Nice!

How nice! We arrived late afternoon. After checking into our hotel, we walked around Nice.  First, down to the pebble beach with its beautiful azure waters. Then to the very chic streets for some shopping and gelato. After a step back in time in Avignon and Arles, it was quite a contrast to stroll the modern and cosmopolitan streets of Nice!

They may have liked dinner. There was nothing, I mean NOTHING left. Warm goat cheese salad was devoured, and the provencale beef with sautéed potatoes followed soon after.  Clean plate club all around!

Gelato!

Bonne nuit Nice!

Arles

After the Pont du Gard, we continued to Arles, a beautiful and classically Provence city that is a picturesque postcard down every street:

Then, quick stop in a beautiful, ancient church (with lots of Latin by the way!). It was my favorite kind of church: just well enough off the beaten path to be a little rough around the edges. Not fully restored, it was dark and smelled a bit musty. Various corners were packed with dimly lit relics.  Frescoes, faded and half destroyed, still graced some of the walls. We had the very real sense of being somewhere quite old as our shoes clapped along the uneven floor stones, divets worn smooth from the countless who came before us. 

We then visited the Roman Arena.  Around 2,000 years old, it was used for various entertainment, including (but not limited to!) gladiator fights!  Today it is still used for bull fights and concerts. 

And Haven gave a presentation about gladiators!  It was amazing to sit in the arena and imagine the enslaved fighters battling (and dying) right before our eyes. 

Thumbs up meant: Kill him!

And then...a three hour bus ride to Nice. Hence the overly verbose blog posts, sorry!

En Provence

This morning we boarded the bus and headed to the famous Roman aquaduct, "Pont du Gard". Along the way we saw green fields, dotted with vibrantly red wild poppies, rows of vines, wispy Cyprus trees and stone cottages that served as the inspiration for works by Monet, Cezanne, and VanGogh among many others. 

First we met a 1,100 year old olive tree:

Then, the stunning Pont du Gard! We walked in the footsteps of the ancient Romans, marveling at the nearly 2,000 year old feat of engineering. 

Then we climbed a nearby hill, an activity that felt reassuringly familiar to our tired Vermont feet. After the soaking rain yesterday, the damp hillside exhaled the classic aromas of Southern France: lavender, rosemary, a sweet and earthy perfume. 

Avignon and Palais des Papes

Today we made our way to the charming city of Avignon. 

We explored the medieval "Palais des Papes", which is where various popes lived for 70 years (when the Vatican was not considered safe, in the 14th century). We then had some much needed down time/free time for shopping and relaxing in cafés. Many found Classic Provence souvenirs, including soap, lavender, and honey (and Nutella crepes!).  A bonus was getting to use/learn some French, as there is much less English spoken here than in Paris!

Our attempt at a group photo in the tower, but you really can't see everyone!

J'adore le train

En route 

La tour Eiffel

Bateau Mouche:

And Eiffel Tower!

And food:

Tiny coffee:

And Montmartre:

Le louvre

We spent our morning at Le Louvre. First a guided tour, we saw the highlights, the Mona Lisa, and some amazing pieces. Then we broke into small groups and wandered around.