Tuesday, still Avignon; Wed Arles, Pont du Gard; Thur Ardeche gorge

I have spent my spare timing over the past few days talking to people and watching the river bank slide past. So, an abbreviated post to catch up.

Tues we went on a walking tour of Avignon.  We went over the Pope's Palace - quite interesting ,  huge but lots of other visitors. In afternoon we wanted to go to a fort on the other side of the river but did not have enough time. We got about 3/4 of the way and saw good views. 

We travelled through the night to Arles. We went on walking tour which  took us past the Roman ampitheatre and a Roman theatre, through narrow atmospheric streets and past several of Van Goghs subjects. We were shown the elaboratedly carved 12th Century   main door of the Eglise St Trophime and later we went back and looked inside.  There were a lot of d'Aubusson tapestries. We found the almost deserted cloisters. Many of the pillars were carved in a similar manner to those on the front door.

In the afternoon we went to the Pont du Gard aqueduct , an amazing engineering feat of ancient Rome. The bridge is 160ft high and part of a system to bring water from Uzes to Nimes over 30 km away.  Built during the 1st century CE.

This morning we set off early in a bus for a look at a lavender farm, then several stops at lookouts to look down into the Ardeche gorges.

We are moored tonight t a little,place called Tournon which we had  brief wander around before dinner.