Avignon 2002

Okay, time for our detour north through Provence. First stop, Avignon. During the 1300s, Avignon played host to the Catholic Papacy. During that time, Avignon went through its own transubstantiation from irrelevance to an important city. It remains so today. This is a slick, smart city hidden behind a medieval veneer. During our stay in Provence, Avignon was our home base for several day trips into the Provencal countryside. And on our last evening, it served up the best French meal of our trip at a small restaurant, reached through a narrow alleyway, just off an obscure square, called L' Epicures. Highly recommended.

Here at its best, the medieval facade of Avignon. There are countless charming scenes scattered throughout this otherwise bustling city.
When the Papacy fled Rome due to the threat of war, it ended up here. The Popes of the time built a fabulous palace fortress, the Palais des Papes. I find it interesting that the Papal Palace is so forbidding. It seems to immortalize the spiritual separation between the holy and the unwashed masses.
Check out the statue atop the Palace. You can click on the image to the left, as usual, to expand it.
Here's a closer view.
It' probably irreverent, but when I saw this sculpture, all I could think of was that the angel was praying that no one found out how much the Pope had spent on the Palace.
Quite near the Palais des Papes is the Place de l'Horologe. Just behind it there's an apartment block built as a hollow square. On the wall inside is this really neat clock, which keeps good time, but I digress.

On another day, the sun was in a more favorable position, and gave me a second shot at the clock. I really liked this.
On our last night in Avignon, after our fabulous dinner, we strolled out onto the bridge outside the city walls and glanced back. In the foreground is the city wall, and behind it the Palais des Papes. This place has a neat atmosphere. I like it very much.
Time to retire so we stroll back to our hotel (building with the flags on the left), and admire the square that's been our home away from home these last few days.