FRANCE - Best of Europe 2014 - page 454

a visual counterpoint to the stripped-down Huguenot aesthetic of the age. During this time,
Provence was a hotbed of Protestantism—but, buried within this region, Avignon was a
Catholic stronghold. Notice the stumps in front and nearby. Nicknamed bites (slang for the
male anatomy), theyeffectively keepcarsfromdouble-parking inareas designed forpeople.
Many of the metal ones slide up and down by remote control to let privileged cars come and
go.
• You can visit the massive Palace of the Popes (described later) now, but it works better to
visitthatpalaceattheendofthiswalk,thencontinuedirectlytothe“DiscoveringAvignon's
Back Streets” walk, described later.
Now is a good time to take in the...
Petit Palais Museum (Musée du Petit Palais)
This former cardinal's palace now displays the Church's collection of mostly medieval Itali-
an painting (including one delightful Botticelli) and sculpture. All 350 paintings deal with
Christian themes. Avisit herebeforegoingtothePalace ofthePopeshelpsfurnishandpop-
ulate that otherwise barren building, and a quick peek into its courtyard (even if you don't
tour the museum) shows the importance of cardinal housing.
CostandHours: €6,€3Englishbrochure,someEnglishexplanationsposted;Wed-Mon
10:00-13:00 & 14:00-18:00, closed Tue; at north end of Palace Square, tel. [phone].
• From Palace Square, we'll head up to the rocky hilltop where Avignon was first settled,
thendropdowntotheriver.Withthisshortloop,youcanenjoyasmallpark,hiketoagrand
river view, and visit Avignon's beloved broken bridge—an experience worth ▲▲ .
Start by climbing to the church level (you can fill your bottle with cold water here), then
continue up to...
▲▲▲ Jardin du Rochers des Doms
Though the park itself is a delight—with a sweet little café (goodprices forfoodand drinks)
and public WCs—don't miss the climax: a panoramic view of the Rhône River Valley and
the broken bridge. For the best views (and the favorite make-out spot for local teenagers
laterintheevening),findtheterracebehindtheoddzodiacdisplay(acrossthegrassfromthe
pond-side park café, near the statue of Jean Althen). If the green fence is ruining it for you,
stand on the short wall behind you, or detour a few minutes through the park (to the right,
with the river on your left) to find a bigger terrace.
On a clear day, the tallest peak you see, with its white limestone cap, is Mont Ventoux
(“Windy Mountain”). Below and just to the right, you'll spot free passenger ferries shuttling
across the river (great views from path on other side of the river), and—tucked amidst the