Three weekends ago our program took us to Avignon and Arles, two other towns in Provence, for the weekend. Of course, it was raining. And by raining, I mean pouring, almost the entire trip. But even so, we saw some amazing sites and it was a fantastic trip. We started off in Avignon where the Popes resided during the 14th century when Rome was not safe. We visited Le Palais des Papes (the popes residence,) which was absolutely massive and very beautiful. We were able to walk through the reception halls, chapels, cloister, treasury and the Pope's private apartment with absolutely stunning frescoes on the walls and beautiful tile on the floor. We also visited Le Pont St Bénezet, a legendary bridge in Avignon that even has a song written about it. Let me warn you, the song will get stuck in your head. The bridge was built in the 12th century and is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, along with Le Palais des Papes.
Following Avignon we headed to Nîmes to visit another UNESCO World Heritage Site: Pont du Gard. Pont du Gard is a ruin that was originally part of the Roman aqueduct system built around 19 BC and transported water to the Romans in Nîmes. It is actually the tallest of all the Roman aqueducts. This was one of my favorite parts of the trip, the aqueduct itself was amazing but the area around it was gorgeous as well, even in the rain. Because of the rain we didn't get to have as much time as we would have liked to explore the trails, riverbank and climb to the top of the aqueduct. Next time I come back to the South of France I will be heading back to Nîmes to explore some more.
After the aqueducts we headed towards our hotel outside of Arles, but not before stopping for a wine tasting along the way. Chateauneuf du Pape is a small town outside of Avignon where the popes decided to set up their vineyards in the 14th century. Let me tell you, this was some good wine. I am a strictly white wine person and the white wine there was delicious: but what really surprised me was the red wine. I was able to drink it without gagging and wanting to throw up, big improvement compared to red Franzia. So, I bought a bottle of red and white for me and roommates when we get back to Tampa in the fall; supposedly the red will be "aged perfectly" by then.
Sunday morning we went into the town of Arles which dates back to the 7th century BC. Under Constantine, Arles had been the second capital of the Roman Empire and we visited the Arena and Theater. Although I have not been to Rome, I imagine that the arena in Arles is a smaller version of the Colosseum. Being there I had a revelation of sorts and thought about how much history had taken place there, how many people had died there and how amazing it is that it is still standing. We also visited the café where Van Gogh spent his time in Arles. In my art history class we studied Van Gogh's time in the South of France, specifically in Arles, so it was really great to be able to see the town that he and Gaugin did so much work in.
Up next we headed to Les Baux-de-Provence, which is another place I HIGHLY recommend if you are in the South of France. There are amazing rock formations all around and a medieval village that is picturesque to say the least. Even through a torrential downpour this was one of the most beautiful places I have seen. The village is located on a large flat rock and the views are so amazing; especially if you climb up on the ruins of the old building, which is easier said than done. And, I do recommend going on a nice day because climbing up the steep narrow steps in a wind and rain storm was actually pretty dangerous, but we were fearless and did it anyways. There are also tons of cute little shops and cafes throughout the village.
Right down the road from the village is Carrières de Lumières, which my description will do no justice. Inside a rock formation the project massive slides of artwork on to the walls, it feels as if you are inside the paintings themselves. They change the theme of the show every now and then but lucky for us the current show is Impressionist artists, which we spent all semester studying, and it was magnificent to say the least. This was one of the coolest things I have ever seen and I wish it could be described better but is one of those things you have to see in person to be able to understand it. This is a MUST do if you are in the area.
After that we got back on the bus, soaking wet and freezing, for a pretty miserable 3 hour bus ride back to Cannes. All and all though the trip was so great, even with the rain and I definitely recommend visiting that part of France; it is much more relaxed and laid back from Paris and is a great place to go to get away from the craziness of big cities.
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