Lemonade Forever on Memorable Trip – Paris … Rhone River Cruise … Nice … Italian Riviera
STORY by STEVE TRAIMAN
Photos by Bonnie & Steve Traiman
After a disappointing cancellation of a planned French river cruise last year (Paradise News, August-September 2018), intrepid travelers Steve and Bonnie Traiman had a memorable rebooked experience this past August.
We flew to Paris for two nights, then by bus to Macon, seven nights aboard the MS Provence for the 263-mile trip down the Saone and Rhone Rivers, two nights in Nice and then a four-night extension on the Italian Riviera in picturesque Santa Margherita Ligure.
We met our Program Director, Laetitia, whose fiance’s family has owned an olive vineyard in Opio in southern France for seven generations. France is the third largest olive oil producer in the world. Our tour group of 24 was just the right size for our memorable journey down the Rhone River.
Our two whirlwind days in Paris included a visit to the historic Le Menagerie du Jardin des Plantes – the second oldest zoo in Europe dating to 1794 – next to the lovely Botanical Gardens. Exhibits included Takins, with oversized goat and antelope characteristics; snow leopard, Siberian tiger, oryx, kangaroos and wallabies and many other unique animals.
We also returned to the historic Marais district and visited the Museum of Art & History of Judaism that opened in 1998. It is housed in one of the most beautiful monuments in the district, the historic Hotel de Saint-Agnain built in 1650! Our city bus tour revisited the Eiffel Tower at Parc du Champ du Mars and we had a brief glimpse of Notre Dame on Ile de la Cite – under reconstruction following the disastrous fire earlier this year.
Then it was a scenic bus trip south to Macon to pick up our MS Provence ship, with a lunch time stop at the family-owned Chateau de la Grefiere vineyard in La Roche-Vineuse. The lovely outdoor repast overlooked the hillside vineyards the family has cultivated for seven generations.
Aboard the MS Provence we met the dedicated crew that did a great job for our seven nights aboard. The 192-foot-long ship had 23 cabins, a nice combination dining and lounge room, a forward lounge and a very nice sundeck seating area with umbrellas for lounging, entertainment and dancing.
It also offered great views of the downstream scenery including 23 locks to accommodate the various river depths. The Bollene is the deepest lock at 75 feet. We started down the Saone River and very shortly crossed into the larger and deeper Rhone for the rest of our trip.
Our first stop was in Lyon – where last year the ship hit a submerged tree after heavy rains that sent it to dry dock and canceled the entire trip. Here we had a walking tour that included an expansive daily outdoor market. Lyon is the silk capital of France and we visited the Soierie Saint-Georges shop and met owner Ludovic de la Calle who began weaving on a 200-year-old silk and gold thread loom in 1947 and is still going strong. He is credited with weaving more than 30,000 special silks for the Versailles Palace. On our own we visited the Grande Synagogue Basilique from the 12th century.
Next stop was picturesque Vienne with a walking tour past le Jarden du 8 Mai 1945 commemorating the liberation of France by the allied armies. We split into three groups and ours had a charming home visit with Elizabeth and Dominic in their suburban house. After a tour of their home and lovely garden, we had a lively exchange of French and American views over wine and snacks.
Viviers was next where our walking tour took us to the Chateauneuf-du-Rhone Basilica and its historic Roman ruins including fortified city walls. We also enjoyed the local game of Petanque, similar to horseshoes. Players try to toss hollow steel balls closest to a wooden peg, while staying inside a marked circle. On our way to Avignon, on the Canal de Donzere Mondragon, we passed a working windmill farm just before going through the deep Bollene lock.
Avignon, Arles & Bulls! Historic Avignon is the birthplace of the first French Pope in 1309, who refused to go to Rome and made the city his “Vatican” and built the still majestic Pope’s Palace. Seven popes resided there until 1376 when the Papacy returned to Rome. Four arches of the original Roman bridge remain, and we got to sing and dance to the official bridge song. ” Le Pont d’Avignon.” We also visited the Synagogue of Avignon, dating back to 1212 when it also was a Passover bakery. It includes a memorial to the city’s Jews deported by the Nazis and French Vichy (collaborator) government during World War II.
We took a side trip to idyllic Les Baux-de-Provence for a visit to a former limestone quarry converted to a unique Carrieres de Lumieres show. Featured were the works of Van Gogh dramatically streamed in ever-moving fashion across walls, ceilings and floors in areas throughout the exhibit. It was truly a one-of-a-kind experience.
Our last stop in Arles, where Van Gogh had his last years of active painting, was highlighted by a visit to an historic Roman arena and Roman theater, both still in use today for concerts and exhibits.
Our afternoon in Arles included a memorable stop at Manade Laurent Les Marquises, a renowned bull farm in the Camargue province, third largest in France. It is owned by the third generation of the Laurent family – parents Henri and Ana, son Patrick & wife Estelle and 15-year-old son Paul. They are all Gardians (cowboys) for their 1,500-acre farm that has 500 black bulls and about 90 white horses, all known as Camargue. As opposed to Spanish bulls with downward horns raised to fight in the corrida, these bulls have upward pointing horns and are bred for the “Courses Camarguaises” that date to 1402.
Using authentic former Roman arenas, 10 young “Raseteurs” dressed in white have 15 minutes to use a special hook (crochet) to snatch – in order – a red rosette, white tassel and two pieces of yellow string tied to the horns close to the bull’s head. As Patrick noted, “they rarely get to our white tassel and never the string.” The ranch has won 13 Gold Bulls, the annual trophy for the best bull at more than 100 annual Courses, and boasts one of the top champions, Goya, who won in 1970 and is buried with a statue on the front lawn.
We had a lovely farewell dinner aboard our ship, invited to the Captain’s Table where we shared experiences with Captain Cyril Paya from France, with the cruise line about seven years. Next day we said farewell to our great MS Provence crew – who all came out to wave goodbye as our bus left for Nice.
En route, we stopped in the lovely town of Aix-en-Provence, known as the “City of 1,000 Fountains,” in all shapes and sizes. Then we had a brief stop in Draguignan and the Rhone American Cemetery, one of 11 in France. Our former SPB Mayor Maria Rowe and her husband are based in Paris, where he is in charge of all American cemeteries in Europe. The Rhone Cemetery had just celebrated the 75th anniversary of D-day that morning. It has 461 gravestones, including 81 unknowns and one woman, 1st Lt. Aleda Lutz, a nurse credited with saving more than 3,000 Allied lives.
In Nice, our hotel was across the street from the historic Orthodox Temple Israelite, built in 1885 and designated an official national monument in April 2004. After a morning walking tour through the downtown area with markets and many shops, we took a bus on our own to the famous Marc Chagall Biblical Message Museum. It is claimed as the only museum built while the artist was alive, and he had a “hands on” role in the design and placement of his famed Biblical works. After a tour of his dramatic artworks, we enjoyed lunch in the lovely outdoor garden that complements the museum.
From there it was a long walk uphill to the Musee Matisse, which was more modern but not as impressive as the Chagall experience. We saw some nice paintings, and a dramatic lobby mural display, but overall it was less interesting. The next afternoon, we met Program Director Maria, who was our host and personal guide for the ἀve of us who took the Italy extension.
Italian Riviera Extension
Our extension was on the scenic Ligurian seacoast north of Genoa, where we enjoyed the actual views of the scenic postcards we had seen of colorful homes on terraced hillsides. We were based at the historic Regina Elena Hotel in lovely Santa Margherita Ligure, affiliated with Best Western, and owned by the same family for five generations. Our corner room had a stunning view of the beachfront, port and marina.
Our first day included a walking tour to downtown and the port, where the boats left for some of our trips. Our guide pointed out some nice shops and best local restaurants for dinner.
Next day we took a boat ride about 20 minutes to Portofino, one of the gems of the Riviera. Our walking tour gave us a peek at a beautiful cemetery with a wall of lower-decorated burial urns next to the historic Church of St. Giorgio. Built in the 12th century, it was destroyed in WW II and rebuilt in 1950, with one highlight a fresco showing St. George slaying the dragon. The town also features a hilltop Castle Brown and a historic Lighthouse.
Santa Margherita Ligure is the gateway to Cinque Terre National Park, ἀve towns where clusters of terraces are fastened to cliffs that drop dramatically into the sea. This UNESCO world heritage site had been connected by a series of scenic walkways. It unfortunately was destroyed in an October 2011 storm by flooding, mud and rockslides, and is not yet rebuilt.
Our day was cut short by serious train delays typical of August so we could only visit three towns. Manarola is unique as it has a “street of boats” for the many resident fishermen – and no cars. The boats are on wagons, hauled to an electric boat lift above the harbor, and lowered to the water. Vernazza was next with its many charming restaurants and shops. Our last stop was in lovely Monterosso al Mare with its historic church of St. John the Baptist, built from 1282 to 130l, and the Convent, dating to 1600 with its vaulted ceiling featuring Strazzi’s “Veronica.”
Of particular interest, with the Ligurian seacoast home to many fisher folk, virtually every church we visited had a boat-shaped altar to honor the local traditions.
For our last day in Italy, we took a short boat ride to beautiful Rapallo, home to the historic Basilica of Saints Gervasio and Protasio, brothers slain as early Christian martyrs. The church dates to the 4th century, and in its completed, art-ἀlled form was dedicated in July 1920.
Highlight was a 2,000-foot-long funicular (cable car) ride up the mountain to the historic Basilica of Our Lady of Montallegro, as the Virgin Mary had appeared to a nearby local farmer in July 1557. Each July, Rapallo solemnly celebrates the three-day Festivity of Our Lady, long the Patroness of the town. The scenic two-way ride offered stunning views of the surrounding countryside and seaport below.
We said goodbye to our wonderful program director the next morning, and took a short bus ride to the Genoa Airport for a brief flight to Frankfurt, and a direct Ḁight home to Tampa.
Bonnie and I agree it was one of our most memorable and delightful trips that we recommend to all Paradise News readers. With perfect weather for all 16 days, and many wonderful memories of our visits to local landmarks, it was truly a trip of a lifetime with much lemonade – and NO lemons. PN
[Feature Writer Steve Traiman is President of Creative Copy by Steve Traiman in St. Pete Beach, offering freelance business writing services. He can be reached via email at traimancreativecopy@gmail.com]