Avignon to Carpentras: Tranquility, Minstrels and Popes

The city of Avignon boasts a palace of the Popes. There is also the Petit Palais, once the home of the Archbishop of Avignon. Visitors still visit the famous Pont St. Benezet made famous by the song “Sous Le Pont d’Avignon.” The bridge dates back to the 12th century, although much of it was destroyed in 1668. But the tiny Chapelle St. Nicholas just above the spot where people once danced is still there. Sous means under in French but now people say sur – which means on. Sitting at one of the restaurants on the famous Place de l’Horloge is the thing to do. This is a special town in a special area. Here in the region of the Vacluse, the 14th century popes built a new castle called Chateau Neuf. Around it they planted vineyards. While the chateau no longer remains, the vineyards do. People go there for magnificent views, the various festivals, and some of the best Rhone wine money can buy. North of the city one comes to Orange, once a Roman center with vineyards all around. The Triumphal Arch on the highway heading north is remarkable. It dates back to 20 AD and is worth a stop to admire the decorations of battle scenes, flowers and inscriptions of the events during the reign of Tiberius. I wouldn’t drive north or east before visiting the great Roman theatre also dating back to the 1st century. There is an admission charge, but it’s well worth the chance to see a perfectly preserved and magnificently decorated theatre with perfect acoustics. The back wall of the theatre—at 125 feet high—showing off Augustus Caesar is by far one of the most memorable visions. Try to stay long enough to see a performance. When you head out, I suggest you go east to the one-time capital of the Papal county of Venaissin. This is Carpentras, once a walled city huddled around the Cathedral, now a commercial center with a bustling market. Here the townspeople could boast about the Cathedral St. Siffrein, dating back to the 15th century, by order of Pope Benedict XIII, the last Avignon Pope. During the middle ages, Carpentras was home to numerous Jews. The 1367 synagogue is the oldest in France. It is believed that Jews lived here since Roman times, and their population increased when the French kings banished Jews from Provence and Languedoc. Their home was on rue de la Vielle Juiverie (Street of the Old Jewry) which, like ghettos in most places, was an area chained off in the evening. I arrived at the tourist office on Ave Juan Juarez. There I found not only a booklet on Jewish history in France but a wonderful, small illustrated booklet called Carpentras: Stepping Back in Time. It contained pencil drawings of some of the older buildings with brief descriptions. There were the law courts, Saint Siffrein Cathedral as it looked in 1846, the southern portal (no longer there), a Romanesque cathedral drawn in pencil and ink in 1793, the Roman arch in the city center, and the famous belfry that marks the spot of the first town hall, drawn in 1846. There are all sorts of tiny winding streets plus some out of the ordinary relics like the entrance to the old ghetto and rue de la Vielle Juiverie. Jews were here since Roman times but the community grew in the 13th century when Jews were banished in neighboring communities like Languedoc and Provence. In the Papal States, Jews still enjoyed some religious freedom. Of course there were dress code restrictions, a sign of discrimination The synagogue today is close to the town hall. It is open Monday through Friday from 10:00 AM, except for Jewish holidays. The door is always closed for security, so just ring the bell and go upstairs. The day I was there, one of the local women members gave us a little talk about the history and design of the synagogue. She explained that being next to a Catholic site, some of the windows were covered over, and the building could not be higher than the neighboring chapel. It has a plain exterior as the rules do not allow exterior decoration. The original building also included a mikva (for ritual cleansing) and a bakery. Sadly, it seems that there are so few Jews still living there. Luckily, there was no admission charge and no one was hurried. The local woman answered all our questions and we left an offering in the collection box. They can be reached at 04 90 63 39 07. The location of the building is Place Maurice Charretier. Of Interest Le Passage Boyer is a glassed-in street—90 meters long—covered with small panes of glass that regulate the temperature in all seasons. The hospital, dating back to the 1750s, is at the southern entrance. It is an immense palace that opens into a courtyard and garden. The influence is both Roman and French. If history interests you, the Musee Comtadin is open Wednesday to Monday on Blvd Albin-Durand. Tel: 04 90 63 04 92 Walking through the town can be memorable, and while there’s a lot of hustle and bustle, there are small squares, parks and green spaces for you to just walk around and relax.