Avignon, France

Bern and I took the first flight from London to Nice on Saturday (not something we would do again, as we were up at 3.30 am to catch the flight). We were met by friends who were already in Nice and they kindly brought breakfast, which were a couple of pain au chocolate (chocolate croissants). As I bit into the flaky and delicate texture of the croissant, I knew we were embarking on a gastronomic journey of no return.

Palais des Papes

Once we arrived in Nice, which is a coastal town south of France, we started our journey towards Avignon. We had four days to get to Paris, which is over 700km from the south (direct route). As we were travelling in a group of four, we rented a car as it was the most convenient way to get around. Our first night, we stayed in a provincial farmhouse in Saint Veran, 20 mins drive from Avignon.

Cotes du Rhone (The Rhones wine route)

Avignon in Provence is a small city, and it feels as though it was built within a medieval fortress as there are large stone walls surrounding most part of the city. The two main attractions in Avignon itself is Palais des Papes (Palace of the Popes) and Pont St Benezet (St Benezet’s Bridge). The bridge was completed in 1185. The bridge was repaired and rebuilt many times, but the wooden bits were washed away by severe floods and all that is left standing is a half-bridge.

Pont St Benezet

We walked along the streets of Avignon and quickly found a bistro to have lunch. Most things were served with frites (French fries) and also bread. French are soooo good at making baguettes, it is not funny. Crunchy on the outside and soft inside, baguettes are great plain with a little butter or stuffed with salad and cured meats. We have lost count how many baguettes we ate! I feel like I could eat one right now while writing this...

After lunch, we took a leisurely stroll through the city and visited Palais des Papes and Pont St Benezet. A great way to start a holiday with a full tummy in a beautiful country. Staying a night in Avignon (or near Avginon) provided plenty of time to check out the city.

The most lovely thing about Avignon was our stay at Le Mas Cache, a fairly new B&B (3 months old) located in Saint Veran, 20mins drive from Avignon. The host and hostess were Tina and Marc Delacour, who were the most friendly and gracious hosts I've ever met. They have 3 rooms available on the property, which is a converted provincial farmhouse. Every room has an ensuite and views of French countryside.

The entrance to the stairway was framed by jasmine, and the beautiful scent that greeted you was a pleasant surprise. It seems like a minor detail, but it is etched in my memory. I always remember the little things...

The bedroom itself was amazing. It was grand yet comfortable and homey. Our best sleep for awhile (not hard since our flat in London is next to busy touristy streets). I will let the pictures do the talking, but it does the place no justice.

A lounge within the room

The ensuite

The view from our bedroom window

Served drinks on arrival under a grape vine patio

Breakfast in the morning

With Tina in her kitchen

A kitchen to die for

 

 

The garden

My only regret was that we only stayed here for the night. I could have stayed for the whole week. Because the first night was so good at Le Mas Cache, we feared the other places could not compare. Our fears came true. The other places we stayed were no match for this beautiful accomodation. The hospitality of the hosts were an added bonus and really made our stay all that special.