DAY 24 26 June Avignon

Today it was going to be 40-43 degrees when we visited the Pont du Gard which was very impressive. Its museum was very modern and effective.

The museum seemed to have a special 3D presentation.

This olive tree is 1000 years old.

 We also spent an hour or so with a walking tour of the little hill top village of Uzès. 

The Duke's palace.

Cathedral of Saint-Theodorit.

A natty little street cleaner operating in one of the charming little streets.

After lunch we walked back into the old walled town of Avignon and visited the Petit Palais Museum.

The Popes Palace.

The Petit Palace Museum.

Their collection concentrates on 12-15^th Century Italian religious art and is very good – the air-conditioning was excellent, given it was such a hot day with Europe still experiencing a significant heatwave.   

The prize in their collection is this painting of Madonna and Child by Sandro Botticelli (1445-1510).  His more famous work is The Birth of Venus, which is in the Uffizi in Florence.

 The Pont du Guard. Essentially half a bridge.

A view of Avignon.

Tonight we had an experience at the prestigious Popes’ Palace of Avignon. After the doors closed to the general public, we had an exclusive gala dinner and classical concert inside – the food was very good but it was still quite hot inside.  We sat with the tour directors. I took the opportunity to ask them what would happen in an emergency if the coffee machine on our boat broke down. Apparently there is only one coffee machine on-board, but three defibrillators. I really think that Scenic has misplaced priorities.

They organised transport for us to and from the dinner with mini trains which was a great idea, considering the demographics of the participants and the heat.  It was an interesting ride over the cobblestones.