With camp packed up and 45 minutes until the reception re-opened I had some time to explore the area. The ‘Gorge du Gardon’ was not so much a gorge as a big bit of rock that overlooked the river opposite the campsite. Still I can see why it’s a popular spot. While not in the same league or even the same game as the ‘gorge du tarn’ it is warm, sunny and pleasant. And very popular with canoists. You can hire canoes from the river bank in the campsite. This campsite is also far more like a holiday park with a big pool and lots of people on sun loungers. Still it’s just not camping godammit. It’s all a bit too.... easy!
So on to Avignon a mere 20 Km down the road. Avignon is a beautiful medieval walled city, and unlike any British town or city I’ve seen, the wall is entirely intact (I guess France wasn’t always fighting wars with aggressive neighbours). The Rhone river runs alongside and on a large island in the middle of the river are 3 campsites. You can easily walk into town in 15 minutes. There is a gateway in the wall just the other side of the bridge.
I’ve never been here before but looking at the walls and turrets of the city I have a spooky feeling of déjà vu. Literally translated from French meaning ‘already seen’. I have travelled in many places and probably seen something similar. The walls to old Cairo maybe?
I drove into town following signs for ‘centre ville’ like always. And like always I end up in the very narrow cobbled streets trying to find the office du tourism. Unlike other towns Avignon has nowhere to park. I followed the only route I could through the walled town looking for the first place I could ditch the car and proceed on foot. Left here, right there... can’t go down there because no entry sign, one way bit here, so must turn right, and before I knew it I was driving out of another gate in the wall. Like a huge oesophagus without a stomach, the city swallowed me up and spat me straight out again like a merde.
Eventually I found the campsite on the island in the river. I do not like it though. It is packed. There is little choice about which plot you have and none have access to the river. The ground is baked so hard I had trouble banging my pegs in with a hammer. I do not need to peg down the canvas at the back as I have a heavy foldable iron frame that keeps it in place. However with the winds still very high I feel better pegging it down as well. At least there is some shade offered by some trees.
The half bridge with the snow capped Mt Ventoux in the background
Later that afternoon I took I walk into town. I took my laptop with me in order to try and get a signal to update the blog. However it seems I cannot get access anywhere. I can get data reception on my UK phone (it is very expensive though to use its data facilities abroad). Now on my French dongle I have pre-paid 78 euros for 2 lots of 15 hours of internet time. I was probably half way through the first lot and hadn’t activated the second lot yet (You can do this by calling a number and typing in a code which I have printed on some paper). Once activated you have 30 days to use your time. I hadn’t finished using the first lot yet. The last time it informed me my time was up and I recharged it. This time it just stopped working. Why?
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