el-granada.com - The Ketchums in France - Saturday July 14, 2007 Day 18

France 2007

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Friday July 13,2007
Day 17 - Arles

Saturday July 14, 2007
Day 18 - Arles

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Sunday July 15, 2007
Day 19 - Arles to Villefrance-sur-Mer

Saturday July 14 was Bastille Day, our day to go to Pont du Gard, and market day in Arles. We slept in, had breakfast, then wandered over to the market

Place Republic

Place Republic in Arles

Place Republic

Spices at the Market in Arles

We were concerned that everyone in France would be out swimming at Pont du Gard, and that we’d never find parking, but we slept in anyway. We had breakfast and ended up at Pont du Gard around 12:30pm. The signs directed us to the left bank. After we'd parked I realized Rick’s book recommends the right bank, since it has the new museum / café complex. We were surprised to find the parking lot nearly empty. We were even more surprised to find the left bank has 20 fairly new shaded wooden cabanas on the rock strewn beach, and that we got there in time to grab one. The right bank has no beach – it was all eroded by flooding. We spent the entire afternoon lounging in the shade while the kids played and swam in the stream – it was fantastic. Pont du Gard is truly overwhelming, even from distance. I wandered over to the right bank, took some pictures, grabbed a few Panini for lunch, and lounged some more.

Pont du Gard

Looking down the aquaduct at Pont du Gard

The beach and gazebos at Pont du Gard

I waited until the kids were ready to go before trekking upstream to take pictures – I needed the sun to go down to avoid having the pictures washed out under midday sun. The kids of course used the extra time to go swimming again. We went back to the hotel, and ended up back at La Basserie 2G for another satisfying dinner. After dinner we found another plaza north of the Arena that was alive with locals and beautiful lighting.

Arles Arena

Place Voltair at dusk

Place Voltair

Place Voltair at dusk

Place Voltair

We wandered up to the Rhone River, where the whole town was lining the river waiting for the Bastille Day fireworks. Eventually two small boats slowly wandered out into the river under cover of darkness, then the fireworks started. They show started off slowly and unimpressively. After a few minutes the boats sprang to life – each boat had only the pilot, standing, in a full body suit with lights like that guy from the movie Running Man, and the boats zipped up and down the river in front of us sending off synchronized fireworks displays, accompianied by huge displays from the opposite bank of the Rhone. The fireworks sets kept getting more and more impressive. After 20 minutes or so we were sure we’d seen the grand finale… but after a short pause another massive display started. At least 3 more times we witnessed a huge 5 minute set that we were sure must be the last… then another even better set would begin. When it was over we were all in awe, and all agreed that it was by far the best fireworks we’d ever seen. As we returned to the hotel an American tourist was asking the front desk clerk if they do that every Saturday night in Arles…. which we found highly entertaining.

Prev
Friday July 13,2007
Day 17 - Arles

Saturday July 14, 2007
Day 18 - Arles

Next
Sunday July 15, 2007
Day 19 - Arles to Villefrance-sur-Mer