Day 1: Avignon
We flew from RDU to Paris DeGaulle and then on to Marseille. Warning--if you have any choice in the matter, avoid connecting at DeGaulle. Terminal 2F (where Air France domestic flights leave from) appears to have been built in the 1970's and not touched since. It's dirty, cramped, and very few services. Nevertheless we survived.
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| Salt ponds on our approach to Marseille |
Viking provided transportation from Marseille, to where the Viking Delling was docked.
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| Viking Delling |
We arrived at the ship at about 3:00, which was in time to do basically nothing for the rest of the day.
Day 2: Arles
Overnight, we left Avignon and arrived in the town of Tarascon, which was about 12 miles north of Arles. From there, we took a tour bus into Arles, which is famous for some of its old Roman buildings.
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| A street in Arles |
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| Roman Coliseum |
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| Inside the Roman Coliseum |
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| More from the Coliseum |
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| Not from the Roman era |
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| Main square with obelisk (from 4th century) |
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| Tapestry in the church |
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| Hospital where Van Gogh stayed (and subject of a famous painting) |
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| Roman Baths |
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| Countryside near Arles |
After visiting Arles, we returned to Tarascon, and walked around the town.
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| Inside the Chateau de Tarascon (furnishings not original) |
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| View of Tarascon from the Chateau |
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| Carving on wall of interior room in the Chateau |
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| Chapel in the Chateau |
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| Street in Tarascon |
That night, the ship moved back up the river to Avignon.
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| In Avignon |
Day 3: Avignon and Pont du Gard
This morning, we took a walking tour of Avignon, including the
Palace of the Popes, where several Popes lived during the 14th century.
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| City walls, dating from the 13th century |
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| Avignon town hall |
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| Exterior of the Palace of the Popes |
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| Interior of the palace |
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| Original fresco work in the palace |
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| Another courtyard in the Palace |
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| Chapel in the Palace |
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| Avignon Synagogue |
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| Lavender on sale at the Avignon market |
After lunch, we took a tour to the
Pont du Gard, an old Roman aqueduct. At this point, it was about 97 degrees Fahrenheit. Near the aqueduct was a 1100-year-old olive tree, that was moved from Spain to Pont du Gard in 1988.
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| The olive tree |
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| On the aqueduct |
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| A view of the aqueduct from the (stony) beach on the river |
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| A view of the river from the aqueduct |
On the way back to Avignon, we passed the
Pont d'Avignon, a bridge built in the 13th century. Some of the arches collapsed in the 17th century and were never rebuilt.
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| Pont d'Avignon |
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| Avignon city walls |
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| Dinner alfresco after leaving Avignon |
Next: Days 4-5--Viviers, Tournon, and Vienne
