Our Rhone River Viking River Cruise Begins in Avignon

Welcome to the beginning of our Viking River cruise on the Rhone River in France. We start in Avignon, the place all board the longship Buri for our 7 evening adventures within the French countryside. Our cruise begins in Avignon, however our first tour was to Arles after which again to Avignon, the place we did a strolling tour of that walled metropolis. We noticed a lot on our 7 days and I saved all of the Viking Each day newsletters, so I may keep in mind the place we had been. I took so many footage, so I’ll divide the cruise up into segments so it doesn’t get too lengthy. We are going to journey to Arles, again to Avignon, on to Viviers, then Tournon, Vienne and eventually Lyon, France, the place our journey ends. Come together with me as we revisit the magic of France and see a lot of the countryside on this space. It’s completely stunning and we liked each minute of it. Once you’re on a cruise like this, it’s important to be ready to maintain shifting, as a result of every day is busy. We obtained up each morning by 7 or 7:30, had breakfast on the ship after which headed out by 9 to a morning tour, which was about 3 hours lengthy, then again to the ship for lunch. Viking consists of one free tour daily, principally strolling excursions. The afternoon excursions (which most had been optionally available and value additional) left round 2 and returned to the ship by 5:30 or so and dinner was at 7. In order you possibly can see, it’s a busy day in the event you go for a lot of the excursions as we did.

Full Disclosure: This journey was hosted by Viking Cruise traces and so they comped our cruise (for Mark and me). We did, nevertheless, pay for our pre-excursion to Good and in addition paid for Mark’s air fare, incidentals and the optionally available shore excursions. As a Media individual, the excursions had been supplied at 1/2 worth once we booked after we arrived on the ship. It was such a incredible expertise and I can’t advocate Viking sufficient. This cruise was extremely anticipated by us and didn’t disappoint in any method. We had been so lucky to be supplied this chance and we’re grateful for it. One cause we like Viking and different group journey excursions is as a result of as seniors, we don’t need to have to determine all of the logistics of a European journey. It’s far more calming to have all of it deliberate for you and all it’s important to do it present up. They didn’t ask me to write down a specific amount of posts or have any stipulations on how I coated the journey, however I’m sharing the entire expertise with you all in a number of posts. 

We did our first Viking River cruise 5 years in the past and it was such an awesome expertise. We knew what to anticipate this time and it introduced again so many great recollections. The Viking longship is a floating island of consolation with modern designs inside and a beautiful dwelling away from dwelling. It was a pleasure to be again on board, this time the Viking Buri.

It was just about precisely the identical because the final time we cruised, with snug cabins and a pleasant balcony to get pleasure from. This room was a beautiful place to return again to on the finish of the day.

The toilet is small, however practical, with heated flooring. Mark is an enormous man so he has a bit of arduous time becoming into the small bathe, however made it work. The cabin stewards do a beautiful job of protecting issues tidy and clear.

We had been welcomed on board with an exquisite plate of fruit and a bottle of wine, which was a beautiful gesture. Thanks, Viking for giving us one other memorable journey that can final a lifetime.

The view of the walled metropolis of Avignon from our balcony. Longships sometimes are parked aspect by aspect in port and it’s quite common to undergo one other ship while you’re exiting the ship, which we skilled all alongside the way in which.

All in all, a really snug place to relaxation our head on the finish of an extended day of sight-seeing.

We had been glad to be on the longship ultimately!

As we walked round, I took a number of photographs of the frequent areas, so you will get an concept of how they’re laid out. It’s a really compact ship, very clear, trendy and exquisite.

The frequent areas had been there to get pleasure from for all of the passengers.

We had been on the highest  degree of cabins and the eating room was one degree under. I didn’t get a superb image of the eating room, however it’s actually fairly.

Upstairs was the highest of the ship which had some seating for nicer climate and in addition a number of actions.

We didn’t actually spend any time up right here, as a result of we had been so busy with excursions daily, however I’m certain it was stress-free in the event you had additional time to spend.

Placing inexperienced and shuffleboard video games had been on high as properly.

Our welcome aboard selfie.

There’s a pleasant little library in case you need to borrow a e-book whereas on board.

Up entrance on the ship is the Acquivit space, a extra informal restaurant with cozy seating and many mild.

As you possibly can see, the views are superb, with out of doors tables as properly. We loved our first night within the lounge space, getting acquainted with a few of our fellow passengers after which on to a scrumptious dinner. I’ll share some pics of the dinners on my posts as properly. Viking has great meals and there was one thing totally different daily to select from, so that you by no means go hungry! We solid off from Avignon early the subsequent morning and arrived in Arles. We are going to return to Avignon subsequent cease.

Our first tour took us to Arles, a quaint and picturesque village in France not removed from Avignon.  We discovered concerning the historical past of Vincent van Gogh and the way he lived in Arles, arriving there in 1888, to seize the sunshine and vivid colours of southern France. Throughout his 15 month keep in Arles, he created 300 work, a few of his most impressed works and among the most reproduced pictures in Western artwork.

This yellow home is thought to be a home that Van Gogh rented whereas in Arles.

Strolling round Arles was like stepping again in time. The villages in France jogged my memory a lot of Italy as properly, it has the identical Outdated World appear and feel. So stunning!

These storied streets have a lot historical past to inform.

I used to be strolling round taking all of it in and attempting to seize what I noticed.

One other fascinating cease in Arles was Les Arenes: The Roman Amphitheater of Arles. Doesn’t this remind you of one thing else you’ve seen in Rome? Sure, it so resembles the Colosseum in Rome, however a smaller model. The amphitheater is a part of a UNESCO World Heritage Website and a properly preserved Roman antiquity in France. The world was constructed within the first century AD to seat 21,000 individuals, with gladiators preventing, wild beasts operating, and chariot races. At the moment it’s used for bullfights which occur yearly.

We actually loved seeing this construction up shut and it’s superb what the Roman Empire completed.

I’m so glad these websites have been restored and guarded.

They’re actually artistic endeavors to get pleasure from in individual.

Trying down the steps from the sector to the city of Arles.

Mark actually enjoys these kind of excursions with all of the historical past concerned.

I couldn’t recover from all of the gorgeous blue and shades of inexperienced shutters throughout France. I took so many footage, I’ll in all probability do a put up simply on these.

It’s no marvel that so many people are fascinated by France and Italy, the surroundings and historical past are superb.

Extra blue shutters.

So many shades of blue shutters. I’m unsure why they select blue so usually, however I seemed it up and obtained the reply that it’s to maintain the spirits and haints away. Form of like blue ceilings on a Southern porch are painted Haint Blue! I didn’t actually know this, however now I do.

The blue shutters are definitely eye catching. You may see a number of different colours, however blue is certainly predominant.

Extra Roman ruins in Arles.

This city was very pleasing to stroll round. Magnificence and quaintness in every single place you look.

The city sq. was additionally gorgeous.

As all the time in these quaint cities, the out of doors cafes are considerable. I simply love them! We want extra of those within the US, don’t you suppose?

The French and Italians actually have fun consuming open air and I’m all about that myself. No marvel I simply purchased some bistro chairs for our deck.

Lavender stems on a shutter.

From the Viking Each day: Arles is a pleasant mixture of the traditional, the standard, and the fashionable and divulges fantastically preserved Roman websites and quite a few Romanesque monuments. Excavation on the amphitheater uncovered many artifacts together with the Venus d’Arles, now on show on the Louvre.

Arles’s economic system remained robust till the appearance of the railroad within the nineteenth century stripped it of its riverside clout. At the moment, the town has bounced again as a significant river port. Although its economic system stands largely on tourism and agriculture, it additionally boasts robust chemical, metallic and paper manufacturing industries.

Our afternoon tour that day took us to the countryside of Provence to a household owned olive farm. They make and promote their olive oils and tapenades.

It was very fascinating to listen to about this household enterprise began by the mother and father, however now the daughter is an enormous a part of the corporate and did the presentation.

They’ve their very own chapel.

Inside the place the olives are pressed.

The daughter (in inexperienced) and her mother shared the olive oil tasting with us as we sat beneath this large outdated tree.

It was a stunning approach to spend the afternoon and gave us a peek on the household owned companies nonetheless thriving in Provence.

We stopped on the way in which again to the ship in Saint Remy de Provence, a stunning little village with outlets and eating places.

Because the ship left that night, this was one of many sights on the Rhone River.

I hope you loved this primary peek at our stops on the Viking River Rhone cruise. I’ve much more to share, so keep tuned for extra!

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