FRANCE - Best of Europe 2014 - page 445

in Marseille and Nice; from Arles, it's 4.5-5 hours to Ventimiglia on the border, 8 hours to
Milan,9.5hourstoCinqueTerre,11-12hourstoFlorence,and13hourstoVeniceorRome).
FromArlesTrainStationtoAvignonTGVStation: Ifyou'regoingtotheTGVstation
in Avignon, it's easiest to take the SNCF bus directly there from Arles' train station (10/day,
1 hour, €7, included with railpass). Another option—which takes the same amount of time,
but adds more walking—is to take the regular train from Arles to Avignon's Centre-Ville
Station, then catch the navette (shuttle bus) to the TGV Station from there.
From Arles by Bus to: Nîmes (bus #C30, 6/day, 1 hour, €1.50). The bus station is at
16-24 Boulevard Georges Clemenceau (2 blocks below main TI, next to Café le Wilson).
Bus info: tel. [phone] (unlikely to speak English).
Avignon
Famous for its nursery rhyme, medieval bridge, and brooding Palace of the Popes, contem-
porary Avignon (ah-veen-yohn) bustles and prospers behind its mighty walls. During the 94
years (1309-1403) that Avignon starred as the Franco Vaticano (the temporary residence of
the popes) and hosted two antipopes, it grew from a quiet village into a thriving city. With
its large student population and fashionable shops, today's Avignon is an intriguing blend
of medieval history, youthful energy, and urban sophistication. Street performers entertain
the international throngs whofill Avignon'subiquitous cafés and trendy boutiques. Ifyou're
here in July, be prepared for big crowds and higher prices, thanks to the rollicking theater
festival. (Reserve your hotel far in advance.) Clean, lively, and popular with tourists, Avign-
on is more impressive for its outdoor ambience than for its museums and monuments.
Orientation to Avignon
CoursJeanJaurès,whichturnsintoRuedelaRépublique,runsstraightfromtheCentre-Ville
trainstation toPlace del'HorlogeandthePalace ofthePopes,splitting Avignonintwo.The
larger eastern half is where the action is. Climb to the Jardin du Rochers des Doms for the
town's best view, consider touring the pope's immense palace, lose yourself in Avignon's
back streets (you can follow my “Discovering Avignon's Back Streets” self-guided walk),
and find a shady square to call home. Avignon's shopping district fills the traffic-free streets
near where Rue de la République meets Place de l'Horloge. As you wander, look for signs
inOccitan—thelanguageoftheOccitaniaregion;youmightseethenameofthecitywritten
as “Avinhon” or “Avignoun.”