Monday April 13, 2026 - Avignon France

By Ellen Outten
Window from which the Pope would wave

COLD that was the word for today.  47 degrees.   Oh, did I say WINDY!   I’m glad I packed a sweatshirt.

We left the ship at 9 am and had a “stroll” to the Pope’s Palace.  This is a huge castle and fortress built in 1307.  It only took 17 years to build.  It was where seven popes lived during the 14th century before the return of the papacy to Rome. 

Our stroll across to the old city

The Broken Bridge

The Broken Bridge is a medieval bridge across the Rhone built in 1177.  Only four arches survive.

Into the old city








The bell that rang when a new pope was selected, before the smoke of today

Picture a fire pit where Bettiann is standing 

This us the chimney above the fire pit

The Pope’s actual room where he slept

Some of the original paintings still on the walls



The chapel in the palace



The Pope’s palace is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site and the tour inside took about two hours.  

After our tour Bettiann and I struck off on our own for some shopping.  After all, she bought another suitcase so we are good!  

The walk back to the ship was wi diet and colder than even earlier but we managed not to get wet.

The afternoon was relaxing.  We played some cribbage and then, frankly, it was nap  time. 

Dinner tonight, we had a birthday at our table


Finally, I had my crepe 

We’re here overnight and sail at 5 am to our last stop , Arles.  

8,900 steps today and far too many steps.  

Tomorrow morning we sail to Arles for the day.  We sail back again tomorrow evening and leave for the Marseille airport Wednesday morning for the trip home.


Comments

  1. AnonymousApril 13, 2026 at 2:27 PM

    Safe travels

    ReplyDelete
  2. AnonymousApril 13, 2026 at 3:49 PM

    Very cool! Enjoy the cool weather while you can 😳- Maureen

    ReplyDelete
  3. AnonymousApril 13, 2026 at 4:14 PM

    Stay warm

    ReplyDelete
  4. AnonymousOctober 24, 2026 at 2:21 AM

    That's amazing experience, The Pope’s Palace looks fascinating, and the Broken Bridge has such an interesting story. Glad you managed some shopping, cribbage, and finally enjoyed your crepe despite the cold and wind! Looking forward to seeing your photos from Arles. Safe travels home!
    🔗 Learn more about the Palace weekend deals from nyc

    ReplyDelete

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