The Mistral, the Pope and the Pont

We didn't make the walk around Viviers after dinner last night because of "the mistral".  The mistral is a strong, cold, northwesterly wind that blows from southern France into the northern Mediterranean with sustained winds exceeding 50 - 60 mph.  After enduring it along with cold temperatures yesterday morning, we decided nothing we would see would be worth getting cold again.   People who did go were bundled up in winter coats, mufflers, and toboggan caps. .  . .one person I talked to said it was miserable. Instead we were tucked snugly into bed and watching television.

The city wall surrounding Avignon

Today when we awoke the mistral was still blowing but the temperature was clearly on the rise with a forecast for 60+ degrees fahrenheit for this afternoon.  I said "be not afraid" and broke out the shorts, again. 

After breakfast, we started our walking tour of Avignon, the remarkable home of seven 14th. century popes inside the walled city of Avignon. The papacy was relocated here from Rome to great convtroversy from 1309 to 1377 by French Pope Clement V .  It seems as if things were "hot" in Rome and a couple of his predecessors had died under mysterious circumstances.   Since Avignon was part of the Roman empire, off they went in a major relocation of the Papacy.  Wikipedia says this absence from Rome is sometimes referred to as the "Babylonian Captivity of the Papacy".

From this window the Pope would
appear to the citizenry gathered
in the courtyard below.

Entrance to the Palais des Papes

The Palais des Papes is made up of two buildings: the old Palais of Benedict XII which sits on the impregnable rock of Doms, and the new Palais of Clement VI, the most extravagant of the Avignon popes.   There were many fabulous rooms inside including the Dining Hall, the Pope's bedroom, his office, and chapel. 

Interestingly, in the days before smoke, white or black, signaled the outcome of a papal conclave (the selection of the next pope), a tower bell in the palace rang for 24 hours to signal that a pope had been selected, and to signal nearby towns of the outcome of the election.  They, in turn, would ring their bells accordingly for 24 hours in honor of the new pope.  And, of course, the exit from the building went through - you guessed it - the gift shop which was a two-floor extravaganza.

Back through the narrow medieval streets we went toward the ship, and saw the Pont d'Avignon (more correctly known as the Pont Saint-Bénézet) which was built between 1177 and 1185 to serve as a means of collecting taxes for transport across the Rhone.  It was eventually abandoned in the 17th. century, but is known to music lovers by the song we heard as children, "Sur le pont d'Avignon".

After lunch, we boarded a bus for the Pont du Gard Aqueduct, a fabulous Roman artifact dating from the first century AD.  It was designed to allow water to flow from a natural spring on a winding path, over a gorge and the Gardon River, for 31 miles to the Roman city of Nimes.   And, here's where wearing shorts paid off as the day grew progressively more beautiful. 

Wikipedia says the whole aqueduct descends in height by only 56 feet over its entire length, while the attached bridge descends by a mere 1 inch, indicative of the great precision that Roman engineers were able to achieve using only simple technology. The aqueduct carried an estimated 44,000,000 gallons of water a day to the fountains, baths and homes of the citizens of Nîmes, and was truly impressive.  The museum on the grounds of this UNESCO site was also very impressive, but curiously about 2/3 of the explanations were in French only.

We're heading to dinner in a few short minutes where it is the Captain's farewell, as tomorrow (Tuesday) is our last full day on the cruise ship (with 3 days in Nice to follow).   Cheryl and I are booked for an all-day experience entitled "Arles in van Gogh's Footsteps" where we'll attend a private painting class.   More on that tomorrow!