Memories of Avignon and Île de la Barthelasse
Monday, September 14, 2015
Last summer I visited this mysterious, spiritual, and ancient city with my mother and brother. Avignon was home to the papacy in the 1300's and even established its own line of popes thereafter, establishing a situation where 2 popes served in Europe at once.
The life of the city is as rich and vibrant as is its history.
We ate along the Rhône River at le Bercail. It was delicious and I'd recommend going, if only for the magical ambiance. It's seriously charming: tables line the riverfront and offer sweeping views of the stone fortress walls of Avignon across the water. In the light of the sunset, the stone walls are reflected pink in the gentle river. It's not difficult to feel as if you're in another era, in a different world.
Nights are filled with live music - accordions, guitars, voices, and cellos echo along the cobblestone streets and high, stone fortress walls. We sat outside and drank tea, while listening to the beautiful jazz, lit by the lights of a castle that once was inhabited.
For more posts on France, see here and here.