April 2024 Trip

France Trip 2024 #04– Viviers to Arles

This travel log is for a trip to France in April of 2024.  This trip included a few days in Paris followed by a river cruise on the Saone and Rhone rivers through the Burgundy and Provence regions from Chalon-Sur-Saone to Arles (near Marseille).

Areas Visited map
01 Map Visited Areas

This episode takes us from Lyon to Arles on the Rhone River.

Viviers to Arles
02 Map Viviers to Arles

After leaving Viviers, we sailed overnight down the river toward the Mediterranean Sea landing this time in Avignon before dawn.

Pont du Gard

This morning we signed up for a 30 minute bus ride out to Pont du Gard (in the rain).  The Pont du Gard is an ancient Roman aqueduct bridge over the Gardon River.  It was built in the first century AD as part of a 31 mile aqueduct used to get water from a spring at the Uzes to the Roman colony of Nemausus (now Nîmes). 

Roman aqueducts are a marvel of engineering.  Relying on only gravity to keep the water moving.  The slope from the source to the destination must be kept going in a downward direction.  On average the slope was 0.2% which dropped 5 inches over the course of each mile traveled.  That’s not much but enough to keep the water moving.  Today’s modern air tight pipes can go up and down along their route as long as the destination is lower than the source and can still run on gravity only.  However, in Roman times, even though they sometimes put a stone cover over the open aqueducts, they were not air tight and as such could not go up and down in order to get over hills or traverse valley’s.

For hills, even though they mostly just went around the sides keeping the same slope, sometimes they would dig a tunnel.  But to get across valleys they had to put the aqueduct on top of a bridge spanning the valley.  And this is one such example.

This one was built in the 1^st century AD stands 160 feet high, is 902 feet long, and features three tiers of arches made from shelly limestone. It is one of the best-preserved Roman aqueduct bridges and was added to UNESCO’s list of World Heritage sites in 1985 due to its exceptional preservation, historical importance, and architectural ingenuity.

Pont duGard Roman Aquaduct, Fr

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But wait.  If you look closely, this is actually two bridges.  The first is the Roman Aqueduct bridge as described but attached to its side is a road bridge constructed in the 18^th century to provide a fast way across the river for trade and pedestrians.  While some attention was paid to have the new part blend with the Roman part, it was not seamless.  The top of the road bridge was set at the same height as the top of the bottom row of arches on the Roman structure.  But, rather than being flat on top, it is peaked in the middle.  The coloring is similar but rather then using stone like the Roman’s it is a combination of stone and concrete made to look like uniform stones or bricks. 

So, if you want to see the just the Roman architecture you have to go around to the backside and look at it from its upstream side.  Looking at it from the downstream side the bottom tier is mid 1700’s and the upper 2 tiers are 1^st century Roman.

Newer road bridge with peak in the middle in front of the old Roman bridge
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Older Roman bridge on left, newer road bridge on the right
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Avignon

After visiting the Pont du Gard in the morning and returning to the ship for lunch, we decided to take a wander around the town of Avignon.  As we were becoming quite accustomed to, it was another rainy day.  Rainy days are a mixed blessing when being a tourist.  On one hand you have to deal with rain coats and umbrellas and always being damp – not to mention drops of water on your lens.  And, some places can become a bit slippery when wet so extra vigilance must be taken to – as they say – “watch your step”.   But, on the other hand, there are way less crowds milling around and lines are much shorter for just about everything.  But al fresco dining is not as charming as it would be on a sunny day.

But, we paid to be here and we only had this one afternoon in this port of call so off we went.  Between the dock and the city wall was a good size lake that was supposed to be an overflow dirt parking lot, or perhaps a place for a farmers or flea market.  But today it was a shallow lake.  Beyond this lake was a pedestrian underpass going under a highway which emerged next to the city wall.

Emerging from the pedestrian underpass by the city wall
Bicycle and City Wall, Avignon, FR

After passing through a narrow walkway through the wall we found ourselves on an empty rain soaked street leading to the center of the old district.  Part of the reason it was empty, of course was the rain but it was also a Sunday which greatly reduced shoppers and locals. 

The streets are quiet on Sundays in the rain
Rue Joseph Vernet, Avignon, FR

Continuing along our way, and ducking into the one or two shops that were open, we made our way to the town square.  Along the way we noticed a tourist “tram” crossing the street 4 or 5 blocks ahead.  This was one of those rubber tire tram city tour vehicles of around 5 roofed but open passenger cars being pulled by a small tractor made to look like train steam engine.  As we were not up to waking the entire old town area on wet cobblestones we decided to do the tram ride - if we could find it. 

So after reaching the plaza (where we’d seen the tram cross) I did a quick Google search on my phone to figure out where the stops for that tram were located.  Well, maybe a not so quick of a Google search.  OK, maybe a lengthy Google search.  No matter what phrasing I used, I could not find any reference to any sort of tram, train, or city tour in Avignon.  So, let’s ask a waiter in one of those outdoor cafes.  But, he didn’t speak enough English.  So I tried a different waiter but she didn’t know.  I then figured that sales folks in a sweet shop might know as the darn thing passed right in front of the store.  He pointed down the plaza and said he thought the ‘station’ was up there someplace.  Ok, so we headed that way.

The plaza (Place de L’horloge) is rimmed with cafes with copious outdoor seating – much of it actually in the plaza itself.  The plaza is well shaded by trees (not that shade was an issue this day) and must quite a bustling place on a warm sunny weekend afternoon – but not today.

Place de L’horloge
10 Avignon Central Plaza 1
(courtesy of Google Street View)

This plaza is 1 block wide and two blocks long with a small carousel at one end

Place de L’horloge
11 Avignon Central Plaza 2
(courtesy of Google Street View)

At this point we were at the end of the plaza by the carousel which we were sure would be where there would be a tram stop, but no such luck..   We did catch a glimpse of it crossing a few blocks away but really didn’t want to chase it on foot all through the town.  So, I found someone in a fancy uniform in front of a posh restaurant and after some false starts he pointed on down the street in the direction we had been going.

At the end of the plaza a Bank of France building that seemed to be plunked down right in the middle of the plaza.  So following the latest directions we went around the bank and emerged on the other side in an open parade ground in front of the Palace of the Popes which was basically another large plaza but without the restaurants and trees.  And at the far end of this 2^nd plaza, there was the tram loading passengers.

Palace of the Popes Plaza
12 Avignon Plaza of the Popes
(courtesy of Google Street View)

As it turns out, Avignon  is known as “The City of the Popes” as it was the seat of the Catholic Church from 1309 to 1377 (before the Vatican in Rome).  You don’t need much of an imagination to grasp that the church did not skimp on the accommodations for this string of Popes.  The Palais des Papes (Palace of the Popes) is an impressive (well, let’s say massive) Gothic structure which turns out to be the largest Gothic palace in Europe (and a UNESCO World Heritage Site).  We didn’t go in as we’d been informed that the tour inside involved quite a lot of stair climbing, going up and down multiple times and that once you start, it is a one way route and you have to go the entire route.  Even so, the front of the building is quite impressive due to its massive size, intricate detailing, and towering spires. It is a testament (indictment?) to the wealth and power of the medieval papacy.

Main entrance to the  Palais des Papes (Palace of the Popes)
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The tram ride through the city was lovely and after all that walking nice to sit down for awhile out of the rain.  The ride first went up to the top of the hill by the palace for a grand view of the area, then meandered through much of the city that we would not have otherwise seen. 

Most of the area the tram took us too was too far for us to walk back to, but one spot that I wanted to grab a photo of turned out to be quite close to the palace as it actually is part of the palace.  This is a narrow piece of roadway by the open air theatre attached to the south end of the palace.  This narrow bit of street was carved into the bedrock and goes under a connector hallway from the theatre to other buildings.

Narrow walkway carved into bedrock under an arch of the palace
Rue de la Payrolerie, Avignon, FR

After our tram tour we returned to the ship for dinner and the last section of the river we’d traverse which would take us on down to Arles.  After leaving the dock, the captain took use down to the Pont Saint-Benezet (aka Le Pont d’Avignon) bridge before making a U-turn to go back up river a bit in order to switch over to the main river channel.  This famous bridge was built in the 12^th century and originally spanned both channels of the Rhone connecting Avignon to Villeneuve-les-Avignon on the other side of the river.  The bridge is famous for the French song “Sur le Pont d’Avignon,” which dates back to the 15th century. The song describes people dancing on the bridge, although historically, they likely danced beneath it on the riverbanks.

The bridge was constructed between 1177 and 1185. According to legend, a young shepherd named Bénézet was divinely inspired to build the bridge, and he convinced the local authorities by miraculously lifting a huge stone which I guess is the French equivalent of pulling a stuck sword out of a stone as they did in Britain.

Today, only four of the original 22 arches remain. The bridge was frequently damaged by floods, and after much of it washed away in a 17th century flood, it was abandoned and left in its current state.

Pont Saint-Benezet (aka Le Pont d’Avignon) bridge
Pont Saint Benezet, Avignon, Fr

Arles

Arles was our last port of call on this tour.  It sits on the Mediterranean 30 miles west of Marseille.  With a population of 54,000 it is not a terribly big city, but is an actual city. 

As we toured up the streets from the boat to the Roman coliseum, we passed normal French city scenes which typify the part of France

Amédée Pichot fountain
Amédée Pichot fountain

Typical small French Cafe
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Narrow pedestrian only lanes crisscross the city
Rue des Arenes, Arles, FR

It is said that ‘all roads lead to Rome”.
Well, in this case they lead to the steps of a Roman coliseum
Rue de Amphigtheatre and Rue Voltaiire, Arles, FR

Like many French locations, the Roman’s left a significant imprint of their time ruling the area.  In Arles there is a small coliseum and an amphitheater from those times.  Both are still used today for sports and stage productions.  In each case some of the seating has been upgraded from the stone benches of Roman times to accommodate modern posteriors and electric lights have been installed to support evening events.

Coliseum in Arles
Arenes d'Arles, Alres , FR

Outer coliseum walkway
Arenes d'Arles, Alres , FR

Inside Coliseum with modern aluminum ringside seating
Arenes d'Arles, Alres , FR

Arles is probably best known for its connection with Vincent Van Gogh.  Van Gogh lived in Arles from 1888 to 1889, and the city inspired many of his famous works. He was attracted to the city due to its vibrant color, intense sunlight and unique atmosphere – and it was inexpensive.  Arguably some of his best work was created during his time in Arles including “The Starry Night”, “Sunflowers” and “Café Terrace at Night”.  But this also marked a period in his life of mental health challenges.  As a result of these mental health issues he spent short periods of time in 1889 staying in the Public Hospital of Arles.  While staying there he continued painting and this included a painting called “The Garden of the Asylum” which depicts the central courtyard of the hospital.  This hospital is still there but is now a museum. 

Copy of “The Garden of the Asylum “ painting by Vincent Van Gogh on a stand in the actual garden (top) and the garden is it is today (bottom)
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And who’s to say that the French have no sense of humor?
Staturay in front of Catheedrale Saint Trophime Arles, FR

In a shop window
Witches and Wheelchairs, Arles, FR

Cathedral of Images

After another lunch on the boat, we boarded a bus to take about a half hour ride outside of Arles to The Cathedral of Images.  This is a modern immersive light and sound art experience located in the Carrières des Lumières, a former limestone quarry in Les Baux-de-Provence that had been in operation during the 11^th  to the 17^th centuries.  Perhaps the word “quarry” conjures up an image of an open pit partially filled with water where teenagers go to get into trouble but not in this case.  This is more like a mine where they tunneled into the side of a mountain and carved out ‘rooms’ inside as they cut out rectangular stone blocks leaving flat limestone surfaces on which to project images. 

Each year they stage a new presentation of sound and images featuring the works of famous artists.  The shows we saw were ‘Egyptian Pharaohs (from Cheops to Ramesses II) and The orientalist (Ingres, Delacroix, Gerome). 

This is quite an impressive experience.  Vibrant projections of famous pieces of art, digitally put in motion and projected on the walls and floor accompanied by full orchestra sound tracks with you walking around in the middle of it all.  I took a large number of still images and also recorded a dozen videos but for some reason that I still don’t understand the video’s didn’t record the audio even though videos I recorded the same way before and after this visit had sound.  Below I’ve included two of the silent videos to give you the idea and also included some of the still images.  The last one is the original entrance to the quarry used to carry the limestone blocks to their ultimate destination to be used in roads, buildings, and bridges.

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(Online this is a video.  See bottom for link to this article on line)

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Cathedral of Images

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Les Baux-de-Provence

From the Cathedral of Images the bus brought us over to yet another charming medieval town about a half mile away called Les Baus-de-Provence.  One of the things that made this little town much nicer was that it wasn’t raining.  Like many such towns this one too was built on the top of a hill but in this case it was more of a rocky out crop with sheer cliffs descending to the valleys on either side.  This is a very compact town with really only one main avenue (with some side lanes) ascending up the spine of the ridge to the ruins of the castle. 

The main attraction is the Château des Baux which is an iconic castle in the area.  It was once a stronghold of the powerful Baux family but is now just ruins leaving a large flat area at the top of the cliffs where it had once been quite an imposing structure.  Even though the castle has succumbed to time the town survived with cafes, galleries and shops. 

This area has been inhabited since prehistoric times (5^th century BCE) as evidenced by archeological digs.  But as with the other villages and towns, the Roman period shaped much of the architecture and infrastructure including an intricate road network allowing commerce to flourish. 

Then in the 10^th to 12^th centuries the powerful Lords of Baux ruled the area.  They were known for their rebellious nature against the Counts of Provence resulting in many conflicts and the impetus to build a large castle-fortress for defense.  This fortress became a symbol of the Lords’ power and played a crucial role in the region’s defense.

In the 16^th century the village experienced a cultural renaissance. However, it also faced conflicts and sieges, leading to periods of decline.  But in the 17th century, the village came under the control of the French Crown. The castle was dismantled on the orders of Cardinal Richelieu to prevent it from being used as a stronghold by remnants of the rebellious forces.

Main avenue through town up to where the castle had been
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One of severl side lanes off the main avenue
Side Lane, Les Baux-de-Provence, FR

Remnants of a piece of the castle.  Probably a guard house
4 pane window, Les Baux-de-Provence, Fr

View towards the old Quarry
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Veiw of the countryside from the other side
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And that concludes our French River Cruise adventure.  The next day we headed to the airport in a shared cab to Marseille which was about an hour’s drive from the boat.  Our flight had a layover in Germany and was wonderful.  By ‘wonderful’ I mean it went according to plan.  Planes left and arrived on time, luggage arrived intact, very little turbulence in route, the video system at our seats on the plane worked, nothing really annoying happened on the airplane and our hired car was waiting for us when we landed.  So, these days, that counts as ‘wonderful’.

Hope you enjoyed following along with us and please leave a comment if you’re reading this online.

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(Images by Dan Hartford.--Info from Wikipedia, ChatGPT, other web sources, pamphlets gathered at various locations along the way guidebooks and commentary by the local guides)