Viking Cruises

Sur Le Pont D'AVIGNON! Sam Berry learns to paint like Van Gogh on a leisurely trip down the Rhône from Lyon to Provence in France WORDS VIKING'S SAM BERRY I f you recognise the first line of the French children's rhyme that commemorates the bridge at Avignon, you may remember the chorus is 'On y danser,' which means 'ey are dancing.' You will certainly want to dance for joy several times during this informative journey down the Rhône on a trip that awakens the senses, feeds the soul – and stomach too. I was fortunate to spend a week in October on the Lyon and Provence trip in Southern France. e trip was full of everything I would expect from Viking and an all-consuming experience. My trip began in Lyon – France's third largest city – which is a few hours' drive to the French Alps. Lyon was founded by the Romans in 43 BC who built a military base high on the hill above the town. The excursion on the morning of the second day included a drive up past the Roman ruins of two amphitheatres and forum and on to the Church of Notre Dame de Fourvière. The church is a beautifully restored Basilica filled with intricate, gilded mosaics floor to ceiling which are dedicated to the Virgin Mary and are illuminated by the sunlight filtered by the magnificent, stained windows. The church was built with public funds after the 'miracle' that rescued Lyon from the invasion of the Prussian army in the 1870 when the locals' fervent prayers to be saved were answered. A statue of Pope John Paul II, stands directly in front of the Church, marking his visit in 1997. Standing adjacent to the church and providing a stark contrast of the old and new is another Lyon landmark, a replica of the Eiffel Tower's topmost section. 'La Tour Métallique' was previously a restaurant but is now a communication tower. All along the promenade, linking the church and the tower, there is an amazing panoramic view of Lyon and its two rivers. It is possible to imagine the passing of two thousand years of history laid out below as the Romans firstly built down by the banks of the Rhône and Saône and then in subsequent centuries Lyon expanded across both rivers. The second part of the tour descended into an older part of the town where a walking tour directed me through the cobbled streets, past the quaint shops selling pastries, silk scarfs, lavender soaps and into the secret passageways that are concealed behind closed doors. Originally, they were built and used by the 19th Century Lyonnaise silk weavers 'canuts' to keep their bolts of silk dry on the way to market. There is an estimated 500 of these 'traboules' but only around 43 are open for public use today with the rest remaining for private use by residents. Stepping inside a secret passage I walked through a hidden internal courtyard into the building which offered a tableau vivant of the Lyonnaise at home, at work or in a café, which felt almost intrusive. Some traboules pass through and under the building to arrive in a completely different street. Lyonnaise families will bring their children at the weekend and make a game of finding the doors and secret passageways – what a wonderful pastime to create an appetite for lunch! During the afternoon's onboard lecture I heard about Lyon's complicated history of resistance and loss during the Second World War. About 20 percent of the resistance were women and their bravery led to women being able to vote in France for the first time. Further down the Rhône, I visited the town of Vienne, surrounded by steep hills and one of the oldest cities in France, it was founded by Romans under Pontius Pilate in 121 BC. It is rich in Roman ruins which seem to appear on every street and around which the modern city has grown up incorporating parts of the ruins into new buildings. Perched above the centre is the remains of the Roman Theatre, which is still used for music festivals today. 40 VIKING

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