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In Vienne , the Viking guides took us to admire Roman Architecture . About 32 km south of Lyon , Vienne was a major center of the Roman Empire , dating back to 47 BC under Julius Caesar . Still standing are the old Roman city ’ s ramparts , the magnificent Roman Imperial Temple of Augustus and Livia , remarkably preserved from the 1st century , and the Plan de l ’ Aiguille ( Pyramide ), a truncated pyramid resting on a portico with four arches . Finally , our tour wound up with a lovely ride on a train up a steep hill to enjoy a view of Mount Pipet and the beautiful Chapelle of Notre Dame de la Salette .
Tournon is tranquil and peaceful , but is also known as the Tain l ’ hermitage wine-producing region , famous for port-like wine and stellar whites , and history explains that it became famous when a Hermit started planting vines in the region after returning from the Crusades . After breakfast , our tour rode the train de l ’ Ardèche , a meter-gauge steam train and engine whose route leads into the Verdant Doux Valley for the most beautiful panoramic views .
After a wonderful supper , we found ourselves in the quaintest setting of the town of Viviers . Founded in the 5th century , this little mountain town will charm you with cobble stone streets , and middle-ages homes . As we walked up the hill towards the 12th century St-Vincent Cathedral , we were thrilled with the view it offers . If you are lucky , you will enjoy the last vestiges of the sun setting in the mountains while the city below is illuminated by its nighttime lights . The night brought its own magic as we set out on our own and absorbed the quiet of this lovely historic town .
Arles is known as the « little Rome of Gaul » and is blessed with a Mediterranean climate . There are many things to see , including an ancient 1st century antique theater and an amphitheater that seated 20,000 people , still used today for bullfights and plays . Arles is also recognised through famous paintings by the impressionist painter Vincent Van Gogh . While touring the city with our guide , we walked the Rue de la République where Van Gogh was known to have stayed in a local hospital at the time and has now been replaced by a cultural center . We saw the square and café that inspired the painter and shopped in little stores with the Provence-ial flair of olive oils and lavender !
As before , we had to choose from 2 optional tours . There was a visit to « Les baux & Carrières de Lumières », a breathtaking art show set in a charming hilltop village , or visit the unspoiled Camargue . We opted for an afternoon in France ’ s protected Rhône River Delta Region , the Camargue . Home to a huge array of birds , including pink flamingos , it is also known for its wild horses and is one of Europe ’ s most carefully preserved natural parks . We enjoyed a ride in a tractor drawn carriage through a cattle filed then enjoyed a delicious lunch before heading back to our ship .
Our next adventure on this journey brought us to Avignon , an incredible city surrounded by churches , medieval buildings and of course , its famous “ Pont D ’ Avignon ” built in 1177 . Avignon is a charming city , and was the base for the Catholic Church for 70 years , evidenced on our tour by our visit to the massive church-fortress Palais des Papes
( Palace of the Popes ). You can ’ t help but feel the magnitude and the influence the Catholic Church had in those times , and the riches in the Pope ’ s private rooms are a sight to behold . After lunch , we continued visiting Avignon that afternoon .
The final Viking offer for their passengers is one of 3 optional tours in this region . The first one is a « Taste of Provence », where you will spend the afternoon indulging in tasting and learning to prepare French specialties with local produce . The second choice is a visit of the « Pont du Gard Aqueduct », a majestic three-tiered structure built without mortar by Romans 2,000 years ago . And finally as a last choice , the one that we selected , was a wine tasting tour in the famous Chateauneuf-du-Pape region . This tour began at the Maison Bouachon for some wine lessons and some exquisite Chateauneuf-du-Pape wine tasting . Our host gently guided us to see , smell and taste the gentle fruits of three different wines , a once in a lifetime experience . Next stop was the city of Chateauneuf-du-Pape , where only wineries of this region are allowed to have a crown label ( Popes label ) on their bottles . We were hypnotised by the hills and vineyards along the Rhone Valley . Unique to the region , the vineyards grow in an arid climate , quite windy , and the vines are covered by natural stones to keep them cooler during daytime and warmer at night .
We highly recommend these marvellous Viking river cruises !
www . vikingrivercruises . com
American World Traveler / Fall 2016