Oh yes, here we are back in Avignon. We sailed back up the river from Arles to Avignon and tied up at the dock for the night. We started our cruise in Avignon after spending three days in Avignon. If we don’t watch out they may start charging us a residents’ tax!
We started with a walking tour of the city. Popes lived in Avignon for 70 years in the 1300’s before relocating back to the Vatican in Rome. During that time there were 7 Popes. The photo above is a picture of the inside square of the Popes’ Palace. After the Popes’ Palace we got to the good stuff. The indoor market. They had every kind of food or drink that you would want.
Cindy at a fresh pasta stand Bill at the candy stand
After our tour we headed back to the river boat and lunch. The lunch today was a taste of Provence served on the upper deck of the boat.
Cindy at the welcome sign The wine station
Bill getting to know the chef better.
After lunch we headed out on an optional tour to Chateauneuf du Pape. This is a small town where one of the Popes built a summer palace. When he was there the help established a vineyard. Now the economy of the town revolves around the 30 odd vineyards that are located there.
This is a list of some of the wineries that are in the town.
We did stop at one of the wineries for some wine tasting.
During WWII the Germans occupied this town but before they entered the town they bombed this castle because they thought that the French were using it as a base of operations to defend the town.
The palace was built in the 1300’s, destroyed and rebuilt in the 1600’s, and destroyed again in 1942. The lower part of the castle survived the latest destruction and is now a wine cellar for one of the vineyards. Our boat had left Avignon and those on the optional tour were to join up with the boat further up the river.
walking to the river to meet the boat. lowering the gang plank so we can board the boat
The boat continued up the river and docked at a small village called Viviers at 10:15 PM for the night. We were given the option to go on a walking tour of this village by torch light. Cindy was disappointed when we met the tour guide and she had a big flashlight (torch as the British say) --- no fire to guide the way.
We got back to the boat at 11:30 PM but it was well worth the trek so late at night.
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