Avignon - l'Ardoise 10 May NB THIS BLOG HAS LANDED in the WRONG PLACE

Expecting rain today but woke up to a beautiful morning with sunshine and a tail wind helping us up the Rhone.

Passing Villeneuve-Avignon it looks really pleasant.

The tower of Philip the Fair, King of France.

Chateau de l'Hers. This ruin is opposite a town called Roquemaure. 

A few days ago we realised that we would be passing the town, Chateauneuf du Pape, the area for the very famous wine with the same name. According to our guide only hotel boats can stop there, we were referred to Roquemaure. But the mooring possibilities were not good, we would be very disturbed by the wash from the passing barges.next suggestion was l'Ardoise, on a branch of the Rhone.

Turns out the Port at l'Ardoise is next to a cement factory and a few kilometres from a small town. It is a very basic port, but a friendly cook, who does not work Mondays and Tuesdays, and a Dane, who bought a boat here and is eventually going to take it back to Denmark. I live 25 km from Denmark but have never met so many Danes before! They do live up to their reputation of being happy people.

A little float beautifying the port.

Anybody having ideas that travelling by boat through France is always cute and quaint and romantic, must know that there are as many funny little places where you need to remember all your scouting abilities to survive!

We eventually took a taxi over the Rhone to Chateau du Pape. Now this is a cute, quaint, romantic little village. And of course full of wine tasting possibilities. We went to a very interesting wine museum where we learnt everything there is to know about Chateauneuf du Pap. No need to research ?

Here Carl has already tasted and bought a bottle, but posing outside another possible wine cellar.

We walked up to the castle which was commissioned by of Pope Jean XXII. During the times when the Popes resided in Abignon. They used it as a summer residence. After the papacy returned to Rome the castle was abandoned.

Wonderful views from the castle.

The castle

Carl looking over the Rhone valley.

Back on board, Carl cannot stop working. Lellebelle must be spick and span.

This goose guards the entrance to our pontoon and makes an almighty noise when you approach. But it is not aggressive according to the 2 of the 3 permanent inhabitants of port l' Ardoise  

Here we have two residents and the cook. George is from Antwerp but lives here on his boat, Didier is the cook,  and the lady has been living on her boat since January. Even though the "restaurant" was closed, we were allowed to buy them a beer.

Didier has only been here for one week and seemed a bit worried that Port l'Ardoise is situated between a cement factory and Nuclear power plant, about 2 km away.