Day: November 13, 2024

Post by Ella We are now in the old city of Carcassonne , staying in a house within the ramparts. I am working on a glass of red from Carsac. A gift from our host.  So I’m relaxed…now. But earlier…. Driving from Avignon to NImes, well, first of all, we had a few misfires getting out…

Only four spans remain of St. Benézet bridge built in the 12th century over the Rhône.  Considered a marvel in its time with twenty-two spans, it was a major pilgrimage route in the Middle Ages between Italy and Spain. Damaged by flooding over the centuries, the stone bridge became too expensive to maintain.  Now it juts into…

It was starting to rain when we left the abruptly curtailed medieval bridge after visiting the Palace of the Popes.  So we quickly angled down a couple of side streets and found the Angladon Museum Jacques-Doucet.  Taking up a couple floors of an old chateau, the museum has a collection of art that was acquired by Jacques-Doucet,…

For most of the 14th century the Catholic papacy took up residence in Avignon.  This all had to do with French king Philip IV getting in a deadly spat with Pope Boniface VIII.  While Rome was in bickering chaos, Philip was bent on centralizing the church.  The next seven popes made Avignon their base where Benedict VII built…