May 30: Rocher des Doms
Adjacent to the Cathédrale to the north is the summit of the Rocher des Doms, the riverside promontory that led to Avignon's founding at this site. Nowadays it's a lovely garden.
8447
On the cathedral side, these fancy symmetrical ramps lead up to the top of the hill.
8452
From the eastern edge of the Rocher, a viewout over Avignon's east, plus the Palais des Papes's northeast tower.
8461
This is a photograph depicting Mont Ventoux and also depicting a tile panorama-map depicting Mont Ventoux.
8464
Streetlike cracking patterns on the tile. I can just get lost in such expanses, imagining that they're actual city maps.
8466
The tile map, to the left here, is at the northeast corner of this plaza at a northeastern area of the Rocher.
8470
Closer to the center of the park is this neato grotto.
8471
And a secret stairway.
8472
And pidgies, duckies, and koi.
8474
And then there's also a café right there as well. This sorbet hit the spot, and as I write this I am distinctly envious of myself from this point in time.
8476
A look back over to Notre-Dame and the Palais.
8479
To the west, a surprise vineyard opens up on a terrace just below the park, still well elevated over the Rhône. Across the river is Villeneuve-lès-Avignon.
8482
This is just one of several venerable old trees on the Rocher (well, at least two) held up by beefy crutches. I wonder why it grew this way!
8485
Notre Dame du Soleil.
8486
On the winding way back down toward the Place du Palais was this band of alluring deep red roses.
8487
And a pretty oleander just coming into bloom.
8490
Mmmmmm, drink in the color!
8493
This part of the Place du Palais has these pleasingly glyphic patterns.