Part I of our European Vacation!
This marked our 5th Viking Cruise (4th river cruise). While the experience was outstanding, this cruise ranked fifth among our Viking adventures. Partly due to the itinerary and partly due to a slight decline in the Viking Delling’s service/policies as the dinner time changed from 6:00 pm to 7:00 pm and their “always available” menu items were not always available. However, on the positive side, everything all ran smoothly as we were picked up and transported to the ship from the airport, tours ran like clockwork (with excellent guides), and the ship was nicely maintained. Once again, we took advantage of Viking Airs “stop over” feature, where for $200 we delayed our return flight for a week and explored northern Bavaria (featured in our next post), on our own, before returning home.
The itinerary for this 8-day cruise of southern France (Province) was Avignon, Arles, (back to) Avignon, Viviers, Tournon, Vienne, and then two and a half days in Lyon.
In the last days of the Roman Empire, the city of Arles was known as the “Little Rome of Gaul”. Many of its Roman ruins including this ancient amphitheater seats 20,000 and is still used today for bullfights and plays. The mediterranean sunlight here inspired Vincen van Gogh to paint several works which we found throughout the city and nearby countryside. We found Arles to be an interesting, well-preserved glimpse into just how far the ancient Roman Empire reached. Renting bikes for the afternoon enhanced our ability to explore beyond the limitations of getting around on foot.
Avignon is another French city that was influenced/occupied by the Roman Empire. Later when the Catholic Church acquired Avignon in the 1300s it built the Palace of the Popes and transformed the quiet riverside village into a major religious and cultural center. In addition to the enormous place, the church constructed a wall around the city more than three miles long (the longest walled city in Europe). The Papacy remained in Avignon from 1309 to 1377 before returning to Rome.
Again, we rented bikes in the afternoon and rode in and around Avignon. However, we were frequently warned by our morning guide that Avignon has a very pocket problem. So, we remained vigilant during our time there.
Viking spent only a morning at our next stop of Viviers, France. Viviers is considered one of the best-preserved medieval towns in southern France. Time seems to stand still among the 12th-century cobblestone streets of its Old Town in this former Roman settlement. Some of its buildings date back to the 12th century. The streets of the Old Town were very hilly and narrow.
After lunch, the afternoon was spent cruising the Rhone River, navigating several lochs on our way to Tournon and Vienne.
Although we only had an evening (after dinner) to spend in Tournon we really enjoyed the city. Possibly enough to return there sometime in the future.
The following morning was the Tournon Steam Train ride into the wilderness. It was a highlight of the cruise providing spectacular scenery. We also discovered that you could take your bike on the train and ride the 40 miles down the mountain. Another reason to possibly return in the future.
Next stop, Vienne. Another well preserved ancient town once dominated by the Romans in 47 B.C. Some of the city’s Roman monuments, ramparts, thermal baths, and homes and aqueducts are still intact. But the centerpiece of Vienne is the 13,000-seat Roman Theater dating back thousands of years.
Last stop, two days in Lyon. France’s third-largest city straddles the Rhone and Saone Rivers. After Paris, it is considered the country’s most significant cultural center. Old Town Lyon is a rich collection of Renaissance architecture, unique passageways through buildings that connect adjacent streets, all of it overlooked by the grand basilica atop Fouviere Hill.
We were able to rent a bicycle for the 2 days that our ship was docked in Lyon. We really enjoyed the city (especially the old town) and were able two manage two significant rides (one day along the Rhone River heading east towards Geneva and the other day along the Saone River riding north). It was exciting discovering the villages in the countryside along the way. Each one let you image what it was like in days gone by.
