Canadian World Traveller / Summer 2016 Issue

ed with themed meals based on the regions
we traveled through. For example, in Lyon it
was a Rhone-Alps meal which offered
Bresse poultry and many varieties of
cheese, including Tomme de Savoie, Bleu
de Bresse and Reblochon. Even better? We
were treated to the wines of the region,
including the very famous Beaujolais, Côtes
du Rhône and Savoy. As we moved closer to
Provence, the palate became lighter with
salads, melons, fresh fish and delicious
breads coupled with the Grenache, Cinsaut
and Mourvèdre, and Cabernet Sauvignon
wines from the region. The meals can be
enjoyed in two different places, the main
dining room and the Aquavit on the upper
deck. The Aquavit can be open-air when
the weather is good and closed with large
glass window doors when it became cold or
windy. There is also a Lounge that offers
pre-meal cocktails and nightly entertainment
for passengers who wish to relax to
some soothing sounds in a quiet venue.
As with most cruises, there is a daily briefing.
In 15 or so minutes, the cruise program
director presents the following day’s
activities, tours and what to expect from the
cruise and the port of call. One of the main
reasons to go on a river cruise is the
Guided and Optional tours. All tours are
included in the price of the trip for everyone
and they are very well organized with professional
local guides and brand new
buses. Most tours are a half day long and
in the morning, returning to the ship for
lunch. All the tours are worth it, as they are
the best way to see a destination in a short
amount of time. For those who want to take
a break from visiting and touring, the onboard
activities include cooking lessons,
shopping with the chef and French language
courses.
Day one
The first day of your cruise was all about
getting settled in and it usually takes a good
day for all passengers to board the ship.
Depending on your arrival time, you can
enjoy a light lunch buffet before you decide
what you wish to do for the rest of the day.
You can join a guided walking tour of
Lyon’s city center, lounge on deck while
enjoying a cocktail, or catch up on some
rest from jet lag – it’s really up to you!
There is no need to rush and discover Lyon
immediately, as you will have a full day for
visiting this marvelous city.
Touring Lyon with Viking
The worldly city of Lyon is a great place to
start a cruise. There is a mix of cosmopolitan
and small town feel just a few blocks
apart. Lyon is France’s third largest city and
straddles the Rhône and Saône Rivers and
includes a narrow peninsula island called
the Presqu'ile. As you visit the old city of
Lyon, you will see many reminders of its
Roman origins, including the Famous
Roman Theatre on top of Fourvière Hill,
founded in 43 BC by the Romans.
Over the centuries, Lyon has enjoyed economic
prosperity, including being one of
the most active printing centres in Europe in
the 15th century and then the silk manufacturing
capital of Europe in the 17th century.
You can visit many boutiques that still produce
exceptional silk products.
Included in your Viking city tour is a drive by
the many outdoor painted walls, such as
the « Fresque des Lyonnais ». These are
murals that depict all the famous people
from Lyon, from antiquity with Emperor
Claudius, through modern times with figures
including Paul Bocuse and the Lumière
family, known for having shot the first moving
picture and responsible for Lyons world
famous lumière festival.
The tour closes with a walk in the old city.
Visitors enjoy the little hidden Traboules
(passageways made for merchants in
medieval times) and the choice of world
renowned Bouchon restaurants, known for
serving traditional Lyonnaise cuisine of
sausages, duck pâté and roast pork. You
will not go hungry in Lyon, which is known
as France’s gastronomic capital!
In the afternoon you can choose from two
49
optional tours. There is a Lyon cooking
workshop where you can learn the secrets
to making fine pastries by a French pastry
Chef, or choose a tour to the timeless Town
of Pérouges, a medieval stone village located
some 30km northeast of Lyon as we did.
Perched on a small hill, Pérouges enjoys an
outstanding view overlooking the French
Alps. Founded around 1167 by a Gallic
colony, Pérouges was a craftsmen commune,
particularly farmers and linen
weavers. Complete with cobble stone
streets, you can’t help but be transported
back though time. Pérouges is also where
the famous three musketeers’ movie was
filmed.
There is plenty worth exploring in and
around Lyon that it needs more time or a
second visit. Places of interest include the
heritage-laden Musée des Beaux Arts,
Quartier Saint-Jean and Quartier Saint-
Georges the old town, the beautiful architecture
and monumental town squares of
the Presqu'ile District and the Basilique
Notre-Dame de Fourviere,
The Rhone
With so much to see and do in seven days,
it would be best to leave the wonderful
Viking destinations beyond Lyon to a second
article in our next issue. The fabulous
locations of Macon, Vienne, Tournon,
Viviers, Arles and Avignon will just have to
wait!
www.vikingrivercruises.com
Canadian World Traveller Summer/Fall 2016