English: Early October in 2005 was the perfect time for me in Avignon, France. And, one of the most magical experiences in a three week trip that went from Paris to Madrid by car by way of Barcelona and Marbella was how the courtyard of the Hotel Cloitre St. Louis was lit at night. Or, should I say, how the giant sycamore trees in the courtyard were lit.

That lighting also cast these geometric shapes on the ceilings of the 2nd and 3rd floor hotel rooms that faced the courtyard. Absolutely stunning, and...

If you look closely, the lighting and the images cast on the ceiling also reveal old panes of wavy glass still present since installed most likely before 1900 A.D.

To view the courtyard itself and the astonishing effect of the lighting on the very old growth sycamore trees, click here File:Magical_Courtyard_at_Night_--_Hotel_Cloitre_St._Louis;_Noviciat_des_Jésuites_--_Avignon.jpg

Photographed with Konica Minolta Dimage A200 at ISO 200, f2.8, 15 seconds exposure on tripod. One of the reasons for selecting the Hotel Cloitre St. Louis was its reputation for being one of the naturally cooler temperature hotels in the area due to its thick stone walls and shaded courtyard. It was built circa 1589 and operated as a Jesuit novitiate for about 80 years. After that, it was a military hospital, an annex of the Hotel des Invalides in Paris, and a private hospital until 1987, when architect Jean Nouvel converted it to a hotel which opened in 1991.

The sycamore trees in Avignon were reportedly planted on orders of Napoleon and, sycamore trees in France are loved for the amount of shade that they offer and how long they can live.