Views of the City

The other day we finally pulled out the camera and took some pictures of the city to share! They're all of the old city, or the portion of the city within the walls, which were erected in the early 1300s.

This is the view out the window of our apartment. The building to the right is also part of our complex.

The view of our complex, Residence les Cordeliers. Note the sturdy gate.

Entrance to the old city via Rue St-Michel

Entrance via Rue de la Republique, which is the main drag of the old city, containing the administrative buildings, tourist office, and several hotels and restaurants. It terminates in a large square that leads on to the Palais des Papes

The main administrative building of Avignon.

A view along the wall, from the outside. There are a couple of points in the wall where they've been worn down by the centuries and the elements, and there are actually crews working to restore them with new stone. It's pretty cool to watch.

The famous Palais des Papes, constructed between 1335 and 1364, is the largest Gothic palace in Europe. It's hard to really capture its immensity in a photograph. 

Up a steep incline from the palace is an extensive garden that includes a duck pond, much like the one in Assiniboine Park. The difference here is that the ducks are incredibly fat.

The park also offers an excellent view of the city of Avignon.

And it has a giant rock you can climb on.

A typical street in the market section of the old city.

And last, but not least, the famous Pont d'Avignon, built in the late 1100s, and originally possessing 22 arches, of which only 4 remain.

I'm sure we'll post more pictures as we take them, but for now hopefully this'll give you a feel for the city. Despite the small size of the old city there's a lot to see. The streets are maze-like, and it's taking us quite a while to get a feel for how things are connected.

Till later,

-Brock