Last May I visited the French area of Switzerland for three days (photos
here), then spent the next two weeks traveling around France. I started off in the southeast of France before making my way to Southwest France. Here, I’m posting photos I took in the southeast, which included visits to Grenoble & Lyon (both a little more central), as well as Avignon, Nîmes, and Châteauneuf-du-Pape.
Grenoble
1. Arriving at the Grenoble train station from Geneva.
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7. Riding the Téléphérique (aerial tramway) up to Fort de La Bastille
8. Gorgeous views from Fort de La Bastille high above Grenoble.
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15. Heading back down into Grenoble.
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24. Love the grass tramway!
25. This is the arena where Peggy Fleming won Olympic gold in ladies figure skating at the 1968 Winter Olympics. It was the only gold medal won by the USA at those games.
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42. At the Grenoble train station the next morning waiting for the train to Lyon.
Lyon
43. Beautiful beaux arts architecture everywhere I look! Love it!
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51. I always love to see an arcade!
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58. Cathédrale Saint-Jean-Baptiste
59. Place Saint-Jean-Baptiste
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63. Place des Terreaux
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68. Taking the funicular up to the Basilica of Notre Dame of Fourvière
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70. The view from the top!
71. Basilica of Notre Dame of Fourvière
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73. The remains of a Roman theatre complex not far from the Basilica.
74. Walking back down the hill into Vieux Lyon (Old Lyon)
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78. Rue Victor Hugo
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81. Heading into the Perrache station to catch a tram back to the main train station.
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84. Arriving at Gare Part-Dieu Vivier Merle (adjacent to the Gare de la Part-Dieu)
85. Awaiting the train to Avignon from Gare de la Part-Dieu
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Avignon
87. I arrived late the prior night so these photos pick up the next morning. My hotel in Avignon was right outside the entrance to the old medieval centre of Avignon. I actually previously visited Avignon on a high school trip back in 1999.
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90. The Palais des Papes, which hosted Popes in the 1300s.
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93. Pont Saint-Bénézet/Pont d'Avignon - a medieval bridge across the Rhône, of which only part of it remains.
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97. Out on Pont Saint-Bénézet/Pont d'Avignon
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111. Heading to the train station on day #2 to visit Nîmes.
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113. Boarding the train to Nîmes.
Nîmes
114. Arriving in Nîmes. I also previously visited Nîmes on my high school trip back in 1999.
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116. When exiting the train station, this lovely promenade stretches all the way to the Arènes de Nîmes.
117. A view of the outside of the beautiful Nîmes train station.
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122. Arènes de Nîmes - one of the best preserved Roman Amphitheatres in existence.
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129. Walking along the Quai de la Fontain.
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133. Arriving at Jardin de La Fontaine
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135. Maison carrée - an ancient Roman temple (which inspired the capitol building of Virginia)
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140. Back to the train station to head back to Avignon.
Avignon
141. Arriving back in Avignon.
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Châteauneuf-du-Pape
143. The next day I visited Châteauneuf-du-Pape, arguably the best wine region in France.
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149. Love to see vineyards stretching as far as the eye can see!
150. In this direction you can see the Alps in the far distance.
151. The remnants of the old château.
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157. Time for some wine tasting!
158. And another wine tasting!
159. Followed with an excellent lunch.
Avignon
160. And that concluded my last day in the Avignon area. I took the train the next morning to Montpellier.
I’ll eventually post my photos from Southwest France, which includes Montpellier and Toulouse, but I hope you enjoyed this glimpse of some great areas of southeast France.
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