Viking - France River Cruise
River Boat Cruise to Paris, Burgundy, and Provence,

Click the picture of the city, next to the information
to view my photos from each port

French wineries and
Cities and towns you will visit on this
Viking River Cruise

Photos of Southern France Towns and Cities:
Arles, Avignon, Tournon, Tain, L'Hermitage,
Vienne, Lyon, Paris

Arles, France
1888, Vincent Van Gogh wrote his brother Theo about Arles: "Nature here is beautiful. I can't match its beauty in my paintings, but I take in so much that I can let myself go without restraint." Some of his finest works were produced here. Much of the scenery in Arles ws made famous by Van Gogh.  Arles was also known as "Little Rome of Gaul" and was one of the richest cities in the the Roman Empire. The Roman Arena is still used for bull fighting..
Click the photo of the Van Gogh Gardens on the left to view ny photos of Arles.

Avignon, France Avignon is home to the Papal Palaces where Popes of the Holy See resided for much of the 14th Century. Avignon boasts of several museums which house extensive collections from the 17th qnd 18th centuries. Gypsies lived in Avignon jn the 1800's and in the past 40 years, many of the buildings and home of Avignon have been restored. See my Avignon photos.

Tournon and Tain L'Hermitage
There are many vineyards in this area whwee we toured Tain L'Hernitage, famous for its red wines. At the chocolate Factyory of Valrhona Aux Sources Du Grand Chocolat. We tasted chocolates of many delicious varieties, and we shopped on the way back to the boat. Click the photo on the left for pictures of Tournon and Tain L'Hermitage.

Vienne, France
Vienne is one of the oldest towns iun France. It is located about 30 minutes south of Lyon, on the Rhone River. The Roman influence on Vienne is easily spotted during a walk through the town center. Here is the Roman Theater, the second largest in France. Our tour included the Temple of Augustus and Livia, Cathedral of St. Maurice and a mini-train ride to the top of Mount Pipet which offered extensive views of the countryside. For more pictures, click the imiage on the left.

Lyon, France
Lyon is a 2000 year old city as well as UNESCO World Heritage Site. Lyon is the 2nd most important city in France and the Archbishop's seat is here. Our strolls and bus tour includedOld Town, St. Jean Cathedraland a visit to the Textile Museum.  It was in Lyon that the Jacquard loom, the first automatic loom which was able to weave complex patterns, was invented. Click the photo on the left for photod of Vienne and Lyon.

Chalon-sur-Saone and Beaune
Beaune is the wine capital of Burgundy! Here we learned about local wine production and enjoyed a tasting at one of Beaune's famous wine cellers. Many of the area vineyards are still owned by Hotel Dieu. Founded in 1443, Hotel Dieu is a splendid example of Gothic architecture with a beaut4iful, intricate tile roof. In the wake of the Hundred Year's War. 3/4 of the town had no supplies and suffered from poverty and famine. The hospice was endowed with income from the vineyards and engages a huge number of artists in its conception. For more pictures, click the small photo on the left.

Dijon, Paris, St. Chapelle, Notre Dame, The Louvre
We added a three-night extension to the Viking Burgundy River Cruise. The motor coach took us through Dijon where we had an early morning tour of the old city, then we continued to Paris where we checked into Le Meridien Montparnasse hotel. We toured the Louvre where we explored the museum's unequaled collection of sculptures and paintings. St. Chapelle was built in the 1240s to use relics from the Holy Land. The small chapel's main beauty is the stained glass windows that surround the upper floor. More than 1,100 biblical scenes are depicted, and they still produce the same luminescence that they did 700 years ago! For more photoss, click the image on the left.

Paris, France
This was an add-on to the cruise. Although I had been to Paris in 6 previous occasions, this was Paula's first trip and she did not want to miss seeing it. Fortunately we found one of the cruise staff members who was also headed for Paris after the official cruise ending. He indicated that he would show us the best and "must see" attractioins dring our short stay, and he fulfilled that promise. Our group of about 8 women boarded a mini-train which we rode up to the Monmartre artist district where we viewed and purchased some local art and souvenirs. We also visited Sacre Coeur. The interior of the church contains one of the world's largest mosaics. We saw the Eiffel Tower and enjoyed a 1 hour boat trip along the Seine on one of the Bateaux-Mouches which took us through the heartland of Paris. It is an unforgettable experience to see so many of the major tourist sites from a new perspective. Also included are more photos of Paris and nearby regions. For more pictures , click the image on the left.

The Passengers and Staff
The Viking Burgundy carries 154 passengers and 40 crew members. ship designed for taking in the picturesque riverside landscapes, whether ttrough the panoramic windows or from the sun deck. Our on-board dinners were prepared by European chefs and indeed, several choices of original specialities and traditional favorite. For more photos, click the image on the left.

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