We took a short trip to Aix and Avignon. Most people would take the train to visit these cities, but when the letters "TGV" are included in a train itinerary, it means "Tickets Cost a Lot". Fortunately, while walking past the last remaining portion of the bus station (it's being torn down, to be replaced by a garden), we noticed that there's bus service. So, being the adverturers that we are, we took the bus. The first leg of the trip took us via the Autoroute to Aix. Aix-en-Provence was a watering hole on the road to Rome, and thus is full of ancient fountains, along with private mansions, monuments, and of course, churches and convents. Aix's other claims to fame are several sites associated with its most famous resident, the artist Paul Cezanne. We're not Cezanne fans, so we left those visits to others. Raisin Rolls were found at a bakery down the street. Both mornings.
 |
La Rotonde, built in 1860
The Four Dolphins Fountain, built in 1667
|
 |
The clock tower, once the town belfry, has an astronomical clock (1661) on which statues representing the four seasons appear in turn
|
 |
| A typical Aix street. Mansions on the right, stables on the left, church in sight |
The next leg of the journey took us to Avignon. Home to the Pontiffs during the 14th Century, Avignon sits on the bank of the Rhone River and is surrounded by several miles of intact wall. The Pope's Palace dominates the skyline no matter where you stand.
After sampling raisin rolls from the local Carrefour Market's bakery, we walked across the bridge over the Rhone to Villeneuve Lez Avignon. Equally medievel, this "new city" surrounds Fort St. Andre which was built to either protect the Popes from the French people or the French people from the Popes...we're not certain which. The fort is very well preserved and its perch at the top of the hill provides some great views.
 |
| Fort St. Andre |
 |
| View of Avignon from the fort |
Returning to the Avignon side, we wandered through the Pope's gardens and looked back at Villeneuve Lez Avignon.
The next morning, before catching the bus home, raisin rolls were sampled at a nearby bakery, and we strolled through the Pope's backyard.
The bus trip home took the whistle-stop route, passing through vinyards (Cotes de Provence wines) and fields that are just now beginning to sprout with lavender plants. It was a long bus trip, but well worth the time for the view of the countryside.
