Avignon
I must confess to knowing nothing of Avignon prior to walking through the ancient walled city itself. Avignon is home to Palais des Papes (Palace of the Popes) which was the seat of the Papacy instead of Rome for 70 years in the 1300s. Avignon is also home to Pont d’Avignon... a bridge that used to cross over the Rhône River. Only four arches remain of the original 22 arches; most of the bridge was taken out in a flood in the 1600s. Perhaps the reason the bridge is so famous is because of the legend behind it’s construction; a shepherd boy was visited by angels who commanded him to build the bridge.
The day we visited, it must have been 40C. The town itself was vacant of people, everyone hiding out from the heat. We had ice cream in a shaded park at the top of the village prior to visiting Palais des Papes. In the courtyard of the Palace, there were several little cafes... that would be the place to sit and drink a cold drink under the tress while admiring the beautiful architecture of the old papacy.
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