FRANCE: Avignon

When we were in school we learned a little French ditty that went like this:

Sur le Pont d'Avignon
L'on y danse, l'on y danse
Sur le Pont d'Avignon
L'on y danse tous en rond.

Translated:

On the bridge in Avignon
They are dancing there, They are dancing there

On the bridge in Avignon
They all dance in circles there

It seems that little jingle was learned in French classes around the world. 

But, truth be known, sorry to say, it wasn't possible to dance in circles on the bridge in Avignon, because the bridge is too narrow. 

In consolation though, it is now listed as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO.

FRANCE: The Countryside in Provence During Harvest Season

September in the Northern Hemisphere marks the beginning of the harvest season.

The fields have vines with plump juicy grapes ready to be picked at the perfect time. 

Perfect timing. Well, that can be variable because of temperamental weather.  

It had been beautiful sunny weather for weeks, and, the day our friend's vineyard had scheduled grape picking, it rained in the morning and threatened to do so for the rest of the day.

Harvest can be made or broken depending on the weather. 

But having said that, I have yet to taste a bad bottle of wine from her vineyard, Chene Bleu.

FRANCE: Roman Ruins in Provence - Nimes and Arles

The Roman arena in Nimes, built around 100AD, is not one of the largest amphitheatres that the Roman's built, but, is the best preserved of them all.

Amongst the 400 Roman amphitheatres that are still in existence, this among the 20 largest. 

The Roman’s specifically designed their amphitheatres for putting on spectacular combats between gladiators or animals. 

FRANCE: Aix en Provence in the South of France

Provence and the South of France has a mystical air of romanticism to it.

John is a big Francophile, so we decided to create a "home base" in Aix en Provence to explore the area and soak up the lifestyle and culture of Southern France. 

The history goes back centuries. 

The Romans settled here in part due to ready access to natural springs. Aix en Provence is often referred to as the city of water. As the town began to take shape during the Middle Ages, there were hundreds of fountains created for  domestic use. 

Now there are just 30 fountains that are still in use.