Fifteen friends from District 28 traveled to France in May. We spent time in Paris, on the Rhône and Saône rivers, and at the French Riviera. Despite an unexpected heat wave, blue skies in Paris made the days glorious.
Eleven of the group arrived early, staying at a four-star hotel in Paris within one block of the Louvre Museum, close to the Seine River, Eiffel Tower and Notre-Dame de Paris cathedral.
Following an introductory meeting at the hotel, the group met at Notre-Dame the next morning for a private tour that highlighted the reconstruction since the drastic fire in April 2019, which burned for 15 hours.
The next day, nine of us traveled to Giverny to enjoy Claude Monet’s house and gardens. It was busy, but we managed to see the highlights and take wonderful photos. Of course, the pinnacle was the water garden with its lilies and green Japanese bridge. Several completed the day with a dinner cruise on the Seine. The next day, we boarded a train to Lyon. Two private vans took us to the docking space of Riviera Travel’s river ship Thomas Hardy.
Unfortunately, the ship was at a different location due to port issues. After considerable frustration and expense, we arrived at the revised river dock. Upon boarding, we were welcomed with a glass of bubbly and assured that our luggage would be taken to our respective cabins. Four members who had flown into Lyon joined us on board, bringing our total to 15. The next day we went sightseeing in and around Lyon.
That evening we cruised northward along the Rhône for the city of Beaune, the wine capital of Burgundy. Docked in Chalon-sur-Saône, we enjoyed the comfort of the motorcoaches and traveled through the tiny villages of Meursault, Volnay and Pommard, all known for producing fine wines. In Beaune we visited the Hôtel-Dieu, or Hospices de Beaune, an old hospital for the poor. Its colorful tiled roofs and six centuries of history didn’t disappoint.
The next day we went to Vienne to explore its treasure trove of historic remains. Then we headed back to the ship for wine tasting.
The first day of June brought a relaxing cruise downstream to Le Pouzin. After lunch we went on an excursion to the Ardèche Gorges. Some of the group chose to explore Grotte de la Madeleine, and others took in the Lavender House, which included a tour by small train through blooming lavender fields. Discovered in 1887 by a shepherd, the Madeleine cave has a 0.3-mile walkway with a vertical drop of 213 feet. Highlights include the massive stalagmites and calcite draperies up to 19 feet high.
The next morning, we awoke in deepest Provence, moored in Arles. Coaches took us to the Roman aqueduct Pont du Gard, a UNESCO World Heritage site. Built in the first century, this monumental structure stands 160 feet high and was designed to carry water over 31 miles to the Roman colony of
Nimes.
In Avignon we had time to wander the streets and explore the wares in each shop. We began the day
with either a tiny-train tour through its streets or a visit to the Palais des Papes.
Our departure day was June 4. Some drove to Marseille, some took the high-speed train back to Paris Charles De Gaulle Airport, some went on to Cannes, and some went to Antibes.
My son James and I continued our journey into Nice for another four nights where we spent hours exploring, admiring, partaking and even picnicking on the Promenade des Anglais above the beaches.
Our trip culminated on Sunday, June 7, at the Monaco Grand Prix, a bucket list item for us both. We sat on a steep bank of sod and trees at the foot of the walls of the royal palace at Turn 18. We couldn’t have asked for a better view. Of course, we topped off our visit with a bottle of prosecco wine, fine French ham, brie cheese and a baguette.
Monaco Harbor was jammed with boats of every size, from mega yachts to rubber dinghies, paddleboards and kayaks. At the checkered flag, most boats sounded their horns. The noise was glorious.
