Arriving by train to Avignon, I was pleasantly surprised to find a L’Occitane store in the TGV station. I’ve used their products for over 25 years and knew right away I would like it here. My hotel room at the Mercure had a view of the Place de Horologe with a lovely little Christmas market. It was mid December and the days were cool, some sunshine and a bit of rain but not cold. As I strolled the cobblestone streets, I was awed by majesty of the stone walls surrounding the city centre, Pont Avignon and the Palais des Papes. I felt drawn into the history and culture of this medieval city.
I discovered in my never ending curiosity for things French that there is a town in France with my name, Suzette. I had long desired to visit and now in Avignon, I was only 40 kilometres (25 miles) from Suzette…I must go! I had re-mastered driving a manual car in Italy and I was not intimidated by this option but directions and weather a little more so. I picked up a rental car at the TGV station, had my iphone with Google Maps in hand and headed northeast to ‘my town’. It was a bit cloudy but a beautiful drive with views of the Dentelles de Montmirail. With only 250 residents in the commune of Suzette, not much was there or open so I walked around, admired the views and took photos of everything with my name on it. Having some extra time, I drove west of Avignon to Pont du Gard, a Roman aqueduct built in the first century A.D. It was late in the day, very few people around but an imposing sight as one of the best preserved and highest Roman aqueducts. The next day, a bit reluctant to leave Avignon, I took the train to NIce and looked forward to my first view of the Mediterranean Sea.
