In a Castle all alone

Today we traveled across the Rhone river to St. Andre Castle.  Back in the day, Avignon and the Palace of the Popes was in the country of Provence, and across the river was France.  St. Andre was built to fortify the French soil, and to keep an eye on Provence and the pope.We had seen this massive castle when we were out and about last weekend.  It looks pretty daunting from the Avignon side of the river.

Little did we know how big this thing was!  We took city bus #5 across the river  Everyone is so nice to us, when we waited at the wrong bus stop a bus driver on a break told us where to wait.  The bus driver on our bus counted out the right change, and told us where to get off, a passenger overheard Jerry ask me how long the bus ticket was good for and answered.   Any way, we took bus #5 and got off and wandered into another Tourist information station.  This man told us the only way to get to the castle was to walk.  

It was fun, and we didn't have a heart attack, and I don't need to do it ever again.  We retraced our steps and took bus #5 back to the square. Had a glass of wine . 

Then we decided to get a Donner Kebab.  Donners are all over Europe, they are sandwiches made of meat, lettuce etc.

And of course, our best friend in any city is the...OT. they patiently answer all our dumb questions, in English, get us maps, 

  

"It is a little steep" he said.  HA!

Up about 400 feet vertically.

It was about a 30 degree climb

Jerry made the comment that the amount of work is how far up and how much you weigh.
 Thanks Jerry for reminding me.

But this place was amazing.  A real castle with turrets, and fortified walls and arrow slits and everything.  

This doesn't look steep, but it was

Inside the walls

Arrow slits from inside

Not much of a view

In side the walls 

Over my left shoulder in the distance is the Palace of the Popes Avignon.

OH OH....This looks like steps

Yup!  About 200 winding stone steps

View from the top of the turret

We felt real SAFE in the Castle.

potty (wonder where the stuff goes to)

Inside the walls, buildings, fruit trees gardens

walking on the ramparts

Bread oven

Ribbing on the ceiling

Fireplace for heat

Model of the inside

We were up there

This means steep walk--- Oh, Really?

Had some refreshment----olives are free

This meat, cooked chicken and pork all together, rotates on the spit with an infrared broiler

behind it.  When it gets crispy this guy shaved it off with an electric saw.

Jerry finding the right change.  There are no bills, only coins, below 5 Euro, so you always

have a pocketful of change to get rid of.

It is spring here.  Here is a reminder of what that looks like, for those of you still in snow.