The Belle of the Ball - Avignon
As the Lonely Planet suggests, Avignon is the belle of the Provencal ball, the picture of French elegance and charm.
We arrived on the afternoon of April 28 and, as it was only a 40 minute train ride from Marseille, we had plenty of time to explore Avignon that afternoon. The tree-lined, cobblestoned streets brought surprises around every corner as we found cute shops and delicious eateries. Mikey and I decided we are definitely quite partial to small towns… and Avignon is definitely one of the best.
One of the many places in Avignon to sit outside and enjoy the French wine and cuisine
One of the main sights is the Palais de Papes (Palace of the Popes), one of the largest and most important medieval Gothic buildings in Europe. The construction of the palace started in 1335 and lasted for nearly 20 years. It is the size of approximately 4 Gothic cathedrals, with a floor space of 15,000m². Mikey and I hired audio guides and toured over 20 huge rooms, including the pope’s private chambers decorated with Italian frescoes.
Palais de Papes
There were some beautiful gardens that extended behind the palace, and they provided wonderful views over Avignon.
View of Avignon
There was a bit of rain during our stay in Avignon, but it cleared enough for us to sit outside and enjoy a beer - that was a little larger and more expensive than we expected 
It gave us plenty of time to enjoy the wall that appeared to be growing…
Mikey and a large beer
The wall of plants…or something
We left Avignon mid-morning on 1 May - May Day. There was some sort of celebration or demonstration (it was hard to tell) down the main street, with everyone gathering outside the Palais de Papes. We don’t really know what it was about, but there it seemed to be a lot of unions represented. Very exciting. If only I knew French….all I could recognise was “Sarkozy” being shouted in less than reverent tones.
What we took to be a demonstration on May Day
Of all I did in Avignon, nothing was more enjoyable than sitting with Mikey beside the Rhone river with a view of the Pont St-Bénézet (aka the Pont d’Avignon).
P.S. Auntie Kay - add Avignon to the ‘must see’ list.
My favourite spot in Avignon - The Rhone river, Pont d’Avignon and the Palais de Papes