Avignon 9 May

Although it has been a lovely, if a cloudy, day in Avignon, tonight it is raining and the Rhone is flowing very fast past the boat. And it is really, really raining.

Manfred and Monica in Circe. They are on the way back to Bremen after four years, on and off, on the Mediterranean. Had coffee on their wonderful boat, made by a Dutch mariner. Manfred makes a fantastic expresso. We are going the same way up the Rhone. Might meet them again, maybe even in Sweden where they are planning to sail.

Posing on the most famous bridge in France

The popular song originates from a 1853 Paris musical

Come and dance with me... 

... no one to dance with me....

...at last, here we go with my favourite partner

The Papal Palace. Carl at the bottom corner .

Our research has resulted in a better understanding of events during the 14 th century. This part of France belonged to the Holy Roman Empire. When Pope Clemens V took office (1309) he decided to move the Papal seat to Avignon. And for the next 70 years up untill 1377 the Popes ruled from Avignon. There was of course a lot of in fighting amongst themselves and the Kings of France about who decides in secular matters. After 1377 Pope Gregory moved the papal seat back to Rome. But this resulted in the time of the so called anti-Pope which lasted untill 1417 (about).

Papal Palace. Leslie in front looking in admiration at the building. 

The Popes in Avignon built their living palaces across the river in Villeneuve-Avignon.

Next to the Papal Palace is the Eglise Notre-Dam with its golden Maria.