Saturday (Paradou)…

The sound of light rain on olive leaves gently stirred us in the morning. Ominous skies signaled a rainy day ahead. 

Undaunted, we headed into the center of Avignon, slipping through the narrow gates of the old city walls. We parked in a modern and convenient garage directly beneath the Palais des Papes (Palace of the Popes). As we reached the surface…cue the umbrellas. 

Gentle thunder rolled as we entered the imposing stone building. The rain and thunder made us feel like weary travelers reaching our refuge in the palace, while God singled our arrival with trembling booms. 

The palace is quite a site. It was the home of nine popes over about 100 years, during the schism in the Roman Catholic Church when there were two popes. The medieval Gothic palace was built in stages during the 14th century. Unfortunately, once the seat of the Catholic Church returned to Rome, the palace lost its oomph and eventually fell to city control. The palace was a prison for a bit and then a military complex for 100 or so years. During that time, crumbling portions of the palace were demolished, towering rooms were sliced into smaller rooms, and most traces of the church were erased. 

Renovations began around 1900, slowly and deliberately removing the military alterations and restoring palace features. Although most of the painted rooms and furnishings are lost, there are impressive examples still in place and under careful rehabilitation. 

The palace consumed a good portion of the day. By the time we left, the skies had truly opened up and storms descended upon us. Our drive back to the hotel was slow, with heavy rains and frequently flooded roads. 

By evening, the rains ended and we were able to enjoy a quiet dinner. Tonight, the chef at Du Côté Des Olives invited us to sit at a table in the kitchen. How wonderful to see this talented crew craft each dish with such care. The chef came by to talk with us after the meal; such a warm person. Tonight we had a light squash soup to start. Ravioli with foie gras and a subtle scallop carpaccio. Our main dishes were so amazing: pan fried sole in a buttery sauce; juicy lamb chops with green beans. Honestly…the simpler the dish sounds, the more amazing it tastes. To finish the millefeiulle and some decadent chocolate mouse tower. Words cannot describe. 

We spotted stars as we walked back to the room. Tomorrow should be a beautiful day.