Day 11: Travel to Avignon & au revoir to Brock and Sarah

 We got up early and showered and packed up for our various journeys.

Brock and Sarah head back to Paris then home tomorrow.

Doug and I are traveling 2 hours to Avignon via train, and we'll be there 2 nights before returning to Paris for a night, then home.

Final beautiful breakfast spread

We got in a travel van and headed to the train station bidding farewell to our new friends: Sebastian, Kate, Emma and Jo

Saying goodbye was hard at the train station:

And we headed out to Avignon:

Memories of our barge - the sumptuous bedroom with frette linens

The well appointed living room

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

AVIGNON

Avignon is a city inside 800-year-old stone walls near the Rhône river. Main attraction: to see the Palais des Papes, the Palace of the Popes, which is the world's largest Gothic palace and the popes' home prior to the Vatican.

AND the Pope's Palace isn't the only UNESCO World Heritage site in Avignon. A short walk from the palace takes you to the second big attraction: the 12th-century Avignon Bridge called the Saint-Benezet bridge - named after a young shepherd who heard divine voices instructing him to construct it.
It is a bustling town filled with shops and cafes and reminded us a bit of Venice where you can meander and get lost (in a good way).

When we arrived in Avignon, it was a bit of a mess.

There is a huge festival going on (the biggest event of the year), and it began today.

So we exited the train with no issues and got an Uber quickly (should have had the hotel pick us up though).

We meandered through streets and then had to turn around and veer and twist and turn.  Finally our Uber driver (who spoke ZERO English) said we had to walk the remainder of the way (a bit over 1/2 a mile).  We jumped out and started for the hotel.  All was good until we hit cobblestone streets as we got closer.  We were never so glad to see La Hotel Mirade on the building.

The hotel is right by the Pope's Palace, and we grabbed lunch at an outdoor cafe nearby to people watch and unwind a bit.

We then checked into our hotel.

Our room is large, beautiful and well appointed.  Fruit and chocolate was awaiting our arrival.

We ran out and grabbed a quick ish lunch nearby at a cafe, then we walked and walked the streets of Avignon (among the crowds that are here for this event).  We shopped for a few things then came back and unpacked what we need and got ready for dinner.

The hotel has a Michelin restaurant that was booked for an event, so we are eating at their more casual restaurant next to it.  Same chef but more casual dining.  

Tomorrow we head out to see lavender, go to a great winery and explore Arles, where Van Gogh lived the last years of his life, and it's where he painted many of his most famous paintings.

We have a driver thankfully because driving around here is insane.  We had originally planned a rental car, and I'm so glad we pivoted.

Pic from our room

Pic from the beautiful bar before dinner:

The hotel's resident cat that is gorgeous - grey can that passers by take pics of all day!

Didn't take food pics today.  Our lunch was good and dinner was as well though.  We were just weary travelers and ready for sleep!

Till tomorrow when we explore more of Provence!