Lyon

Wednesday 6 August

Our final full day in France and after breakfast we found a swan on the bed.

This was the day to explore Lyon, the city at the end of our journey along the Rhone River. There were three excursions on offer including a bike tour of the area including a ride along the river bank.

A city tour with an emphasis on culinary aspects was another option. The third option was a bus tour to the main tourist destinations in Lyon.

 The first stop was at Fouviere Hill for a panoramic view of the city.

A section of the decorations on the outside of the building

Also on the hill is the Basilica of Notre-Dame de Fouviere.

The decoration inside the building is magnificent.

The telecommunication tower is one of the many replicas made of the Eiffel Tower. It is marginally taller than the tower of the Basilica.

Back down the hill we went on a walking tour of the older sections of Lyon. The streets are narrow and there is a wide variety of architecture on view in the town

and along the river.

Lyon is famous for food and in the old section of the town there are small restaurants

and shops with a range of local delicacies on display in their windows.

Sweets, including nougat,

cakes, flans and pastries

and selections of other food are on display.

Lyon is also well known for its trompe l'oeil, painted walls featuring well known people.

The walls appear to be three dimensional. A number of buildings in Lyon have these features.

Another hidden feature of Lyons is a series of alley-ways and passages within and between the buildings of the old city referred to as the traboules. Some of these date back to Roman times and were definitely used by silk workers in later times to move the goods from one part of town to the other without getting them wet. Fortunately the Germans did not know about the traboules as they were used by the resistance movement. This article from France Today February 2012 provides additional information.

Lyon is an attractive city with two rivers running through it.

Back on the boat we had lunch and in the afternoon there was a presentation on silk painting and printing - the silk trade having played an important part in Lyon's history.

As an alternative we made an excursion to the local police station - not on the tour agenda -  to report the theft of my wallet from my camera bag at the beginning of our morning excursion. Anya, our tour director, came with us and assisted with communication with the one policeman on duty who spoke some English. Once the forms had been filled out we returned to the ship. Unless the thief collects wallets it was a pointless theft for apart from the cards, which were immediately cancelled, there was approximately two euros in loose change - toilet money. Needless to say the inconvenience to us in having to replace cards has been great. We were aware that this sort of thing regularly happens in France and other parts of Europe and thought that we had taken all precautions, including carrying my bag in front of me, but these guys are professionals and I did not see or feel a thing until I noticed the zip of my bag was undone. Unfortunately this experience has coloured my views of Lyon.

In the evening, back on ship we attended the Captain's Farewell Gala Cocktail followed by the Gala Dinner in the restaurant. Our cruise was coming to an end and we were ready for the next part of the adventure.

Oingt

Tuesday 5 August
After lunch we went for a ride in the bus through the Bourjolais region of France driving past many vineyards and stopping to visit one.

This part of the country is known as Pays D'Or or land of the golden stones. For centuries ochre limestone has been used for the buildings in this area resulting in the distinctive colour.

Oingt is a Medieval hillside village which is entered via the arch in the wall.

There are narrow streets to explore, once again decorated with colourful flowers in pots.

The Oingt Tower was built in the twelfth century and is now a museum. It is 18 metres high and was once part of a chateau.

From the top of the hill there are great views of the surrounding countryside.

As we boarded the bus we passed this sign on a bus shelter for the Tour de France which had passed through the area a few weeks earlier.

We then visited a vineyard where the owner told us about growing vines in Beaujolais.

The vineyard owner also showed us a selection of tools which have been used in the past to prune the vines.

The tools were passed around so we could have a closer look.

The afternoon ended with a wine tasting before we returned to the ship which was now berthed at Collonges.

A Provencal Dinner was served in the main dining room. Later in the Lounge we were entertained by Paolo Nassi who performed a selection of well known Italian and other songs.

Belleville

Tuesday 5 August

The ship arrived at Belleville after breakfast so we collected our boarding passes and then went exploring.

Belleville makes no secret that this is a major wine region in France.

Like so many European town during the summer there colourful displays of flowers everywhere.

As we were exploring we discovered the Belleville and Beaujolais Rugby Club.

It was market day in Belleville.

Fruit and vegetable stalls were also in abundance.

As we were leaving this pretty town we discovered an almost familiar sign.

Back on the ship for a briefing and then lunch before spending the afternoon exploring the Beaujolais region.

Tournon

Monday 4 August

When we returned from breakfast we found an elephant on the bed. One of the features of APT cruises is the surprises made from towels that appear from time to time.

The morning was spent exploring sites in Tournon. Some went on a bike ride around Tournon and Tain L'Hermitage - another settlement on the other side of the river. Some went by bus to the hillside town of Boucieu-le-Roi. The rest of us went on a walking tour of Tournon and then visited the Garden of Eden (Le Jardin d'Eden) on the hillside overlooking the town.

One of the first buildings that we passed was St Juliens Collegial Church.

 The church building dates back to 1316 though there were earlier church buildings on the site dating back to the eleventh century. During the religious conflicts in the region 1563-1579, St Juliens became a Protestant church. It became a Catholic church once again in 1795 after the French Revolution.

Like many towns in southern France there are narrow streets, often with arches, to explore.

There has been a castle on this site since the tenth century but the present building was built in the fourteenth and sixteenth centuries. On the outside castle wall is a war memorial commemorating the lives of soldiers from this region who died during the First World War and Second World War.

Across the river can be viewed the town of Tain L'Hermitage and the vineyards on the hill behind the settlement.

The bridge linking Tournon and Tain L'Hermitage.

The Garden of Eden is set on the slope behind the town of Tournon and is only a short walk from the centre of the town. The gardens were originally the gardens of a convent. Over time they fell into disrepair. The present owner is reconstructing the gardens.

A series of small gardens and niches can be discovered as the gardens are explored.

Good views can be had from the top of the gardens.

Along the garden walls fruit trees have been planted including this apple tree - most appropriate for the Garden of Eden.

Back on the ship we had lunch as the AmaDagio cruised towards Vienne. A highlight of the afternoon cruise was an ice cream party in the Lounge. This was followed by a session in the gym.

Dinner that night was in the Eriebris Restaurant - the small restaurant at the back of the ship where we were treated to a special menu. When you arrive you are introduced to the chef and staff. There are only a few tables in the restaurant and you can watch the food being prepared. It was a special dining experience.

Later that evening a walking tour of Vienne was provided including a ride in a small train to a lookout to view the city at night.

It was a different experience viewing a city at night.

One of the features of the town is Temple of Augustus and Livia, built in Roman times.

Even in the dark it provided an imposing sight.