I indeed did not rent a bike the day I thought I would because the weather was a bit wet, and instead I went to the Palais des Papes, the grand structure built over quite a number of years by quite a number of popes during the 14th century. Today it's the main site during the Festival d'Avignon every summer. I took a French audioguide and so perhaps learned less than I would have in English, but I enjoyed the experience nonetheless. Sadly, and annoyingly, you're not allowed to take photos inside even if you don't use a flash, but I got some nice ones of the outside.
After a delicious crêpe lunch, I walked on the Pont St Bénezet and learned a little about the history. St Bénezet was a shepherd who had a vision that he should build a bridge across the Rhône at Avignon. He convinced the authorities that they really should take on this monumental task by moving a giant boulder in to place to start the bridge with the help of an angel. The bridge was relaly not meant to be, at least by the river since it was progressively washed away and rebuilt over the centuries and abandoned as a crossing in the 17th century. The day before I had heard a mom singing the nursery rhyme with her cute kids on the ferry which was quite nice.
My day of biking was fine, though not awe-inspiring. I purchased a map and found a great route to Chateauneuf de Pape, home of the wine; but sadly one cannot actually cross the dam where indicated on the map. Hmph. So instead I toodled a bit more on Ile de la Barthalasse and then in the not terribly scenic environs of Avignon. One the island I bought a pear from a very nice young farmer who sells directly at his farm which is the closest to Avignon. He said they were only about 15 days away from having strawberries! He grows them under cover at the start of the season, then in the fields with an ever-bearing variety into the fall. In the afternoon I discovered a great system of bike paths that had directional arrows and notes at almost every intersection.
Avignon is the only city I've been in in a while that didn't have a city-wide bike rental program. Aix, Marseille, Toulouse (saw from the train), Tours, Nantes and Rennes all have programs where you can rent a bike from the city for cheap, most of them hourly like Zipcar.
(Even some of the mail carriers ride bikes.)
I departed early next morining for Bordeaux, my stopover on the way to Nantes. The train ride was great with one bit along a tiny spit between the Mediterranean and a large bay to the north. It was particularly interesting to note the changes in agriculture as we moved north -- no more olive trees, grape vines in abundance in certain areas, fruit trees in others, and the first fields of grazing white cows that are much more common here in Brittany.
The Bordeaux hostel was industrial, but I met a nice American girl who's studying in France and hear a rendition of Cumpleanos Feliz during breakfast from the large group of Spanish teenagerse who were there too. I also bought juice in a grocery store where I had to check my bag at the door; I guess the neighborhoods with lots of strip clubs aren't so good?
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