not just because it is home to one of the greatest theatre festivals in the world (venues of which include the opera house as well as the modest house and its like). That's certainly true, but also for the reason that I developed a crush there - not on that woman in the loges from Avignon, but on the city itself.
In 2019 that springtime crush rushed back and grew into a deep love. I spent nearly a week there, but couldn't get enough of it, in part because on three of the days there I left it for two organized tours, and another on my own, to places nearby.
Solution? I just have to get back to Avignon to keep my love alive.
In this post I'll show you some of my favorite spots in the city, and photos from days 1and 4, which I spent in town all day, plus three or four more pics from my last day there, after I returned from a day trip. In my next few posts I'll detail the day trips I took out of the city. At least that's the plan.
So, Avignon! Best known, notoriously, for the Great Schism, when the Roman Catholic Church split, and had not one but two popes...and for a short period of time three! Beginning in the late 14th century, lasting well into the 15th century (1378 to 1417) the Schism was a major embarrassment and the cause for major confusion.
I'll leave the rest of that nearly 40 years to the history books. What remains of it in Avignon is the Palais de Papes. Some of the best views can be had from a park across the River Rhone.
One of my favorite areas in the vicinity is what you could call the bridge to nowhere. Its real name is the Pont Saint Bénezet, aka the Pont d'Avignon.
It was built in the 12th century purportedly by a young shepherd from Bénezet. Originally 900 meters long, with 22 arches, it was the only crossing point of the Rhone below Lyon. But it kept getting washed away and was abandoned in the 17th century. What remains are four arches and a chapel (dedicated oddly not to Saint Bénezet, but to Saint Nicholas). Much of the medieval city walls remain as well. Below is one of the entrances to the old city, with an interestingly modernist sculpture of silver balls nearby - if you look close you can see two bicyclists, for a sense of scale.
I checked into my hotel, very near the city walls and across from the rail station,
found my room tiny but not unappealing,
and immediately found a place nearby for a late lunch. The name of the classy brasserie was appropriate for an artsy type like me
The service was great
and the food, while not exactly slimming, was really fine as well.
Off next to explore the town! At one edge of the alley where my hotel is located, there is a pleasant, somewhat eclectic park, featuring an abandoned church
Ruins associated with the church
and the most forlorn and lonely little British red phone booth I've ever seen. No, it's not functional.
I turned right from the park, and a block or two farther found the tourism office (the meeting point for day tours out of town), headed along the same road and strolled across the old town to one of its finest squares, the Place de l'Horlages.
Home to a few impressive buildings, it includes, at one edge and pictured above, l'hotel des Monnaies (the Monnaies townhouse). Dating from 1619 as home to the wealthy Bagni family, it is now a luxury hotel (meaning a place for rich tourists to spend a night or two, not a hotel in its original meaning as the residence of a rich family).
The square also houses the imposing Hotel de Ville, where the local government conducts its business.
The Place de l'Horlage is also its own restaurant row - careful, some eateries are tourist traps and feature...maybe not the best food in Avignon.
Behind one of those eateries you can find the Maison Jean Vilar, named for one of the great stage directors in 20th century France.
A very well-situated eatery features a front row of chairs that turn their backs on tables. Why?
To gaze at the Palais des Papes, bien sur!
I scored a front row seat - the above pic shows my view. After I finished my aperitif I strolled along the gigantic ediface,
to its far end to try to capture as much of the complex as possible in one photo - not easy!
The view is perhaps better from across the river (see my first photo in this post), but up close and personal is arguably more imposing and dramatic.
I had been through the entire palace in 1999, using an excellent audio guide. In fact the device trapped me a tad, because for nearly every room there is a general taped explanation, but also the seductive phrase "To find out more, key in 24. I did so, and once I'd absorbed that specific, another phrase announced, "Now key in 243" for even more info. I learned a lot, and enjoyed it, but I did not feel the urge to tour it this second time around. Instead I meandered slowly, pleasantly, back to my hotel, and called it a day.
I have virtually no notes nor pics of Avignon itself for the next two days, as I was out of the city for the most part. As I noted above, I'll cover the three day trips I took from Avignon in the next blog post (or more if necessary).
But for now, a look at my fourth day in Avignon, which I spent in a very pleasant, leisurely manner IN the city.
I began with a bit of a climb up the Rocher des Doms, a rocky outcrop between the Palais des Papes and the Rhone, high above the city. It dates back to pre-history, but was first settled in the Roman era - an easy place to defend as it is very difficult to mount. The Rocher has been called "the cradle of Avignon" as the city grew up below it. It is "wondrous cool thou [garden] quiet" and features fine views, including this of Mt. Ventoux, the highest mountain in the region.
Much closer you can get a good view of the bridge to nowhere.
The gardens were not at their height - it was nearly October - but they provide a respite from city life and are pleasant to explore.
In the middle of the gardens sits a cafe, with indoor and outdoor seating.
It wasn't open during my stroll through, but I enjoyed the pond, with swans, ducks and a rather enticing statue, the "Venus with Swallows" sculpted in the late 19th century by Felix Charpentier.
I headed down towards the palace proper via an MC Escher-esque staircase.
A bit of the palace can be seen from the top of it
And this, about halfway down...
Afterwards, I headed down to the river. Along the way there were a lot of choices for your tourist shopping pleasure - especially if you like lavender.
My original intention was to take a walk on the bridge to nowhere, but was charged an entry fee that was too dear for me.
So instead I took the free ferry across the river and back. I had time on my hands, there was a nice breeze on the river,
and while the only really good view was of the Rocher des Doms (above - reason enough to take the short trip) it was a pleasant way to while away a little time.
Once back in the city I realized I'd worked up a good appetite. I passed by Les Halles, big, bright and bustling:
The costumed performers, rather talented, lured customers in, but it was not for me.
I was out for a quiet place, and soon I found the part of town that offered it (remembering it fondly from my 1999 visit). It is one of the prettiest parts of the town's historical center, and is known especially for its food and drink: the Rue des Teinturiers. A tiny canal runs along the treelined, shady street,
which, at first used only for drainage. became the perfect place for textile workers to create bright, colorful provençal cotton. Teinturiers are dyers, vital to the trade, and worked along the stream and street from the 15th through the 17th and 18th centuries. Now it's simply scenic. One of the sights I like is an old water mill in the stream, no longer working but charming.
Being a very theatrical fellow, I chose a very theatrical eatery, the Arte Gusto (above). The restaurant proper is across the street, but the outdoor seating, as you can see, is right on the canal.
It was its menu that caught my eye:
and the colorful place setting didn't hurt.
the food lived up to its ambience, and then some. The wine was fine as well!
I left sated and very happy. On the same street I passed the Church of the Cordeliers, a Franciscan convent built in 1233
and farther on the Chapel of the Gray Penitents, where King Louis XIII prayed, as early as 1226.
Touring finished for the day, I headed back towards my hotel, crossing the cosy-looking Place des Corps Saints very near my hotel with which it shares a name) where I might dine the next day.
Before calling it a day, I walked along the city walls, also very near my hotel
and noted the entrance to the old city, also not far from my hotel. On the opposite side is the rail station - convenient!
On my fifth and last full day in Avignon, I spent much of my time in the nearby city of Orange, but returned early enough to visit one ofAvignon's many museums, the intimate but interesting collection of the Angledon.
Cezanne is represented, of course, as he spent much time in Aix-en Provence. I liked this, one of his many, many still life paintings.
Also this, by Daumier, a painting whose subject is the much put upon Sancho Panza, Don Quixote's loyal, if often frustrated, right hand man.
Last from that museum but not least, a painter named Forain, with whom I am unfamiliar, but whose subject in this particular work is all too familiar
A rich old roué chatting up very young dancers. The theatre world, which I know very well, is filled with these characters, unpleasant as they are.
After a pleasant day out of town, and a trip to one of Avignon's museums, how best to finish my time there? With a gelato of course! Quite near the Palace of the Popes.
And with that gelato shop I leave you, but do visit my blog again soon, as I will report to you in the very near future about the three day trips I took to the countryside during my time in my old love, Avignon, May you travel there one day, and if you do, that you'll enjoy it every bit as much as I do!
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