Never thought that I was a Cruise person but this was our second river cruise with Riviera Travel and we have thoroughly enjoyed both. We exited the plane at Lyon and found our rep pretty quickly. Our boat was only 30 mins away but it took over an hour because of strikes and demonstrations in France. We didn't see any trouble but the police kept blocking our route. How our driver kept his temper I'm not sure. We could see the boat only yards away and he had to re-route for a couple of miles. This year we boarded the MS Thomas Hardy at Quai Claude Bernard in Lyon and finished in Avignon. The on-board food and wine were magnificent. All the staff were friendly and efficient and we met and enjoyed the company of some wonderful fellow travellers. Everything was well organised from the minute we boarded until the day we sadly left for home.
Our very comfortable cabin 306:-
Planning for travel and reflecting on travel are some of my absolute favourite things to do! I try to blog as soon as I get home when the memories are most fresh. They take awhile, but I'm glad to have them later!
What I loved about this river is that it combined the beauty of the river with the charm of Provence. The Rhone starts up in the Swiss Alps, it's 550 miles long and it dumps into the Mediterranean Sea. It has quite a history. You had Celtic tribes who settled along the banks. You had Greeks. You had the Romans. You still see vestiges of all of that on this river. You also have some of the essence of Provence; you have the beautiful Burgundy countryside and in Lyon it joins the Saone River so the confluence is there. We did a little bit of the Saone River and cruised a whole lot of the Rhone river. There are also a lot of locks between Lyon and Arles.
We moored overnight in Lyon.
On Day 2 we had a guided tour of Lyon on coach and foot. Lyon, often hailed as the gastronomic capital of France.
This UNESCO-listed old town, with its winding cobblestone streets and hidden traboules (traditional passageways), is a delight to explore. We began with a drive to the top of Fourviere hill to view the Basilica of Notre Dame and the spectacular view of the entire city.
The Basilica is definitely worth a visit. This 19th century Basilica is nicknamed "the fallen elephant" (imagine it upside down), Superb interior with its colourful mosaics.
Then a walking tour through the cobblestone streets of the old city. We learned from a local expert about the 2000 years of history visible within its architecture from the Roman Forums to the Renaissance architecture of the old town. Our guide made the history of the silk trade come to life explaining the background to the mysterious traboules or passage ways that the silk workers used to deliver their products to the silk traders. We were taken through doorways that led to secret houses and tiny courtyards. We learnt a lot!
We were lucky to see the L'horloge Charvet clock at noon. It's a treasured gift from the past. In a display case leaning against the pink wall of the Gadagne museum. Every hour, a loud ringing is brought to life by the trumpet of the Tompette soldier, who, like the Black Forest Cuckoos, comes out of his niche. Then the two puppets from Lyon, Guignol and Gnafron strike the largest bell, while the two Italians, Harlequin and Punchinelle from the commendia dell'aarte ring the other bells every quarter of an hour.
We decided to walk back to the boat via Place Bellecour. Europeans are good at building all sorts of different kinds of squares in their urban environment. We don't know how many we've passed through during our travels on the continent, but most of them are always interesting to visit for several reasons. This particular square is enormously large(!) and centrally located in the middle of the large island between the Rhone and Saone rivers. The square, like most others in Europe, has a large statue of an important king (Louis XIV) on a horse - it's part of the whole concept and has also become a popular photo object. There is also a beautiful view of the Basilica at the top of the hill and by walking towards the river you can see this lovely floral sculpture.
One of the wonderful things about river cruising is waking up in a different place every morning. On day 3 we woke up in Chalon-sur-Saone. It's actually on the Saone, not the Rhone.
After a delicious breakfast we drove through beautiful wine country to Beaune.
Beaune is such a lovely and fascinating little town. It was market day, a perfect chance to stroll through the lively stalls and enjoy the local flavours.
We also checked out some wine shops!!
The most famous part was the Hotel-Dieu. This was the hospital for the poor. The roof is iconic. They took in everyone, except those with leprosy or the plague.
When we opened the curtains at Vienne on Day 4, we looked out at swans. I can definitely see why the impressionists spent so much time in the French countryside.
The ship was moored within easy walking distance of the town so armed with a map we set off. We walked to the Cathedral St. Maurice then climbed Le Belvedere de Pipet. Uphill all the way! Quite a walk from the river, through the Roman remains and past the amphitheatre, then a long steep hill. The view at the top was worth it. The whole of Vienne could be seen, and was remarkable. Coming down, while much easier was still a challenge on the knees.
We stopped at the Roman Amphitheatre on the way down from Pipet. We visited on a Heritage Day when venues open their doors to all for free - a great idea. Again quite a climb to the highest seats. Looking to the left you can see the Odeon built in II. The theatre was built in the first century AD and was one of the largest in the ancient Roman world with a capacity of 11,000 spectators - remarkable. Take a bow on the stage and feel the history around you.
It started to rain so we headed back to the boat which departed at 11 am. Unfortunately, it rained quite heavily all afternoon so I booked a massage, which was excellent and Phil took a visit to the Captain's Wheelhouse. The scenery was still very beautiful in the rain.
We arrived in Tain L'Hermitage at 17.30 hours and enjoyed wine tasting in the Lounge at 18.00 hours.
On Day 5 we set sail for Le Pouzin at 07.45 hrs. Still pouring with rain. Fortunately, the rain stopped in time for our excursion to the Ardeche Gorges. Our first stop was Grotte de la Madeleine with panoramic viewpoints of the Gorges de l'Ardeche. Nature at its best.
Followed by spectacular scenery as we drove through the gorge, especially "Pont D'Arc" - a huge rock "bridge" which the river Ardeche has cut through the hill. Apparently in summer the river is full of canoeists and very busy. We only saw three canoes and not many tourists. We had the viewpoints on the road practically all to ourselves. Our guide "hilarious Pierre" called it "The Grand Canyon of Europe" and deservedly so. We also encountered some friendly goats.
We then visited Maison de la Lavande. The setting is beautiful and I imagine it would be amazing when the lavender is in bloom. Sadly only uninteresting grey plants when we had the small train ride but Pierre entertained us with his humour.
Then on to a film for an interesting look at the history of lavender production followed by a visit to the still areas where they show how lavender oil and water is produced. Multiple retail opportunities await in the shop.
We returned to MS Thomas Hardy which was now moored in Viviers.
After dinner Hilarious Pierre and his lovely wife Nicole performed for us their superb "French Ballroom Dance Show".
At 22.00 hours we set sail for Arles and at 23.30 hrs passed through the Bollene Lock. This is the deepest lock in France at 23m deep.
Day Five had been wonderful and we couldn't wait to wake up in Arles.
Day 6. At 9.00 hrs we met our guides for a walking tour of Arles. Given that I am a big Van Gogh fan, this walk was on my must-do list. But I have to say that we were very disappointed.
Arles has changed so much since Van Gogh's time, and it was pretty hard trying to conjure up what Van Gogh saw in his time and from his eyes. Le Cafe is no more aside perhaps from the yellow paint and his house was destroyed by Allied bombing.
So we left our tour and joined the Roman history tour which was excellent.
Just like the Colosseum in Rome the Amphitheatre built in 90AD, sits in the centre of town and is an impressive structure and in good condition considering its age. Just a wonder of architecture! The guide provided lots of interesting information. They still use the arena for events such as bullfighting.
We climbed the steps to the tower to admire the views of the charming medieval city.
After lunch on the boat we departed by coach to Pont du Gard.
2000 years of existence and it is still standing without mortar! The three story aqueduct was built to transport clean water down to Nimes. We walked across the middle tier to see it from both sides of the river and climbed an overlook to see the top of it up close. Beautiful.
We arrived back on the MS Thomas Hardy to set sail for Avignon. We were invited by Captain Quentin and his crew to a Farewell Cocktail in the Lounge followed by the Chef's Signature Dinner. The food was exquisitely prepared and presented.
MS Thomas Hardy set sail for Avignon where we remain moored overnight.
On our last Day - Day 6 we met our guides on the dockside for a walking tour of Avignon.
When I sang "Sur le Pont d'Avignon" at school I never dreamt I would stand on the 15th century Saint-Benezet one day!!
A legend on the Rhone. The Saint-Benezet Bridge is one of the most fascinating symbols of Avignon. Today only four arches remain, but walking above it gives the impression of going back in time.
According to legend, it was built by a young shepherd named Benezet, who in 1177 claimed to have had a divine vision. At first no-one believed him, but it is said that he managed to lift a huge stone on his own, thus convincing the population to help him. The bridge was destroyed several times by floods of the Rhone and eventually abandoned in the 17th century. Since then it has become famous also thanks to the popular song "Sur le Pont d'Avignon", which children still learn at school today.
According to our guide though this well-known song is a little misleading as the lyrics suggest they used to dance on the bridge. "On the bridge of Avignon people dance in a ring". However, the bridge was in fact quite narrow, wide enough only for a cart to pass and there was certainly not enough space for dancing in a ring. Today it is believed that people used to dance on the islands in the Rhone under the arches but perhaps changing the words to "sous le pont" or "under the bridge" wouldn't be quite so romantic!
You cannot visit Avignon without looking round the Popes Palace. This marvellous medieval building is full of history and dominates the skyline especially from the bridge and the river, however the best part is the exterior. The stunning architecture and size makes it one of the largest medieval castles in the world. Inside is a different story, consisting of mainly unadorned rooms.
Rome and the Catholic Church. Two things so inextricably linked that it appears almost impossible to think of one without the other. And yet, for a brief period in the 14th century, these two entities, so intertwined in many a mind, came undone.
For nearly 100 years, the pope found a new home, and Avignon was given a palace.
Drawn to this small not-yet-French town over fear for his safety, it was Pope Clement V in 1309 that made the bold decision to transfer papal power from the Vatican. However, it was not until 1335, under the reign of Benedict XII that construction on the palais began. It grew over twenty years to become a 15,000 square metre masterpiece, and a true symbol of Western Christianity in the 14th Century.
Beautifully restored, the large vaulted walls and vast arch ceilings belie little of the grandeur that would once have existed within the palace, many of the exquisite frescoes long since destroyed (the palace served as a garrison up until 1906). From popes and antipopes to the French revolutionaries which took up residence and looted the heads of statues, the sieges and massacres which occurred within its walls, and the prisoners and the military both called it home.
The Vatican may never give up its Pope again, but Avignon will forever remain an incredibly important part of Catholic history. Now one of France's most popular cultural attractions, the history and controversy may lie silent, but when you find a corner to yourself and close your eyes, you can still hear it whispering in the darkness. Thank you so much to our incredible guide for opening our eyes to its history and not just seeing empty rooms.
And so back to the ship to pack.
If you love France, if you love the joie de vivre and that sort of thing, if you love rose/red wine, good food, beautiful nature and history you would love this cruise. We did.
