open mind, empty stomach

After a really great three days helping Odette at school, she gave my co-WOOFer Julia and I Friday off. Odette recommended we visit nearby Avignon and we followed her advice. Avignon is a beautiful medieval city that is about one hour by train from Montelimar.
The city is most well known as being the home to some Popes for a period of time in the 14th century. Our first stop in the city was a visit to the Palais de Papes. It is a very big compound that is more fortress than palace. The real Pope’s house is much more beautiful, but it was cool walking around the French equivalent.
The other big tourist attraction is the real “bridge to nowhere,” the bridge of Avignon. The city is bordered to the north by the Rhone and the partial remains of an old bridge can be accessed (from one side only) for a small fee. There are a couple museums and cathedrals in Avignon, but we opted to walk around the city and admire the gothic architecture instead. There are also canals, some of which have old mills that were used to power something.
Now for the important part, lunch. I did my usual research for dining options and decided on going to Numero 75. It is an upscale, but not crazy-upscale place that serves up some really good food. It was very hard walking past several much cheaper places that looked great and were packed with locals enjoying their lunch, but I’m happy I tried Numero 75. I had a foie gras starter and braised pig cheek for my main. Dessert was a pastry with sea salt caramel butter cream, raspberries and raspberry sorbet. The food was really good and the service was outstanding.
My time in Avignon was short and highlighted with a delicious meal. It was similar to the few hours I spent in Siena, but I preferred Siena’s scenery and food. Avignon was still beautiful and is a place I would go back to.

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