A Few Days in Inland Provence

Tuesday, before leaving Bandol, we checked out the market there.  There were lots of interesting items to tempt us but the only thing I bought was a bag of herbs de provence. 




 From Bandol, we headed inland mainly on busy highways. Our first stop was the visually stunning village of Roussillon, famous for the ochre-coloured rocks and buildings.  After a nice crepe lunch there, we drove to L'Isle sur la Sorgue where we would stay for two nights. 






 Wednesday, our destination was Avignon.  The woman at the hotel desk told Jeff and Jo about a P&R (Park and Ride) just outside the city where we could park the car all day for free and take a shuttle bus, also free, into the town centre.  That seemed to make a lot more sense than taking a bus or train and relying on their schedules.  Our first stop in Avignon was Les Halles t,he big market hall - not as big as the one in Lyon but certainly worth checking out.  











From there, we walked to the Palais des Papes.  Avignon is set on the Rhône River and, from 1309 to 1377, it was the seat of the Catholic popes. It remained under papal rule until becoming part of France in 1791. This legacy can be seen in the massive Palais des Papes (Popes' Palace) in the city center, which is surrounded by medieval stone ramparts.  Jeff and Jo toured the palace while I sat in the square enjoying a freshly-squeezed orange juice.  As it is almost the end of the season, the town was quite quiet which was nice. 









From the Palais, we walked to the Pont d'Avignon where they toured the ramparts.  I did get a photo of the bridge although not from the best angle.  


After that, it was a matter of finding a place for lunch.  We walked to the main square in front of the opera and city hall where there was a myriad of places to choose from.  Jo discovered "cafe gourmet" and enjoyed her lunch of goodies.




As we walked back to the shuttle bus stop, we passed lots of shops selling gourmet foods.  I was tempted to check them out and buy stuff but hauling anything around for the next few weeks didn't make sense so logic prevailed!






Back in L'Isle sur la Sorgue, Jo and I walked around the centre ville which was a quick and easy walk from our hotel.  i hadn't had a chance to wander around there the previous evening.  Then, we sat by the "river" and had a drink before heading off to an Italian restaurant with Jeff for a light dinner.  








Tomorrow, we head back to the coast for the last day of our road trip.


 

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