Our Mid Life Crisis Gap Year: Around The Apartment

Okay, I will be the first to say that we have taken it very, very easy over the last couple of days. We get up any time we feel like it, but generally after 8am and hopefully before 9am!

I hear that people have a strict morning regime that includes running, fruit, and water.....well, my mornings are not that dissimilar...I like to start by sitting, eating chocolate croissants, and having an expresso...then I am ready to face the day.

We have actually done a bit of exploring around Avignon, but I would have to say that we have not wandered more than half a kilometre from our apartment...no, it is not because we have become totally lazy slobs...there is just so much to see and do on our door step.

As usual we are staying in the old part of the town. Old Avignon is a walled city and is full of great shops, restaurants, bars, cafes, and fantastic old streets and buildings.

Beautiful Lanes and Buildings

Shopping Lane Ways

Beautiful Covered Lane Ways

Perhaps one of the biggest tourist attractions here is the Papal Palace......yes, I did say Papal Palace....a series of Popes lived here in the 1300's when it was too dangerous for them to be in Rome.

Views Of The Papal Palace

Within a few minutes we are able to walk to the Rhone River that flows to the north and west of the old town, just outside of the city walls. You get some fantastic views of the old walled town from here. The river is the same one that flows through Lyon, 200 kilometres north of us here.

Avignon Viewed From The Rhone

The Famous Pont d'Avignon

So what we do each day is walk off in different directions having a look at what Avignon has to offer, we seem to have quite a few very old and very spectacular churches , thank goodness we have double glazing....but it does sound great when all the church bells are ringing.

Beautiful Old Churches Everywhere

The other day on one of our walks outside of the walls, we came back through one of the big gates, Porte De L'Oulle, and as we entered we came across the beautiful Place Crillon, a tree lined square full of restaurants and cafes....we will have to come back here one night for a meal, it will look spectacular all lit up I am sure.

Views Around Place Crillon

We also have the Place De L'Horloge just around the corner, it is full of restaurants and there is a big wine festival here in a few weeks....should be good. There is also a great looking bell that strikes every hour with a couple of characters that strike the bell.

The Bell Tower In Place De L'Horloge

Looking Down One Side Of Place De L'Horloge

Now in one month we will be in Spain, the home of tapas, but we could not wait and decided to have tapas for lunch at a small restaurant only metres from our front door.