The Colors of Provence itinerary has been on my wish list for quite some time. We originally scheduled it 3 years ago, but an emergency in our home caused us to cancel. While we have been able to take other river cruises in that 3 years, time to take this particular itinerary eluded us, until last month! We’d never seen this area of France, and our river cruise was an excellent way to do so.
We arrived in Lyon and boarded our ship, which stayed in Lyon for 2 nights.
Our first excursion was to the Les Halles Market Tour. Lyon is known for its food. The market was a grand assortment of sights, smells and tastes. A great way to start off our vacation in the “Food Capital of the World.” While the frog legs stand was the first we came upon as we explored the market, it was not, THANKFULLY, one of the tastings! Our 3 tastings were at – at a delicatessen stand, a cheese stand, and a pastry stand.
Can you guess what they sell here?
Frog legs
A small market within the market
Ooh-la-la!
For guests on board who are not food obsessed like we are, Lyon is a beautiful city to explore. Walking and bike tours were available.
We also enjoyed our central docking location
and being able to explore on our own.
and of course have some lattes and a snack!
VIENNE
Our second stop was Vienne – not to be confused with Vienna in Austria. Vienne was a cute, quiet little town where we enjoyed our “Walking in the Footsteps of Ancient Romans Walking Tour.” Vienne was a wonderful mix of Roman, medieval, and present day.
Ancient Roman Temple
Ancient Rome and Medieval together
Little Library at the playground
Ancient ampitheater next to the children’s playground
A more rigorous hike was the option for more active guests. Unfortunately, rain made the conditions too muddy and unsafe so it was cancelled. My husband had been looking forward to that but was happily accommodated to join me on mine. I love how flexible, as much as possible, Ama is with their excursion.
TOURNON
We enjoyed exploring this quaint little city in the morning and ending our time there with red wine and chocolate tasking before we continued our journey on the Rhone.
Other excursions available were a Steam Train Ride and a Hike and Wine Tasting
VIVIERS
After departing Tournon, we sailed to Viviers for an evening ghost walk. This might just have been my favorite excursion of the cruise. The town was so intriquing, and the ghost was hilarious. We learned from our guide that this tour is exclusive to AmaWaterways.
AVIGNON
Avignon is a beautiful city. In the morning, I chose the Walking Tour and Papal Palace for a tour of the city and the Papal Palace. Andy chose to go on the bike ride along the river. We were both pleased with our choices!
Hotel de Ville d’Avignon – City Hall
Papal Palace
Inside Papal Palace
Inside Papal Palace
A tasting tour in Avignon was also available for the foodies.
The afternoon options were difficult for us : Pont Du Gard or a Truffle Farm Visit. The foodie in my was very interested in the truffle farm, but the fascination of ancient structure as large as the Pont du Gard, (and the desire to avoid a longer bus ride to the farm) won out.
Pont du Gard is a Roman aqueduct, built in 19BC. The aqueduct provided water to the fountains, baths, and homes to the citizens of Nimes. Considered a masterpiece of Roman engineering, it still stands today and is awe-inspiring.
Pont du Gard
My friend and I posing to give perspective on size of Pont du Gard
From the Pont du Gard, we visited Les Baux-de-Provence, more commonly just called Les Beaux, a unique “old” village on a hilltop. With its cobblestone streets, a ruined castle, shops, art galleries, cafes and spectacular views, it is an interesting place to visit.
ARLES
Arles was our final destination. Normally we would have sailed overnight and docked there in the morning. However, due to a berthing issue, there was no spot for our ship so we stayed in Avignon and took a bus to Arles the following morning. While disappointing, we understood the need for flexibility when river cruising and appreciated how efficiently Ama adapted the plans so we could enjoy the most of our vacation.
Arles is considered on of the most beautiful cities in France, and is known for its Roman ruins. We visited the Roman Ampitheater in the city center. It is a smaller version of the Coliseum and is surprisingly well preserved. As with most European cities I’ve visited, I loved the juxtaposition of history and modern day.
Roman Ampitheater
Modern shops and cafes surround the Ampitheater
Scooter parked by the Roman Theater ruins
Our ship was able to sail overnight and we were docked in Arles by morning. For some guests, their time in France had come to an end and timed transfers took to the airport. Others not quite ready to end their vacation had many options. Some guests walked across the street to catch a train to their next destination. I know at least 1 couple was heading to Paris. 63 guests traveled with the cruise manager to Barcelona for an after cruise land tour. Friends traveling with me, had Ama store their luggage for a few hours while they explored Arles. When they were ready, they retrieved their bags and took the train to another city in France to spend a few days before returning to the United States. Personally, I went the airport and picked up a rental car which we drove to Italy for a few days on our own and to attend a family wedding.
Details of our not so common Italian destinations coming in future blog posts.