Things to do in Avignon

The Papal Palace in Avignon is a castle where popes lived in the 14th century. The stone walls are thick and the interior is spacious, with the halls and chapels retaining their original structure, giving a sense of medieval solemnity. The adjacent Pont Saint-Bénézet is the broken bridge mentioned in the song, and the view from the palace rooftop is expansive, overlooking the Rhône River and the old town.

The Pont Saint-Benezet, also known as the Avignon Bridge, is a famous medieval bridge located in the southern French city of Avignon. The French folk song "On the Bridge of Avignon" was inspired by this 22-hole stone bridge built in the 12th century, which made the bridge world-famous. The original length of the bridge was about 900 meters, but it collapsed due to frequent floods and had to be rebuilt many times. After the severe flood in 1668, most of the bridge was washed away and finally no longer used. It has since been abandoned and no one has tried to repair it. The surviving arches have also collapsed or been demolished one after another, and only four of the original 22 arches remain today. Standing on the broken bridge in the Rhone River and looking around, you can better appreciate the vicissitudes of the ancient city, and the broken bridge has become a scenic spot in Avignon. According to legend, the architectural design of the bridge was inspired by the local shepherd Saint-Benezet, who was ordered by an angel to build a bridge across the river. At first he was ridiculed, but his miraculous removal of the huge stone proved that he had divine help, and he won the support of the rich. The bridge is also the place where the Rhône boatmen worship their patron saint, St. Nicholas. They originally worshipped in the chapel of St. Nicholas on the bridge (where the remains of St. Benezet are also buried), but the increasingly serious disrepair of the bridge led the clergy to refuse to conduct ceremonies in the chapel of St. Nicholas, fearing that the bridge would collapse completely. In the 18th century, a new chapel was built on the land at the end of the bridge on the Avignon side. The bridge is of great strategic significance. It is the only fixed bridge between Lyon and the Mediterranean, and the only bridge between the Papal Territory of Avignon and the French mainland under the control of the King of France. Therefore, both sides of the river are guarded. On the left bank controlled by the French royal family, the powerful Philip IV Tower and the Castle of Avignon were built. On the Avignon side, a large gatehouse was built in the 14th century (and significantly modified in the 15th century), through which one enters the city, through the city walls and a ramp.

The walls of Avignon cover a very long area and are a huge fortress-style building. This wall also has a rich history. The thick brick walls have many defensive functions and are also a witness to history.

The reason I came to Orange was to see the amphitheater from the Roman Empire. This huge semicircular theater was built in the 1st century AD during the reign of Emperor Augustus. It was so large that it could accommodate nearly 10,000 people to watch performances at the same time. In other words, everyone in the town of Orange could enter the theater at the same time. Since 1869, more than 100 years ago, the Orange Art Festival has been held in this theater every summer. The small rooms in the passage behind the stands, which is the small door on the right side of the fifth photo, have been opened as multimedia exhibition halls, which display different types of dramas from ancient Greece and Rome to today and videos of performances at art festivals over the years. Of course! This theater is also a world cultural heritage selected by UNESCO.

The Pont du Gard, located in the Gard department of southern France, is an elevated aqueduct built during the Roman Empire. It is the largest and best-preserved Roman aqueduct. Constructed in the 1st century AD, the bridge is approximately 50 meters high and 275 meters at its longest point. In 1985, the Pont du Gard was inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List. Its image is featured on the €5 banknote. The Pont du Gard is part of the Nîmes Aqueduct (approximately 50 kilometers long), used to supply water to the city of Nîmes. Its construction took about 15 years. It has been remarkably well-preserved over nearly 500 years of use. In 1958, the bridge withstood a once-in-a-century flood. In 2000, the French government implemented a preservation project, constructing museums and other facilities in the surrounding area.

It is a very beautiful and unique little bay. The azure blue water, white waves, and various strange stones form a beautiful picture... Groups of tourists and couples come here to take pictures, play games, relax, and enjoy the gift of nature...

If you visit Avignon, this is a place you should definitely take a little trip to see. The scenery and the surroundings are truly captivating.

My deepest impression of this place is that I passed by "Horloge" when I was riding on the minibus. I didn't visit this place specifically on weekdays, but there are still many places for shopping. There is a market next to it, and there are also many foods. There are also many activities on weekdays!