The reason for going to Provence was to visit Roussillon (another pretty place) and to see the other pretty villages. So we bought our tickets at Part Dieu and went to board the train which was already sitting on the tracks. We stowed our luggage away and Sophie looked at the map on the train and remarked, 'we'll be there in a half hour!' I said, 'it can't be just half an hour from Lyons, Avignon, the nearest town in Provence is at least 2 hours away, are we going to the right place?' I looked at the ticket, it said, 'la peage de Roussillon'. I said,'I think this is the wrong Roussillon'. We got off the train and ran back to the ticket counter, I must say, people are nice and friendly in Lyons. I told the ticket guy we wanted to go to Roussillon en Provence, a check of the train schedules showed no train station in Roussillon en Provence. I could have sworn there was one when I was making up the itinerary. Looking back I think I made the same mistake thinking that la peage de Roussillon is Roussillon en Provence. There is also another area in the southwest called Languedoc Roussillon which is entirely different. A screw up! What to do? 'Think quick', I said to myself. The ticket agent suggested we take the train to Avignon and to look for a bus from Avignon to Roussillon. So we exchanged our ticket for one going to Avignon. I was worried, it's no problem really, we were to be in Avignon on Monday anyway, today being Saturday, but what about Roussillon, the whole reason for the extension of this trip is so that I could see Roussillon.
Once in Avignon, we went to the Gare Routierre (bus station) which is next to the train station. There was a bus leaving at 4 pm (in 2 hours) for Apt which is a few miles from Roussillon, we could get a cab from Apt. So we sat down to wait. I suggested that we could stay in Avignon, forget about staying in Roussillon, then we can figure out a way to see Roussillon. We could rent a car or take an excursion tour. Sophie was for waiting for the bus. The bus station hasn't changed, this was my third trip to Avignon. On my first trip, 8 years ago, I did try to take a bus. The Gare Routierre is still dark, dingy and dirty. Not long after we sat down before some kids started lighting some cigarettes even though the sign said, 'no smoking'. Sophie got up, said, 'that's it, forget about the bus, we're staying in Avignon'. So we went to the hotel for which we had reservations but for Monday to see if they could accommodate our early arrival.
It is a small hotel (from Rick Steves' guide) run by a very nice French family. They had one room left. On the counter were brochures from tour companies that took people to the villages in Provence, we found one for Roussillon.Pascal, the hotel owner asked if we were interested, of course we were. At 60 euros per person, it wasn't cheap but we came all this way. What's money for if not to buy experiences?
I asked if he could find the phone number for the hotel in Roussillon and call them to tell them we wouldn't be staying in Roussillon. He did, so nice of him.
One thing about Avignon, not only is it pretty, there are a lot more services, there are a lot of local tour companies that for a fee can take you anywhere in Provence. It is a great way to see the lavender trails in July. The whole of Provence is covered with fields and fields of purple lavender and when they cut it, the whole place is perfumed with lavender smell. You've got to go to Provence in July at the height of lavender season. Sophie and I went a few years ago though not to Avignon but to Digne le Bains to the lavender fields. I'd love to see it again. It's an incredible experience, it should be on top of your 'bucket list'.
So the day was saved and our trip was saved.
This is an addendum to the posting, 'Gypsy music' which is actually a video clip I uploaded from Youtube. I tried to post a comment on the site but I couldn't without signing on as a member. But thank you whoever you are. I loved it, I've played it a few times. This video on Youtube has close to 17,000 hits. These are pictures I got from a book, it sort of glamorize the culture. I don't think the majority of gypsies lives like this.
le Colorado de Rustrel. Roussillon en Provence, the village in France that I went especially to see and almost didn't because of a screw up in my itinerary planning, my mistake. It is a very pretty village, sitting on top of a large ochre deposit. The ochre hills are colored yellow, red, brown and orange, a really fascinating sight. The village is painted with the same color scheme with pigments harvested from the ochre hills that it sits on. 
It was a lovely October morning, nice and warm in Provence. The vine leaves have turned this gorgeous red rust color, very beautiful. I love red. I love red cities, that's the reason for going to Roussillon. The plan was to stay the weekend in Roussillon but we couldn't find public transportation to get there, so we did the next best thing, go with a tour group from Avignon. At 50 euros per person, it was pretty pricey but well worth the money.
My 'power lunch', sushi and sea urchins.
All I wanted when I walked to the Japanese supermarket was coffee and half and half. I got these instead. They have a Japanese news agent next to it and I got this Japanese magazine which gave me some good travel ideas.
The marina in Beaucaire
A beautiful houseboat, the 'Bruxelles escape', moored at the marina in Beaucaire.
Market day in Beaucaire, it was nice and warm, very like Southern California, elsewhere in France, it has turned cold but in Provence, the sun is still shining and warm.
The bridge over the Rhone river leaving Tarascon and heading towards Beaucaire.
View of the Chateau of good King Rene taken from the bridge over the Rhone river, the steeple of Sainte Marthe is also in sight.
View of the chateau of good King Rene, taken from the inside garden, just outside the ticket office. We didn't want to pay the entrance fee so we were confined to just that little area from which to take pictures. It's probably empty inside anyway.
The garden in the courtyard of the chateau.
There's a moat on one side and the river Rhone on the other, so the castle is pretty well defended.
The castle of good King Rene, who was really a count but because he was so good to his subjects, they call him King till today.
Sainte Marthe
We went to Tarascon by train from Avignon on Sunday. It is hard to do anything on Sunday, most places are closed in the villages outside Paris. I've seen the chateau from trains during all my trips to Provence and after 8 years of traveling in the area I'm finally stepping foot in Tarascon. I had really wanted to go to the Souleiado museum but there was no one about I could ask as to where it was. We took pictures of the castle from the outside because we were too hard up to cough up the entrance fee. I told a friend, we, Americans have become the poorest tourists in Europe. The church was pretty well attended and there was a soloist singing beautifully. It is always heart warming to be in a church in Europe and to see the locals still attend church. We were in Rocamodour one year and in church on a sunday, there were French families of all ages, not just the old people. 
Popes Palace
Pastry shop that sells the best Florentine cookies in the world, to die for. I discovered Florentine cookies on my first visit to Avignon 7 years ago. At $2 a cookie it is well worth the price.
A cathedral in Avignon, forgot the name, I've seen and been in so many churches that unless it is exceptional, it's forgetable.
A wedding in progress, I think the bride is American because half the service was in English and they have an American accent.
The wedding car, a Rolls Royce. The chauffeur was waiting outside.
The reason for going to Provence was to visit Roussillon (another pretty place) and to see the other pretty villages. So we bought our tickets at Part Dieu and went to board the train which was already sitting on the tracks. We stowed our luggage away and Sophie looked at the map on the train and remarked, 'we'll be there in a half hour!' I said, 'it can't be just half an hour from Lyons, Avignon, the nearest town in Provence is at least 2 hours away, are we going to the right place?' I looked at the ticket, it said, 'la peage de Roussillon'. I said,'I think this is the wrong Roussillon'. We got off the train and ran back to the ticket counter, I must say, people are nice and friendly in Lyons. I told the ticket guy we wanted to go to Roussillon en Provence, a check of the train schedules showed no train station in Roussillon en Provence. I could have sworn there was one when I was making up the itinerary. Looking back I think I made the same mistake thinking that la peage de Roussillon is Roussillon en Provence. There is also another area in the southwest called Languedoc Roussillon which is entirely different. A screw up! What to do? 'Think quick', I said to myself. The ticket agent suggested we take the train to Avignon and to look for a bus from Avignon to Roussillon. So we exchanged our ticket for one going to Avignon. I was worried, it's no problem really, we were to be in Avignon on Monday anyway, today being Saturday, but what about Roussillon, the whole reason for the extension of this trip is so that I could see Roussillon.
