In this week’s post I wanted to continue our adventures in the South of France since there seems to be endless possibilities of things to do.
Avignon: When you were younger you may have heard the nursery rhyme On the Bridge of Avignon or “Sur le Pont d’Avignon.” To spark your memory it goes like this:
“On the bridge of Avignon they are dancing they are dancing, on the bridge of Avignon they are dancing all around.”
If you have never heard the old song that’s okay but that iconic bridge is in this city! This would be the perfect place to stay if you were visiting Le Pont du Gard which I mentioned in my last post. It is only a thirty-minute drive.
One of my favorite sights in all of Avignon was Le Palais des Papes (The Palace of Popes). My jaw absolutely dropped when I saw the fortress/palace from the 14th century. It is the largest Gothic palace in the world built by Pope Clement V when he left Rome in 1309 due to violence in Rome. Inside you can visit the 25 rooms currently open to the public or just wander around the castle walls admiring the history.
From Avignon, your next adventure should be hopping on a train and arriving in the city of Arles in less than twenty minutes.
Arles: This is the perfect city for art fanatics. In 1888, Vincent Van Gogh moved to Arles to get away from city life and find inspiration for his painting. On an interesting side note, this is also the place where Van Gogh cut off his ear. It is also the location of one of his most well-known paintings Starry Night over the Rhone. Today you can visit his favorite places on many of the cities walking tours. One place I had the opportunity to visit is the Café Van Gogh which was the restaurant in his painting Café Terrace at Night. This local eatery was a place that Van Gogh actually lived for a small period of time before moving.
Arles is not only a city filled with art but it is also home to many Roman sites. One I find particularly interesting is the Arles Amphitheatre built in 90 AD. This theater has seen things from gladiatorial battles to chariot races to plays.
I have only touched on a few possibilities of sights to see. There is so much history in every corner of the south of France and I hope that all of you choose to explore it.