10 nights in France- First Stop Avignon

My husband and I traveled to France  for a celebration of our 40th  wedding anniversary. After landing in Charles DeGualle in Paris, we caught a train to Avignon. We spent the first 5 nights in Provence.  We chose a hotel in Avignon as our accommodations, as a train station from Paris  was located there and it was a central location to all the towns we wanted to visit.

But let me start by saying this- we didn't realize that Avignon was a "walled" city and that driving to our hotel would be such a character builder.  After all, we had already been married for over 40 years and gone through numerous challenging situations together- could a little stone wall cause the end of a 40 year marriage- almost!   But of course, being average American drivers, we wanted a standard shifting car and you only get "big" cars if you want a "standard"! So up pulls a large black BMW.
 GPS got us to the hotel with minimal problems. But then we entered the Port into the old walled city of Avignon. The street was small but passable- ---------

First of all the radar detection on the car is going crazy- beeping like mad as you are so close to the wall.  The car's safety system is positive that an accident is about to happen. Lesson number 1- learn how to cut the collision sensitivity button off at the car rental place if driving small close roads!

 

This doesn't look too bad- Mr RTH and I are somewhat civil at this point!

Getting narrower and the navigation lady has gone absolutely crazy- " You are in a forbidden zone"- 'Make a U turn if at all possible".  And she seems to be talking louder and louder.  My husband is asking me to turn  off her voice and I cannot for the life of  me figure out how!  Lesson number 2:  Learn how to turn off the navigation voice at the car rental! They don't work in walled cities.

 

Oh my God- are we in a pedestrian zone???

 

Oh good we see the end of another car- just a bit further and the hotel said to look for the

monitor to get buzzed in!

 

Okay- now what????

 We push the button to La Mirande and the posts disappear below the surface and we

drive slowly on-

How can 2 cars possibly fit through here?  Thank goodness we were the only one.

You've got to be kidding me- really???????.  By this time, my husband and I are screaming at each other about the best way to proceed!  I really wanted to get out of the car and just leave it!

 Almost there- I see the edge of the POPE's palace and knew our hotel was close to it!
 

 

The streets get tinier and darker- and our fat BMW gets fatter and fatter!

One more turn - we hope!

 

 

 

 Whew- we made it!   But are we still married?????? Time for a drink!

Lesson Number #3- Park outside the walls in the free city parking lot and walk in!

 

We were staying at a 700 year old hotel that had once been private residences. It was breathtaking!

 

The old tile was exquisite.

Straight to the bar for us!

 

 

Antique canvas and iron luminaries lit the foyer every evening!

 Beautiful old fireplace décor.  A customer, Katheryn just bought a pair like these from our last

sale "Parisian Hideaways" and told me she polished them to look like gold.  I thought of her as I sat having a cocktail in front of this exquisite fireplace.

 Ladies powder room

 

 

Sitting room off the breakfast room

 

Great combination of colours

 

another courtyard.

Beautiful old limestone staircase with exquisite tapestries on the walls.

Garden right outside our window.

 

The Breakfast Room

 

 A beautiful bowl cherries with a plate of almond cookies waiting for us in our room!

 

 

Divine !

 

Our room opens to the courtyard outside and the smell of the roses is intoxicating!

 

Cocktails in the lounqe

 

 

Dinner at La Mirande Restaurant

 Love these little petite veggies in the glass!

Lobster Bisque

House Pate

 

Sole with stuffed squash blossom

Veal dish

 

Like a de-constructed creamy snickers bar!!!!~

Rum Baba- tried this dish in many different restaurants during the trip.  Each one was distinctly different! 

 Romantic candle lit dining room!

 

 

 

This was such a pretty hotel- full of history.  There is a cooking school on the premises that looked very enticing. But I didn't have time for it this trip- but definitely next time!

 

The courtyard gardens were full of roses and culinary herbs.  Every night I watched the chefs come into the garden and snip herbs for the evening meal. We kept our windows open and just let the scent of the roses come into our room.

 

 

short walk from our room to the main hotel.

Absolute perfection

 

 

We ate at different restaurants each night in Avignon.  On my next blog post, I will share with you one of the most memorable meals of my life at La Cour de Louvre in Avignon.  If there, you simply must not miss it!