A Tale of Two Cities...in Provence

In May 2024, daughter Jill and I cruised the Mediterranean, with port stops in Spain, France, Italy, and Malta, and spent two days sightseeing in Barcelona. Our holiday was memorable from start to finish!

Click HERE to read a short introduction to our Mediterranean Holiday.
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This story, part of a series, is about my day in Provence, where I toured Avignon and Aix-en-Provence. 

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The Papal Palace in Avignon

Marseille, France (May 11, 2024) A couple months back, as I scanned the shore excursions from Marseille, I read, “While the sun-kissed shores of southern France make ideal holiday destinations, the delightful towns lying inland are equally worth a visit.” This excursion, ‘A Tale of Two Provençal Cities,’ was “designed to let you savor two such jewels—Avignon and Aix-en-Provence.”

I preferred towns over cities when I travel—less crowded, more charming, easier to connect with local culture and history—so I logged in to MSC and booked this tour. At days end, I was mighty glad I did! 

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We arrived in Marseille early Saturday morning, about 7AM. The weather was beautiful—60 degrees with a slight breeze from the north and a few passing clouds. And it got better as the day went on, with the temperature reaching the mid-70s by early afternoon.  

The ancient town center of Avignon--surrounded by a medieval wall more than 100 feet tall in places and nearly three miles long—is located about 65 miles north of Marseille on the left bank of the Rhone River, a little more than an hour’s drive. When we arrived (‘we’ was me and about 40 fellow passengers from the World Europa), our tour guide led us through Porte Due Rhone, one of seven portals into this 14th century walled city—portals once sealed from the outside with iron-studded wooden gates—and then along picturesque streets, some no wider than alleyways.

Soon we reached a large square that fronted Palais des Papes—the Papal Palace. This was the seat of Christianity in the 1300s after the French crown exerted its influence over the papacy. Seven popes in succession resided here, beginning with Clement V in 1305 and ending with Pope Gregory XI in 1378. Then, Rome reclaimed control, and the papacy reverted to the Vatican. 

The Palais des Papes, a blend of Gothic and Romanesque styles, is comprised of two adjoining buildings—the Old Palace, completed under Pope Benedict XII, and the New Palace, completed under Pope Innocent VI. Inside, the public had access to more than 25 rooms. We did not have time to visit all, and I will share far fewer yet with you—just three, starting with the one of greatest interest to me. 

​Early in our tour, we stood in a courtyard, known as the Court of Honor, enclosed by buildings on all four sides. Our guide directed our attention to a second story arched window topped with a magnificent Gothic rose.​
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“There is an enclosed gallery behind those columns,” she began. “The gallery has a name, Fenetre de l’Indulgence—the Window of Indulgence in English. It was there, from that window, the pope stood to wave to and bless those in the courtyard who were honored by an audience with him.”

We reached Fenetre de l’Indulgence later in the tour, and after I snapped this inside pic, I walked to the window and stood where seven Avignon popes stood many times during the 14th century, and tried to imagine what it felt like, to the crowds and popes alike. It was, for me, a spiritually uplifting experience!  

My second favorite room was Chappelle Saint-Jean—the Chapel of Saint John—a small chapel for private worship in a first story hall known as the ‘consistory.’ In this photo, the chapel is located through an arched opening midway along the wall to the left. 

The frescoes that adorned the walls and ceilings (see pics below) within the chapel narrated the lives of St. John the Baptist and St. John the Evangelist.

Why was this room a favorite of mine? Because these elaborate murals, created by Italian artist Matteo Giovannetti in the 1340s, were largely intact and still colorful nearly 700 years after they were painted. Incredible!

One of the last rooms we visited (and another favorite because of its sheer size) was La Grande Chapelle—the Great Chapel. “This was a major architectural achievement,” said our guide, built under the direction of Pope Clement VI. “He had neighboring buildings raised to create this cavernous hall, which is 170 feet long, 50 feet wide, and three stories high!” 

I enjoyed my tour of Palais des Papes—for me, a once-in-a-lifetime experience—and felt it was time well spent.  

We had an hour of free time, and I put mine to good use. First, I had lunch at le Vintage—lamb crumble wrapped in eggplant and mashed potatoes with a glass of Cotes du Rhone, a favorite in the Rhone wine region of France. My meal was delish! And then I wandered through pedestrian-only streets lined with shops, for I was on a mission: to find (and buy) French soaps and regional olive oil for Debra, my wife. 

Six shops, two purchases, mission accomplished! 

We left for Aix-en-Provence, located an hour southeast of Avignon, at half-past one. (Aix is pronounced ‘Eks.’)

I was familiar with Aix, as Debra and I visited this captivating medieval city in 2017. So, as our guide led us on a walk through the city’s historic district, it was déjà vu (all over again!), starting with the first landmark I saw.

Cathedrale St. Sauveur—Cathedral of the Holy Savior—is a Roman Catholic church built and rebuilt from the 12th to 19th centuries on the site of a 1st century Roman forum.

“Look closely,” our tour guide said, “and you will see that the façade, which features carved statues of saints, prophets, and cherubim, reflects the different eras in which this cathedral was built—Romanesque, Gothic, and Neo-Gothic.”

The octagonal bell tower, completed in 1425 and restored in the 19th century, soared more than 200 feet. The arched portal—yes, those are red doors!—was built in the late-15th/early-16th centuries.  

There was an ornamented balustrade near the top of the façade, and atop it stood an early 16th century statue of Archangel St. Michael by Jean Paumier. 

Within the cathedral were many notable works of art. One of my favorites was in a small chapel—the figure of Christ atop a stone altar with a tapestry as its backdrop. 

Further along our sightseeing route, we reached a picturesque square in the center of town—Place de l’Hotel de Ville, which was built in the 1700s. 

The city's Town Hall, with a large clock tower, stood on one side of the square. And there was a fountain in the middle of the square—a circular pond with a cube-shaped pedestal adorned with flowers and gargoyles. Like many of the fountains I saw throughout my trip, this one was dry. "Why?" I asked. “The drought,” I was told. 

​The church in the photo above is Saint-Jean-de-Malte, which was constructed at the end of the 13th century. It was the first Gothic building in Provence. Much to my chagrin—because I LOVED to visit churches—I had to be satisfied with a look-see from afar, as our guide took us in another direction. 

The last photo to share—the one to the left—was another déjà vu moment, as the red umbrellas and awnings triggered a memory. Wait a sec, I thought. I’ve seen this scene before. I flipped through the photo albums on my phone—my pics are well-organized—and found the snapshot below from 2017. Not much has changed in seven years, I mused as I looked from one photo to the other. 

I followed our guide a short distance to the motorcoach for a 30-minute ride to Marseille, where I reboarded the World Europa.

‘A Tale of Two Provencal Cities’ delivered what it promised—a wonderful tour, filled with history, culture, and architecture, of two delightful towns, Avignon and Aix-en-Provence. Great experiences, great memories!