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DIRECTIONS FROM THE TGV AT AVIGNON GEORGIA PERRIN Let me assure you, first of all, that it is impossible to lose your way in the Provence—the routes are all well marked and every road eventually will get you where you want to go! You just have to remember "bon courage"!! The signs that are BLUE designate the Autoroute. The GREEN are the National routes and the signs that have BLACK WRITING ON A WHITE BACKGROUND are the smaller, supposedly slower, roads. You will travel on all three. You will encounter many rond-pont (roundabouts) and each will be well marked. When you first leave the TGV (train station) you will go in the direction of AUTRE DIRECTIONS. Continue following the AUTRE DIRECTIONS or
TOUTES DIRECTIONS ( the signs will say one or the
other, never both) exits on the various roundabouts until you see signs
for A7, direction ORANGE and CARPENTRAS.
You want to go in the direction of ORANGE and CARPENTRAS
but these directions will not put you on the AUTOROUTE A7,
as it is not necessary. You will find that you are on N7 and you
continue following the signs directing you towards CARPENTRAS.
You will begin to see additional signs for VEDENE
and SAINT SATURNIN LES AVIGNON — these two villages
are your destination. The signs now may also include other villages such
as MORIERES LES AVIGNON; do not be concerned about additional villages
--- just stay targeted on the two destination villages. Take the exit marked VEDENE (plus perhaps one or two other villages); the sign will be on your right just before you make the right turn onto the turnoff. You will now be dealing with many rond-points (roundabouts) which are always well marked and make finding your way very simple. Begin to watch for the markers for VEDENE and for SAINT SATURNIN LES AVIGNON. You will first come to VEDENE but will not go into the Centre Ville. Instead you will continue choosing the markers on the roundabouts going toward SAINT SATURINE LES AVIGNON. (You are more or less going in a southerly direction). There is a new rond-point (roundabout) that has just been opened between VEDENE and ST SATURNIN; it is identifiabile by a new and fairly large Boulangerie (Bakery) that will be on your right as you get to the rond-point. You will take the second exit which is marked CHATEAUNEUF de GADAGNE (the first exit says simply CENTRE VILLE and means the center of ST SATURNIN but is not where you want to go); you do not want the CHATEAUNEUF village either as it is beyond ST SATURNIN but this is the direction you will drive for a few blocks. Confusing, right?!?!?! I think they have not finished the signage yet but hopefully they will soon..... You will come to an intersection with a traffic light which
you will continue through and at the next traffic light which is not very
far, make a left turn and you will see the markers pointing you
toward PERNES-LES-FONTAINES. (This is a difficult
sign to see---it will be across the street to the left---and not visible
until you are almost out in the intersection ready to make your turn.
The sign that you can see easily shows Centre Ville to the right
and is the intersection you want--- but remember left turn). You
should now be on D28. You now have a straight stretch for 10 or 15 minutes heading mostly in
an easterly direction past fields, vineyards, wonderful old French mas
and one roundabout. Each time continue in the direction of PERNES
LES FONTAINES. This roundabout will have a large and lovely old stone wall with drawings
on both sides of the road announcing you are in PERNES.
Continue in the same direction until you come to the next and final roundabout
which will have the first exit to your immediate right marked I'Isle
Sur la Sorgue. Turn right toward I'Isle Sur la Sorgue.
You are now on a route marked D938 and again heading in a southerly
direction. You are getting very close..... You will not go very far when you will see on your left a large sign
written on a cinderblock-like wall; CARROSSERIE ABATE, and
on your right a not-too-large cream-colored sign indicating something
about dogs—grooming or something. Just past that will be a sign (on
your right) that says Motocross and across from it (to
your left) is a small country road that turns off D938. You will know
it is the right road because a log cutting business is on the corner on
your right as you turn left. Continue on this road until you come to a canal with a little bridge. Cross the canal and keep going— you will see a couple of nice houses and then you see my neighbor, Madame Pigeot, who has lived there since birth eighty years ago. She, with the help of her son, is still trying to grow a huge vegetable selection to take to the Marche Agricole in Avignon five or six days a week and it is just too much for them to cope with; consequently her property is unlike the meticulous farms so typical of France. She owns just about everything you can see around the area but that seems not to matter---it's about the good ole' cash flow problem. Anyway, I am the next property on the left, marked 1830. Ring the buzzer at the gate and park facing the olive grove in the area directly ahead of you as you drive onto the grounds. Just a reminder that check-in is 4:00 or after unless we have made other arrangements. I will be waiting and watching for you!!!! AND, I'm very excited about having you as guests! TRAVEL SAFELY AND ENJOY!! BON CHANCE!
For more information regarding the TGV railway system see www.beyond.fr/travel/railtgv.html Buy tickets online for the TGV at www.sncf.com
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