Saint Rufus was a disciple of Paul the Apostle, and was reputedly the first Bishop of Avignon, although there is no evidence to support that. However, the Abbaye Saint-Ruf ruins are nearby and the avenue is certainly not named after the footballer Nicholas Saint-Ruf!
Looking away from Avignon, along the Avenue Saint-Ruf.
The new Avignon tramway runs along the length of Avenue Saint-Ruf, and it is interesting to see how it is being treated. At the moment (August 2019) the trams are being use to train drivers, and are not taking passengers. I think they are also ‘showing the flag’and testing how motorists react to the presence of the trams. The road network has been changed to accomodate the trams, a lot of the Avenue is now one way, not that that stops anyone going the other way if they feel like it, at the moment!
One of the new trams on test, emerging from under the rail bridge carrying the main line through Avignon.
The road runs from the city walls, at the Porte Saint-Michel, to Place Saint-Ruf, where the road splits in two, the left fork becomes Ave. du Moulin de Notre-Dame and in this direction lies the Abbaye ruins. The other fork becomes Ave. de Tarascon and is the tram route.
Apart from the new tram works, parts of the street have a rundown air about it, with vacant shops and occasional piles of rubbish. The tramway work isn’t yet complete, tram stops need fitting out and old signage removed. Some of the new work is damaged already, either accidentally by unknowing motorists or perhaps deliberately by those who don’t want the tramway.
There are signs of rejuvenation, shops being refitted and cleaned, and new businesses appearing. The Place Saint-Ruf is well laid out and with a bike-share station … did I mention the great boulangerie?
EUlogising Europe 2019 