This is the second of my photo and travel diaries from my trip to provence. The first was a recap of my stop in L’Isle-Sur-la-Sorgue.
When we were deciding where to stay as our home base in Provence, Adam felt strongly about Avignon. This is a city full of history, specifically the Palais des Papes, and
Avignon Travel Diary
First things first, we stayed at the Bristol Hôtel Avignon simply because it looked stylish, and we were able to book completely with points. It was walkable to everything, the front desk staff were incredibly helpful, and we were also able to book an extra night when we decided to cut a night from our Spain stay so that I could frolic around France for 24 more hours. If you have points and you’re trying to book that way, I would definitely recommend.
The energy in Avignon is bustling. It was a beautiful Sunday afternoon when we arrived in the city, and people were out and about in every town square.
Adam’s one stop he wanted to make in France was the Palais des Papes in Avignon. This immense structure within the heart of Avignon was built in the 14th century when the papal seat was located in France. Both a fortress and a palace, this extravagant project is one of the largest examples of medieval Gothic architecture in Europe. Now, it is a museum, showcasing the impressive architecture, history, and art of the palace. We did the audio tour, which I thought made a huge impact on understanding what we were seeing. Adam thought this was a must-see, I’d say it was interesting, but not top of my list.
We also visited the Saint-Bénezet Bridge, which, at one time, was the bridge between the two banks of the Rhône. Now, it only extends a quarter of the way into the river, giving it the look of an unfinished bridge. I actually found this more enjoyable, with its stunning views of the water and the city, as well as the history on how it was built.
These two stops took up much of our afternoon, and our evening was derailed by finding that many restaurants were closed on Sunday night. But, we’ll save the food on the following days for my next recap of Avignon.
What I Wore in Avignon
During the day, I wore a Few Moda dress with a jean jacket, Longchamp bag, and my go-to Sarah Flint Perfect Block Sandals. At night, I wrote what I thought was the perfect French outfit. A secondhand navy blazer, my trusty Madewell jeans, again, the Sarah Flint Perfect Block Sandals, a years-old ivory blouse, and a Sarah Flint silk scarf.
Check out what I packed in a carryon for 10 days in Europe.
Love Avignon! It’s such a great home base for exploring. The Saint-Bénezet Bridge is also the namesake bridge in the “Sur le Pont d’Avignon” song (which is now stuck in my head, oh boy!).