|
|
|
|
Detailed Itinerary
Day 1 FLY TO FRANCE Depart today on your flight to Lyon, France. Please refer
to your individual air itinerary for exact departure and arrival times.
Arrive today in Lyon. You are met at the airport and transferred to your river cruise ship for embarkation. A light lunch will be served on board for those arriving by early afternoon. You have time to settle in and become familiar with your ship and its amenities. In early evening join your fellow travelers in celebrating your upcoming river adventure over a Welcome Drink. There will also be a ship's briefing that will give you an overview of your river adventure, information on your ship, and an introduction to the crew. This is also your opportunity to sign up for the optional excursion to the Beaujolais Region & Winetasting taking place the next day. Then enjoy your first dinner on board. Meals: 1L, 1D Day 3 TOUR CITY / OPTIONAL EXCURSION TO THE BEAUJOLAIS REGION & WINETASTING Disembark for a tour of this 2,000-year-old city, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Once the capital of Gaul under the Romans, Lyon flourished as a Renaissance trading center based on its extensive silk industry. In a country known for its fine cuisine, Lyon is also known as a gastronomic capital. And it was in Lyon that the Jacquard loom (named for its French inventor), the first automatic loom able to weave complex patterns, was invented. Your tour features Old Lyon, once hidden behind medieval ramparts. You'll see the Old Town and magnificent St. Jean cathedral, built between the 12th and 15th centuries. Lunch is on your own—enjoy the opportunity to savor the superb culinary offerings of this gourmet capital in one of the typical local restaurants known as a bouchon Lyonnais. This afternoon, join the optional excursion to the famous Beaujolais Region where over 190 million bottles are produced each year and enjoy some wine tasting in the middle of a beautiful vineyard. You will meet a local winemaker, Mr Etienne Blanc, at the Domaine des Averlys who will introduce you to his vineyards and explain the process of wine making. You will have the chance to taste a mixture of his wines, accompanied by cheeses and sausage also from the local area, a truly traditional way of experiencing the ‘dégustation.' White, rosé or red, the wines from the cellars at Domaine des Averlys are powerful and spirited with a few old vintages. There are other surprises for you including their farm produce with jams and house apéritifs on sale in the little shop next to the tasting cellar. Your afternoon may also be spent at leisure. Perhaps you'd like to do some exploring and shopping in the Old Town. If you are here between the 1st & 24th of December, you can visit the colorful Christmas market in Lyon, which brims with traditional foods and marvelous handcrafts. Gather with us for the Captain's Welcome Dinner this evening. Whenever you have leisure time at a port, you'll receive a ship's briefing about the port area and town so you can make the best use of your free time. Meals: 1B, 1D Included Tours: Lyon Optional Tours: Beaujolais Region & Winetasting Day 4 ARRIVE IN VIENNE / TOUR THE OLD CITY After breakfast, enjoy a presentation focused on a notable local craft: elegant, colorful scarves made of silk, the fabric that played such an important role in Lyon's history. Sail from Lyon to Vienne as you enjoy your lunch onboard. After arriving in Vienne, enjoy a walking tour and discover Vienne by train on a tour of the Old City. Vienne is an ancient town with a history going back to its founding in the third century B.C., and it hosts some notable Roman ruins. Back on board, enjoy a cooking lesson in which your chef will demonstrate Christmas recipes long popular in the Lyon region's kitchens. Meals: 1B, 1L, 1D DISCOVERY SERIES EVENTS: Christmas pastry demonstration Day 5 CRUISE TO TOURNON / TOUR CITY / HOME-HOSTED DINNER This morning, we cruise toward Tournon. The Tournon landscape epitomizes the distinctive allure of the Provence region, with vineyards and farmlands sprinkled with Renaissance, medieval, and Roman ruins. You are invited to join us in brushing up on your conversational French in preparation for your Home-Hosted visit. Lunch is onboard. After a walking tour with your Program Director, the rest of the afternoon is at leisure in Tournon. In the late afternoon, you'll visit the home of a family in the Tournon area and be their guest for dinner, an encounter that will give you a personal glimpse of the local way of life. Your ship overnights in Tournon. Meals: 1B, 1L, 1D DISCOVERY SERIES EVENTS: French language lessonHome-hosted dinner Day 6 CRUISE TO VIVIERS / TOUR CITY Cruise to Viviers this morning, arriving after lunch. This stretch of river displays the natural beauty of rugged, hilly banks as well as plains cultivated with orchards and olive groves. There's also evidence of the Rhone Valley's rich history; it has been an important trade route for over 2000 years, from the times when this area was part of the ancient Roman province of Gaul. Then go ashore for an orientation walk of Viviers, a lovely town that is characteristic of the quaint villages nestled in the Rhone Valley. The town dates back to the fifth century and its former religious section—the walled upper town—holds a Romanesque cathedral and historic stone houses along a maze of narrow old streets. Historically, artisans and tradesmen lived and worked in the lower town. Whenever it's open, you'll also stop at a local potter's shop for a Discovery Series visit. After returning to your ship, enjoy a port talk and dinner while cruising to Saint Etienne des Sorts. Tonight enjoy an evening of entertainment. Meals: 1B, 1L, 1D DISCOVERY SERIES EVENTS: Market visit Included Tours: Viviers walking tour Day 7 CRUISE TO AVIGNON / TOUR AVIGNON / PONT DU GARD AQUEDUCT OPTIONAL EXCURSION We cruise this morning towards Avignon. Perhaps you'll find a comfortable deck chair for a while and enjoy the passing scenery as we cruise beneath Avignon's famous bridge and then along a lovely stretch of the Ardeche and Drome regions. It is an area of ancient villages and spa towns set against the backdrop of a rugged natural landscape. This morning, enjoy a walking tour of Avignon, including a visit to the magnificent Papal Palace. For most of the 14th century, the Popes left the turmoil of Rome and installed themselves in this calm possession of the Catholic Church. In Avignon, beginning with Clement V (who was born here), they built residences, chateaux, a number of fortified palaces, and churches. Your tour features entrance to this lavish domain, and an inside guided visit of the palace. Join us this afternoon on an optional tour to this extraordinary aqueduct, which delivered water to the Roman city of Nemausus, now Nimes. The Pont du Gard is one of the engineering marvels of human civilization. Two thousand years ago, more than 1,000 laborers toiled for five years to construct it. About 31 miles long, the entire full aqueduct had an extremely small gradient, descending only 55 feet vertically in its entire length and delivering 44 million gallons of water each day. Incredibly, the aqueduct was constructed entirely without the use of mortar. The stones that comprise the structure—some of them weigh six tons—are held together with iron clamps and were lifted into place by an enormous block and tackle. We also stop by the Pont du Gard museum where the history and architecture of the site are explained in detail. Or, instead, you could also choose to discover Avignon at your own pace. If you're here between the 3rd and 31st of December, you will be able to visit the town's Christmas market. You'll enjoy the distinctive flavor of the marketplace here, as Avignon brings its own charming atmosphere to this seasonal activity. Gather with your fellow travelers for a festive Captain's Christmas Dinner. Meals: 1B, 1L, 1D Optional Tours: Pont du Gard Day 8 CRUISE TO ARLES / TOUR CITY
Cruise to Arles this morning, then enjoy a walking tour of this town, which was much beloved by Vincent van Gogh. In 1888, he wrote from Arles to his brother Theo, "Nature here is extraordinarily beautiful ... I can't match its beauty in my painting, but I take so much in that I can let myself go without restraint." Some of his finest works were produced during his 15 months here—including The Drawbridge at Langois and View of Arles with Irises—and his friend, Paul Gauguin, joined him in Arles for a brief time, creating his own masterpieces based on the beauty and landscapes of the area. As you explore the town, you'll encounter signs indicating places rendered in Van Gogh's works, including the lovely bridge over the Rhone River. Here you'll find still standing the Cafe l'Alcazar, the establishment where the artist stayed and used the manager, Madame Ginoux, as his model for his painting l'Arlesienne. Visiting Arles, one of the most distinctive towns in enchanting Provence, is like journeying back to ancient Rome. The town is filled with landmarks and ruins dating from its periods of Roman domination that began in 30 B.C. Here, you'll view from outside the colossal hilltop Roman amphitheater, where 21,000 spectators thrilled to gladiator fights in the first century A.D. and where bullfights are held today—20 centuries later! You'll also view the 7,000-seat Antique Theater during your tour of this ancient, cobbled city. Discover beautiful Arles on your own this afternoon. Returning to your ship, enjoy a Discovery Series presentation on "The Herbs of Provence" along with a glass of pastis. Tonight, toast your new friends with a Farewell Drink. Meals: 1B, 1D DISCOVERY SERIES EVENTS: "Herbs of Provence" presentation Day 9 RETURN TO U.S. Shortly after breakfast, disembark your ship and transfer to the airport for your flight home. Or continue your discoveries on the optional post-trip extension in Aix-en-Provence. Meals: 1B
|
|
Please send any questions or comments about this site to the webmaster at lloyd@vickery.com. |
