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Avignon, Aix & the Rhône Valley

Avignon anchored this stretch, its Palais des Papes — seat of the medieval papacy for nearly a century — glowing against the night sky, and the truncated arches of the Pont Saint-Bénézet, the "Pont d'Avignon" of the old song, reaching only halfway across the Rhône. Above it all, the Rocher des Doms garden holds its own quiet corner: a bronze Venus mid-flight over a reflecting pool, with views out over the river. A short drive north, Châteauneuf-du-Pape wears its papal history plainly — the ruins of the popes' own summer château crumbling on the hilltop above rows of vines that still carry the name. Aix-en-Provence, grander and busier, filled a full day on its own: Cours Mirabeau running the length of the old town under a canopy of plane trees, book-ended by the Fontaine de la Rotonde and a statue of King René himself, grapes in hand; a Saturday market spilling produce across the square; and the cathedral's Gothic bell tower keeping watch over it all. It closed, fittingly, with a bottle from Gigondas — Domaine Les Goubert's own Côtes du Rhône, poured out to toast the day.

A cobblestone street lined with cafe tables in Avignon's old town — A cobblestone street in the old town, café tables set for dinner

The ornate facade of the Opera Theatre in Avignon — The ornate facade of the Opéra Théâtre

The bronze Venus aux Hirondelles rising from a pond in the Rocher des Doms gardens in Avignon — The bronze "Vénus aux Hirondelles," rising from a pond in the Rocher des Doms gardens

The broken arches of the Pont Saint-Benezet, the Pont d'Avignon — The broken arches of the Pont Saint-Bénézet, the "Pont d'Avignon"

The Palais des Papes lit up at night in Avignon, France — The Palais des Papes, lit up at night

The village sign of Chateauneuf-du-Pape, France — The village sign of Châteauneuf-du-Pape

Vineyards below the hills of Chateauneuf-du-Pape, France — Vineyards below the hills of Châteauneuf-du-Pape

The ruins of the papal chateau above the village of Chateauneuf-du-Pape — The ruins of the papal château above the village

The Fontaine de la Rotonde at the foot of Cours Mirabeau in Aix-en-Provence — The Fontaine de la Rotonde, at the foot of Cours Mirabeau

Cours Mirabeau shaded by rows of plane trees in Aix-en-Provence — Cours Mirabeau, shaded by rows of plane trees

Two pigeons perched on a fountain along Cours Mirabeau in Aix-en-Provence — Two pigeons perched on a fountain along Cours Mirabeau

The statue of King Rene at the top of Cours Mirabeau in Aix-en-Provence — The statue of King René, at the top of Cours Mirabeau

A Provencal market stall piled with vegetables in Aix-en-Provence — A Provençal market stall, piled with vegetables

The astronomical clock of the Tour de l'Horloge in Aix-en-Provence — The astronomical clock of the Tour de l'Horloge

The Gothic bell tower of the Cathedrale Saint-Sauveur in Aix-en-Provence — The Gothic bell tower of the Cathédrale Saint-Sauveur

A bottle of Domaine Les Goubert Cotes du Rhone, bottled in Gigondas, France — A bottle of Domaine Les Goubert Côtes du Rhône, bottled in Gigondas

← 2022 Italy & France