Abby and Marseille

We are able to spend some more time with Abby in her city, Marseille.  We do a little city site seeing and then head out of the city to Les Calanques National Park for some hiking.  She actually lives in the park.  Then on to her dorm where we see where she is calling home and meet some of her new friends.  All is well!  While there Robert hears someone playing guitar and wonders down the hall to make a new friend who kindly lets him play...it's been hard for Robert to go this long without playing.

Nice

We say goodby to Johnny and Angela in Nice.  What a tour of France we had we had with them.  I'll miss Angela's help with this blog.  We head to Marseille to let Abby show us around her town, then on to Spain.

Pont du Gard

We took a bus to Pont du Gard, a perfectly preserved Roman aqueduct built around 19 BC. It is the second-highest standing structure.  The Roman Coliseum is only 6 feet higher. Pont du Gard was the critical link in a 30 mile canal dropping only one inch for every 350 feet, and it supplied nine million gallons of water a day (about 100 gallons per second) to the city of Nimes, one of ancient Europe's largest cities.  Most of the canal is on or below ground.  Very impressive!

80 foot arch!

Avignon

We left Bayeux on a train with Abby to Paris. From there Abby headed to Marseille and we went to Avignon where we spent the afternoon exploring the town. In 1309 a French pope was elected, the French king decided Italy was too dangerous for the Pope, so Avignon became the French Vatican.  The popes resided here until1403.  We went to the Palace Square, lined with the palace of the popes, the palace  of the cardinal and the cathedral.  Once the church bought the town, it erected more than 3 miles of protective walls with 39 towers appropriate for housing its entire bureaucracy.  we also the St Benedict's bridge  (nursery rhyme fame) built between 1171 and 1185.  It was the only bridge crossing the road in the Middle Ages.

 o