Comfort Inn Le Pontet Cedex

22nd
As we now needed to be in Barcelona in 5 days to meet Kim's mum it was time to say goodbye to Italy. As the day was overcast and the drive on the autopista easy we just kept on driving (from 8am until 5.30pm) and arrived into Les Acrs in France time for a beer and dinner then bed.

23rd
As we had stayed in a free Aire last night we were able to top up water, clean the toilet and then give Scooby ...

Plan was to stay in Avignon but when we arrived we decided it was too big for us and after driving around the outide of the ramparts of the old city walls - very cool and the main thing we wanted to see - we made our way onwards to Fontaine de Vaucluse which is 20kms past Avignon. We arrived just before dark and found an Aire de Service at the edge of town where settled in for 2 days. The town ...

... the security of this fortress. Brian scoped out several indents where floor beams had been inserted, and hinges for doors had been drilled, as well as a fireplace opening. After the 1830’s it’s been used for local bull-fights and has been undergoing extensive renovations. Sandblasters pierced our ears and evidence of new stone was everywhere. Part of me was sad to ...

... was home to Van Gogh’s most famous time of painting from 1888-1890.

Shadows on the hills.
Sketch the trees and daffodils.
Catch the breeze and winter chills.
In colours on the snowy linen land.

I was just thrilled to be in the same place that inspired this painter. To know that I was beneath that same starry starry sky ...

... the wind to walk across the bridge in the evening to Avignon for dinner. This morning we went on a wine tour (I know, but it is too hard to resist) around the Cotes du Rhone with Phillipe, a very competant and helpful local guide. We ended up at Chateauneuf du Pape drinking wonderful reds which has been a wine hightlight of the trip - the village has the most amazing view of Provence ...

We have enjoyed many good meals in France, but two stand out from the vast number in restaurants that tend to offer a menu with generic dishes (well prepared though), rather than distinctive cuisine. This could relate to our budget of course.

Nimes
We arrived in Nimes in the late afternoon and booked into the Hotel des Tuileries, a lovely hotel in the old part of town very close to the Arena. The host, Andrew, recommended a ...

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趣 ...

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... and some supplies and had a nice dinner at home and watched another movie. The next day, which was Tuesday, we were off to the beach in the late morning. It was about a 45 minute drive through the winding roads of the countryside and several small towns. We ended up at a beach area that was recommended by the owners of our rental home. The beach area was quite built up with tourist venues and cheap clothes shops. We walked to the beach, which was filled with people enjoying the ...

... postcards, a little acoustic guitar, before Rev and I bid Brooksy and our hosts Adieu, and convoyed over to the train station. The Dali express night train was a deluxe experience, sharing the four bed compartment with 2 Venezuelans, and getting a fine rickety track rockaby night's sleep through the south of France. Rev and myself agreed unanimously to pass on the French - I ain't big on cheese, I'll happily drink cooking wine, and Paris is too far north ...