Sure I’m probably the only person that didn’t realise that the Pont d’Avignon, from the song, is now only about half a pont and ends rather abruptly in the middle of the Rhône! You live and learn!
Well, it was quite cool this morning on the top of Mont Ventoux and the van was still shrouded in thick white fog. Just to be clear, it was the weather I got wrong, not the mountain! 🤣 With nothing to see we headed back downhill, stopping briefly to get a photo of Tom Simpson’s memorial. It seems that everyone leaves him a drink! He was so very close to the top when he died here in 1967 during the Tour de France.
As we approached Avignon, the weather changed. The sun came out and it was a different world to yesterday when all the roads were rivers!
Capital of the Catholic church during the Middle Ages, Avignon is a beautiful place to visit. Really busy today, I can’t imagine what it’s like in the height of summer.
As we walked in to the old town, we passed a digital signpost that was counting the number of cyclists going into the city this year – we were transfixed, watching the number go up every time one went past.
We spent a good hour looking around the massive Palais des Papes or Popes Palace. Concessionary entrance fee for me then Guy suddenly remembered that he was now over 60 too!! I think the man on the desk thought he was jumping on the bandwagon. As for me, I’m bitterly disappointed that he didn’t even ask for proof! 🤣
There was a bit of an exposition thing taking place called Cosmos. It seemed to involve a lot of azure blue bricks and many glass beads hanging from the ceilings – a real contrast to the old palace. Lots of stairs, some gardens and a little walk along the roof terraces. It was all made a little more difficult with people walking around with their virtual reality ‘Histopad’ tablets that are loaned to all visitors. They were so absorbed in the descriptions, they forgot about reality and walked into each other! 🤣
Covered the rest of the town fuelled with an ice cream and an Aperol 😋then back up the river on the opposite side to get a photo of the Pont St-Bénézet (Pont d’Avignon) which was ruined by a flood in 1668. Looking at the amount of water around yesterday and it’s complete disappearance today (apart from the muddy motorhome park), it seems they’ve got the drainage sorted now!
As we looked over to the bridge, we could finally see the mast on top of Mont Ventoux in the background- just half a day too late!
