We spent an afternoon sailing along the Rhone as we headed to Vienne.  We could eat as much as we liked of the “Calorie Free” Ice Cream after lunch.

 

 

Then Muriel, Tania, Peter and I did a tour of the Wheelhouse with Captain Tony and Pierre about river navigation. Captain Tony learnt in the days before all the “gadgets” they have now.  He says its so much easier to navigate the rivers these days.

Another surprise – Valrhona Chocolate put on a chocolate tasting in the lounge.  I so wanted everyone to have a lie down so I could eat it all.  It was delicious. No photos as I gobbled them up to quickly.

We arrived at Vienne during dinner.  Muriel and I headed out as soon as we could to get a look at this Village.  Our ship would only be docked for a couple of hours. This was to allow “Adele” a local who would be our entertainment for the evening.

Vienne is located between the Rhône River and the hills, has been occupied since earliest Antiquity and is one of France’s Cities of Art and History. It has preserved a rich built heritage from its long past, including monuments dating back to ancient times: the imposing Temple of Augustus and Livia built in 1BC; the vast 1st-century AD Théâtre Antique, one of the largest theatres in Roman Gaul; and the Garden of Cybele with its Gallo-Roman archaeological remains, among others. The city also boasts beautiful medieval heritage that you can discover by strolling through the old, narrow lanes and visiting the many listed buildings, including the Romanesque Saint-André-le-Bas Church with its superb cloisters decorated with carved capitals, and the Romanesque Gothic Saint-Maurice Cathedral, built from the 12th to 16th centuries, which has a breathtaking western facade with three Flamboyant-style carved portals depicting the holy history. Its luminous and harmonious interior features a long nave with three side aisles, Romanesque capitals and, displayed around the choir, Flemish tapestries portraying the life and martyrdom of St Maurice.

The city also hosts a major music event, the Vienne Jazz Festival, in the prestigious surroundings of the Roman theatre every first fortnight in July. A must for all jazz fans.

The second largest market in France takes place in Vienne city centre every Saturday morning. Offering a host of local produce and specialities at over 5 km of stands, it’s a gourmet’s paradise!

 

I know I think I say these each time I write or talk about a village in France, that its beautiful, I could live there, I must go back and stay a bit longer.  Vienne is no exception. A quick walk around does not do this place justice.  When I win the Lotto – the big one, this place is defiantly on the list of “must go back and visit”

I love the old buildings, the flowers, the charm.

I wish I could say more but I will leave you with these photos I took.

 

 

I have posted more pictures on Instagram.

 

The next post will be on our visit to a snail farm and tasting frogs legs.