Approach

After more than six years of living in Sydney Australia, here I am back in Avignon where I lived for ten years. The old fortified city is familiar, I know my way through every back alley and narrow one-way street. How steeped in history this place is! Not a few steps without an old church in sight, an 18th century or medieval façade, a cobblestone courtyard or a roman tile roof.

But we'll approach the city slowly, like pilgrims travelling on foot. This isn't Avignon yet but Villeneuve-lez-Avignon, the long-time rival city accross the river Rhône. Smaller, quieter, more of a village really.

August is a wonderful time to rediscover the region. Warm summer days, balmy nights, flowers everywhere, grapes hanging from the vines shading the façades and blue shutters closed to keep the afternoon heat out: this is Provence, France's south, at nap time. The streets are empty, all shops closed, only a tourist like me would be out in the sun at that time of day!

This first post will set the pace. This is no Avignon Daily Photo, the rhythm will be slower.
This is le Midi, the South, where doing anything with haste is considered bad taste. Here we will stroll rather than run. Take your time to look at my photos, and when you come back in a few days we'll cross the bridge to Avignon. I hope that those of you who enjoyed seeing Sydney through my eyes enjoy this new blog just as much. Welcome!