Avignon
The Holy See was based in the city of Avignon between 1309 and 1377, after Pope Clement V fled political turmoil in Rome. During the time Avignon was the home of the Roman Catholic Church, seven French-born popes ruled from the city.Avignon's most notable attraction is the Pont d'Avignon, more properly called the Pont Saint-Bénézet, made famous by the French nursery rhyme, Sur le Pont d'Avignon. The 2,953-foot (900-meter) bridge was constructed in about 1350. All but four of its original 22 spans were washed away during a flood in 1669.
