On our way back we stopped in Avignon, a city divided in two by a main drag and the massive Popes Palace.  Again the old city is walled, the Palace is awe inspiring, and a lot of the city is crumbling. 

The Popes Place

Place du Palais

the palace is built atop huge stone masses

the view from a bridge

As I said,  the walled old city is divided in two by Rue del la Republique, a wide avenue that goes from one of the city's gates to the Palace.  To the left of the Rue are expensive restaurants, designer shops, well kept buildings.  To the right are tattoo parlors, discount stores and peeling relics of better days. 

Old and shabby can be charming.  Dilapidated, not so much.  I found the state of the cities in the south disconcerting as the only areas of France I've known are the Cote d' Azur, (stinking rich),  the French Alps, (pretty stinking rich and very tidy and beautiful), and Paris which is...well Paris.  Once past the well heeled "French Riviera", the poverty rates in the south skyrocket and in fact, upon investigation, the area from Marseille to the border of Spain has some of the poorest communities in the country.  Who knew!

Our last stop however was just a hop skip and a jump from Saint-Tropez.  We had never been to Frejus so decided that would be the destination of our last night.   The old town is small and quaint surrounded by exclusive gated apartment complexes, golf courses and shopping centers.  The port seems brand spanking new and is impeccable.   I can imagine a walk around this place would cause some serious boat envy.  It was very quiet on this blustery day but considering the number of restaurants, waterfront bars, clubs and hotels, high season must be bustling!

empty beach

looking back at the port from a pier

a walking bridge across a canal

sadly we saw these blockades up all over pedestrian areas to prevent another incident like Nice

So now we're home.  It's raining and about 10 degrees Celsius  lower than in France.  Back to work tomorrow and back at my exercise program.  Gotta work off those croissants and crepes and Tarte Tatin...  xxoo me