Sunday 30 June
I hoped we would be able to take the Little Train the length of the city, to help us reach the far end with a minimum walking, but that doesn't work because it only does its non-hoho loop from the far end. So we left fairly early to do the walk and get started on our local sight-seeing before it got too hot. When we reached the end, there were several groups of tourists lined up at the Palais des Papes, but very few individuals going in their door, so we thought we'd start there and beat the crowd.
Avignon became the Papal city in 1309, when Clement l decided he would rule from Avignon rather than from Rome, where there was unrest. Benedict Xll began the palais in 1334, and it was doubled in size by Clement Vl from 1342. The Popes didn't go back to Rome until 1378.
The building is very well preserved, though most of the friezes and murals are gone. You are given a headset and small screen, which shows impressions of what various rooms may have looked like back then. It must have been very grand. We were there for over 2hrs.
Then we went down to the river, and to the Pont d'Avignon. This was built between 1177 and 1185, after a shepherd boy named Benezet had a vision which told him to build it, and backed up his claim with feats of superhuman strength to plant big rocks to be the first foundations. It was 22 spans, crossing where there was an island in the middle of the river. It was quite narrow, and some say that even a horse and cart couldn't get across.
Subsequently new bridges were built, and over time most of the old one washed away in spring floods so that there are only 4 spans left. The locals all agree that the dancing was done sous = under and not sur = on the bridge.
So we walked on it, watched a movie about it, had a picnic beside it, and danced under it. Then because it was hot, we went home, but didn't swim.
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