Summer in Provence

As the seasons are beginning to shift here in Southern California, I’m becoming more and more nostalgic for my summertime in Provence. I miss the quiet towns, the rolling hills, and the scent of lavender in the air. It was just this past July when we were exploring the South of France, but it feels like a lifetime ago. I never want to forget these special memories, so I’m capturing our trip here on these pages.

Avignon
We took a train from Paris to Avignon, and as soon as we stepped out of the station, we immediately noticed how different it felt in this part of France. There definitely wasn’t any hustle and bustle or any sense of urgency about. It was exactly how we wanted to spend our time in Provence.

We stayed in the city centre at Hotel de l’Horloge, which was prime location; Everything we wanted to see in Avignon was walking distance. Since we were spending less than 24hrs here, we woke up early and strolled the streets as the town slowly came alive. Only a 3 minute walk from the front steps of out hotel, we came across the momentous Palais des Papes (Palace of the Popes), an UNESCO World Heritage Site.

During the 14th century, papacy transferred to Avignon to avoid political unrest in Rome. Palais des Papes served as the the seat of papal power for seven decades and remains the largest Gothic palace in the world.

As soon as it came into sight, it’s like we were transported back into another world. The tall and powerful facade dominates the square and is quite breathtaking. We didn’t take a tour inside, but we were still able to admire its historical importance and grandeur from the outside.

Alongside the palace lies the Cathédrale Notre-Dame des Doms d’Avignon (Avignon Cathedral). A gilded Virgin Mary stands atop the bell tower and overlooks the square. As we were walking past the entrance to the church, artists were stationed to capture the surrounding beauty. I could’ve sat there and watched them all day.

Built in the 12th century, The Pont Saint-Bénézet originally spanned 900 meters and had 22 arches.

Just outside the city centre walls is another UNESCO World Heritage Site, The Pont Saint-Bénézet, also known as the Pont d’Avignon. It used to serve as a route of pilgrimage between Italy and Spain. Now all that remain are these 4 arches. Even though it no longer is functional, it’s amazing to think of how this bridge played a part in so many journeys.

Besides checking out the historical sites, we also made sure to indulge our other senses with eating and drinking. For dinner, we enjoyed a lovely meal consisting of a pork leg and white sausage. Let’s not forget a glass of rosé, which this was the first of many had on this trip. Dining outside is so different here and is such a treat; There’s something so French about it that I love.

We sought out a crêperie for breakfast and ordered the most delicious crêpes with homemade caramel, which are not pictured because we ate them too quickly. We may have wolfed down our breakfast, but we sipped our coffee slowly. A latte truly tastes better when you can just sit and enjoy.

Our time in Avignon was short, but we made the best of it. This was just the beginning of our beautiful trip in Provence. There’s so much more that I cannot wait to share.

Next stop, Saint-Rémy-de-Provence and Les Baux-de-Provence!

xo,
Ashley