Avignon

Some of you will be aware of my online booking debacle for Ibis Budget Avignon. For those of you who aren't, here's the sorry tale. Due to "technical issues" my booking for this accommodation was booked 3 times…and charged to my credit card 3 times! Over the last 2 months I tried many times to explain this to the Accor Hotels group as well as the hotel directly but no one would help. It was a frustrating, and expensive, situation. Anyhow, a few days ago the credit finally appeared on my card so my solution of inviting the homeless of Avignon to share our 2 vacant, but fully paid for, rooms did not eventuate. Funnily enough, we walked out of our hotel to go for a walk yesterday, and who should be sitting on a bench directly opposite the hotel…a homeless man who did not get to stay in 'luxury' at the Ibis last night.

It is a beautiful old walled city with a feel very much like Oxford. For those of you who learnt high school French you will probably be singing a little song in your head right now about the Pont d'Avignon and something about dancing on the bridge!

We did the tour of the bridge yesterday and today I just walked around the town and visited the Palais des Papes (home to the Popes back in the 15th century) while Karl did his third major mountain climb of Mont Ventoux. Sadly for him, he needed a stranger to take his photo at the summit this time.

Here's a few pics from around Avignon...and who can resist a beautiful piece of 14th century calligraphy! And another in honour of Olive Tree Media!

Tomorrow we do a bit of a drive around the smaller towns of Provence.