It was our good fortune to exchange the dreariness of a lingering Canadian winter for 11 days of glorious Provencal springtime in Avignon – a city with a storied past that is big enough to be captivating and small enough to make getting around on foot both easy and fun.
The Juliette Balcony Apartment was the perfect place to stay. It is located in the heart of the city on the edge of a fascinating maze of lovely pedestrian streets and squares, yet only a block away from the array of “main street” shops in the Rue de la Republique.
The elegant space has been beautifully renovated and furnished and equipped with an eye for detail that is amazing. It is lovely to look at, comfortable to live in and provided with everything needed for a very enjoyable stay.
An aperitif in the lovely Place St Didier or lively Bar du Change in the setting sun; home to cook in the beautifully equipped – and beautiful to look at – kitchen; dinner at the table by the salon window with it’s long view of the street theatre in the narrow street below; a fine bottle of wine from one of the nearby vineyards; and the fantasy was complete!
Avignon abounds with attractions – some bold and obvious and some subtle and waiting to be discovered. Among the latter, our favourite was the Collection Lambert, a remarkable contemporary art museum housed in a beautifully restored classical mansion.
We rented a car for part of our stay. The parking available with the apartment rental worked extremely well. It was a short walk from the apartment to the underground parking garage – and where else can you walk to your parked car through a huge square with a magnificent papal palace?
Within an hour’s drive were the Roman monuments of Arles and Orange, the vineyards of Chateauneuf-du-Pape and Gigondas, the amazing Pont du Gard aqueduct and the charming southern town of St Remy.
The Juliet Balcony Apartment and Avignon were the perfect starting points for a memorable holiday!
Sue and John, Toronto, Canada