Walls

Trip Start Aug 23, 1996
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Trip End Ongoing


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Flag of France  ,
Sunday, February 3, 2008

Eleven months ago, Lucy went skiing, whilst I went to the South of France to view the Roman theatre of Orange. She had read the story and seen the pictures, we just needed to find the flight, and as Ryanair were having another day of specials, Marseille was our chosen airport.
 
The Song
 
Growing up, there was a song by the Angels, and it went like this
 
Gimme the sound of the rolling dice
gimme a whiskey, don't think twice
deal me the card that takes my blues away
take me away to Marseille
 
Now I have always wanted to go to Marseille, just because of the song, but when I looked in to it, everyone said it was a shithole, so we decided not to go. The only thing to do was to get into the shitter that we had hired this week, and drive to a place that I know, and is not far from Orange. Avignon
 
Avignon
 
It's hard to explain what it is about Avignon, but when you see the walls, history just blows you away. Be it day or night, this is a lovely place. We made our way up to the main square, found a cafe and hit the wine. Being France, table wine is sufficient, and being France, moules and frites are the way to go. Once dinner was done, we had a walk around the town, checking out the Palais des Papes. We wouldn't have time tomorrow to go in, but we have done this previously. We also looked at the Pont d'Avignon, and followed the walls. Great place.
 
Orange
 
We might have been near the Med, but it was cold. A bitter wind was blowing, and when you are in a Roman Theatre, you feel it.
 
In the Roman world, there are three intact walls left. Turkey, Syria and here. Admittingly, some of the seats have been replaced, but the atmosphere is amazing. It's most probably is the best theatre I have seen, but I will make an effort for my viewers to see the other two.
 
Down the road is the Arc de Triomphe D'Orange. There are some carvings still on it, but it is pretty weathered. At present, there are some tacky christmas lights attached to it !!! Oh well
 
Back in the car, we continued on our Roman theme and drove over to Arles
 
Arles
 
Like all good places, on top of the hill sits a Roman amphitheatre. The French still have bullfights here. It is pretty complete, and everytime I've been here, I can't decide whether I prefer here or Nimes. Next door is another Roman theatre, but at present there is construction work going so we didn't bother going in. There are some baths as well, but they are a little disappointing. One problem with Arles is that it's on the Van Gogh trail so there are always coach loads of tourists. Once we had seen it all, we moved on again.
 
Beziers
 
After we found the hotel, we drove into town. There is a cathedral here to be seen, but it was all locked up. It actually sits on top of a hill and looks more like a fortress. The town is nice, but we were only here for the evening, so we kicked back, drank a load of wine and then died for the night.
 
Carcassonne
 
Some say that this is the premier walled town in Europe, whilst others say that this is just a town with a huge attraction for tourists. From a distance, they look good. In fact, from close up, they do as well, but once you get inside, it's very disappointing. Maybe I was expecting something like Toledo, but it's just a load of shops and restaurants that are massively overpriced. We walked the walls, which was nice, but there wasn't anything else that interested us, so we drove off.
 
Montepellier
 
It was along the way back, and we needed food, the book said it was nice, so we had a look. It took along time to get in through the suburbs to the centre, and in our eyes, we didn't really have the time to fuck around, so we grabbed a panini and moved onto a place, that had Roman ruins.
 
Nimes
 
Lucy was amazed in the change. No longer could you drive around the amphitheatre. I had seen this last year, and hopefully it will slow down the erosion. We didn't go in as we didn't have time, but as for where I prefer, I think Arles town is better but this ones amphitheatre is more fun to climb over.
 
And then the airport came into view, and our weekend was over.
 
And Finally
 
I've said it before and I'll say it again, I love the Med, the countries that border onto it, the food, the wine, they know how to live, and I will never tire of it.
 
 

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001 Wall, Avignon 001 Wall, Avignon 002 Wine, Avignon 002 Wine, Avignon 003 Lucy Drinking Wine, Avignon 003 Lucy Drinking Wine, Avignon 004 David Eating Moules, Avignon 004 David Eating Moules, Avignon
005 Moules, Avignon 005 Moules, Avignon 006 Cafe, Avignon 006 Cafe, Avignon 007 Building, Avignon 007 Building, Avignon 008 Church, Avignon 008 Church, Avignon
009 Church, Avignon 009 Church, Avignon 010 Palais de Papes, Avignon 010 Palais de Papes, Avignon 011 Pont d'Avignon, Avignon 011 Pont d'Avignon, Avignon 012 Wall, Avignon 012 Wall, Avignon
013 Wall, Avignon 013 Wall, Avignon 014 Theatre, Orange 014 Theatre, Orange 015 David Freezing, Orange 015 David Freezing, Orange 016 Theatre Seats, Orange 016 Theatre Seats, Orange
017 Theatre Wall, Orange 017 Theatre Wall, Orange 018 Statue, Orange 018 Statue, Orange 019 Lucy, Freezing, Orange 019 Lucy, Freezing, Orange 020 Theatre Wall, Orange 020 Theatre Wall, Orange
021 Theatre Tunnel, Orange 021 Theatre Tunnel, Orange 022 Theatre Seats & Wall, Orange 022 Theatre Seats & Wall, Orange 023 Theatre Seats & Wall, Orange 023 Theatre Seats & Wall, Orange 024 Theatre Wall, Orange 024 Theatre Wall, Orange
025 Head, Orange 025 Head, Orange 026 Statue, Orange 026 Statue, Orange 027 Statue, Orange 027 Statue, Orange 028 Old Theatre Picture, Orange 028 Old Theatre Picture, Orange
029 Movie, Orange 029 Movie, Orange 030 Movie, Orange 030 Movie, Orange 031 Mosaic, Orange 031 Mosaic, Orange 032 Mosaic, Orange 032 Mosaic, Orange
033 Mosaic, Orange 033 Mosaic, Orange 034 Theatre Wall, Orange 034 Theatre Wall, Orange 035 Church, Orange 035 Church, Orange 036 Theatre Wall, Orange 036 Theatre Wall, Orange
037 Roman Arch, Orange 037 Roman Arch, Orange 038 Lucy at the Arch, Orange 038 Lucy at the Arch, Orange 039 David at the Arch, Orange 039 David at the Arch, Orange 040 Roman Carving, Orange 040 Roman Carving, Orange
041 Roman Arch, Orange 041 Roman Arch, Orange 042 Roman Carving, Orange 042 Roman Carving, Orange 043 Car & Arch, Orange 043 Car & Arch, Orange 044 Lucy at the Amphitheatre, Arles 044 Lucy at the Amphitheatre, Arles
045 Amphitheatre Tunnel, Arles 045 Amphitheatre Tunnel, Arles 046 Amphitheatre, Arles 046 Amphitheatre, Arles 047 Walkway, Arles 047 Walkway, Arles 048 Amphitheatre, Arles 048 Amphitheatre, Arles
049 Lucy in the Amphitheatre, Arles 049 Lucy in the Amphitheatre, Arles 050 Amphitheatre & Church, Arles 050 Amphitheatre & Church, Arles 051 Amphitheatre, Arles 051 Amphitheatre, Arles 052 Amphitheatre, Arles 052 Amphitheatre, Arles
053 Amphitheatre, Arles 053 Amphitheatre, Arles 054 Toilet, Arles 054 Toilet, Arles 055 Amphitheatre, Arles 055 Amphitheatre, Arles 056 Statue, Arles 056 Statue, Arles
057 Roman Theatre, Arles 057 Roman Theatre, Arles 058 Van Gogh, Arles 058 Van Gogh, Arles 059 Arles Square 059 Arles Square 060 Laneway, Arles 060 Laneway, Arles
061 Church, Arles 061 Church, Arles 062 Church, Beziers 062 Church, Beziers 063 Church, Beziers 063 Church, Beziers 064 Lucy Drinking Wine, Beziers 064 Lucy Drinking Wine, Beziers
065 David Drinking Wine, Beziers 065 David Drinking Wine, Beziers 066 Chocolate Mousse, Beziers 066 Chocolate Mousse, Beziers 067 Building, Beziers 067 Building, Beziers 068 Beziers 068 Beziers
069 Beziers 069 Beziers 070 Bridge, Beziers 070 Bridge, Beziers 071 Gate & Walls, Carcassonne 071 Gate & Walls, Carcassonne 072 Walls, Carcassonne 072 Walls, Carcassonne
073 Walls, Carcassonne 073 Walls, Carcassonne 074 Walls & Bridge, Carcassonne 074 Walls & Bridge, Carcassonne 075 Tower, Carcassonne 075 Tower, Carcassonne 076 Walls, Carcassonne 076 Walls, Carcassonne
077 Walls, Carcassonne 077 Walls, Carcassonne 078 Walls, Carcassonne 078 Walls, Carcassonne 079 Gateway, Carcassonne 079 Gateway, Carcassonne 080 David on the Wall, Carcassonne 080 David on the Wall, Carcassonne
081 Walls, Carcassonne 081 Walls, Carcassonne 082 Sign, Carcassonne 082 Sign, Carcassonne 083 Tower, Carcassonne 083 Tower, Carcassonne 084 Lucy on the Wall, Carcassonne 084 Lucy on the Wall, Carcassonne
085 Tower, Carcassonne 085 Tower, Carcassonne 086 Sign, Carcassonne 086 Sign, Carcassonne 087 Lucy Freezing, Carcassonne 087 Lucy Freezing, Carcassonne 088 Cross, Carcassonne 088 Cross, Carcassonne
089 Well, Carcassonne 089 Well, Carcassonne 090 Gateway, Carcassonne 090 Gateway, Carcassonne 091 Old Sign, Carcassonne 091 Old Sign, Carcassonne 092 Walls, Carcassonne 092 Walls, Carcassonne
093 Gateway, Carcassonne 093 Gateway, Carcassonne 094 Walls, Carcassonne 094 Walls, Carcassonne 095 Lucy on the Wall, Carcassonne 095 Lucy on the Wall, Carcassonne 096 David on the Wall, Carcassonne 096 David on the Wall, Carcassonne
097 David on the Wall, Carcassonne 097 David on the Wall, Carcassonne 098 Gateway, Carcassonne 098 Gateway, Carcassonne 099 Idol, Carcassonne 099 Idol, Carcassonne 100 Gateway, Carcassonne 100 Gateway, Carcassonne
101 View of Carcassonne 101 View of Carcassonne 102 Carcassonne 102 Carcassonne 103 Gateway, Montepellier 103 Gateway, Montepellier 104 Porte d'Augusta, Nimes 104 Porte d'Augusta, Nimes
105 Church, Nimes 105 Church, Nimes 106 Amphitheatre, Nimes 106 Amphitheatre, Nimes 107 Lucy at the Amphitheatre, Nimes 107 Lucy at the Amphitheatre, Nimes 108 David at the Amphitheatre, Nimes 108 David at the Amphitheatre, Nimes
109 Amphitheatre, Nimes 109 Amphitheatre, Nimes 110 Amphitheatre, Nimes 110 Amphitheatre, Nimes 111 Amphitheatre, Nimes 111 Amphitheatre, Nimes 112 Amphitheatre & Statue, Nimes 112 Amphitheatre & Statue, Nimes
113 Statue, Nimes 113 Statue, Nimes 114 Statue, Nimes 114 Statue, Nimes
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Comments

garcow
garcow on Feb 25, 2008 at 12:44AM

Carcossone
Hi Spent some time in the region 2 years ago and really loved it. I was amazed how similar your comments were to my feelings. You should try and see Gordes really spectacular albeit slightly commercial.
How about the Pont du Gard really worth seeing in terms of Roman building 2000 years back.
There is a cute fishing village called Cassiss on the eastern seaboard of Marseille. It unlike so much of the french Med is still cute with the village square boules and a bit of a party atmosphere.

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