Next week I will be posting from Germany; on Tuesday our time in Avignon comes to an end all too soon. With that in mind we have been quite active – a bit of travel, art, and eating.

Sunday we took the SNCF train from Avignon Central to L’Isle-sur-la-Sorgue for their market day, it is one of the best in all of Provence which makes it way too easy to find things you can’t resist. We have been there a few times over the years, but we don’t remember it ever being as crowded as it was Sunday. It also seemed that there were even more stalls.

We had tea at Les Coulisses near the old church in the center of town.

Lunch was at Le Bellevue our table was next to La Sorgue. The plat du jour was a lamb shank with mash, it was one of the best ever.

Sunday evening we went to Le Cafe Des Pas Sages, the street had recovered from the Viking Cruise tour groups so it was quite quiet, a relaxing reminder of what I will miss most of France and Europe, the cafe culture.

Cafe culture is famous in Europe, it represents what I love about it here. People who have lived or spent considerable time here really get the ethereal nature of cafe culture, it is so much more than just a picturesque cafe in a village square, or on a Paris street. Visiting a cafe while on a tour, or staying a few days in a town is not really experiencing it at its best. The culture of Europe requires immersion to really get it, I didn’t know that in March of 2022 when we first came here, but I know it now, yet I struggle to find the words that express the why.

Mixed with all of the emotions of leaving France are the daily negative messages sent our way about the state of the world we all live in, sometimes that influences my art.

Wednesday we went to Pont d’Avignon, the Roman bridge famous in the children’s song. I climbed down the stairs for a photo of the first chapel, Tricia gave me a pontifical wave from above.

Last night we went to a concert at L’Explo, a brewery with a large deck that extends over the canal that turned the waterwheels many years ago. The group was Les Jack’sons, and they were so good. We stood along with the audience for the whole concert, two hours with none of the breaks which are common in the US. We chatted with folks in French and English, truly a night to remember.

We ate well this week motivated by a desire to try some new places and to revisit familiar ones before we leave, and to avoid buying food that we would not use up in the next few days.

Then of course people on the streets and in doorways continue to add to the ambience.

Tricia is posting about our time in Marseille today, be sure to check it out.

I hope your journeys are a feast both for the eyes and for the palate, and don’t forget to take your sketchbook.