AVIGNON The Popes Palace and the Avignon Bridge

 

At once economic, cultural , spiritual and religious capital , Avignon is proud of its exceptional architectural and artistic heritage which gives today the most important gothic ensemble in Europe. "In Altera Roma" during the XIVth century, Avignon was the capital of the Christian world. The Popes palace from the XIVth century and the bridge Saint Bénezet from the XIIth century are listed among the world patrimony by the Unesco. Today Avignon is an important cultural and tourist crossroad. In the year 2000 , it is named "European city of culture", very well known as well with its theater festival considered as the most important one in the world, where it hosts more than 600 spectacles and 570 000 spectators every year.

Program

8h30:	Departure from Conference Center - La Grande Motte
10h30-12h00:	Guided visit of the Popes Palace   The Popes Palace is a magnificent building, one of the noblest expression of Gothic architecture in Europe, "The most beautiful and powerful mansion in the world" as a chronicler declared ten centuries ago. In the 14th century, this luxurious palace used to be the Capital of the Christian world. It witnessed nine popes in succession and its bold architecture and rich paintings still remain as signs of this glorious past.
12h00-16h30:	Lunch & Free time in the city Numerous chops (Provencial materials, ceramics and pottery, terra cotta figurines, ...)
16h30-17h30:	Guided visit of the "Pont St Benezet" (Avignon Bridge)   The bridge made famous in the ditty 'Sur le pont d'Avignon, on y danse, on y danse...'. This famous bridge, erected in the twelfth century to carry St Benezet over to the neighbouring village of Villeneuve, now retains only four of its original 22 arches and, alas, is not wide enough to walk or dance along.
18h30:	Arrival to Conference Center - La Grande Motte