Last week, I’d shared a week in Provence https://lushlife.ca/a-week-in-provence/ .
A Week in Provence
And this week, I thought I’d share part deux.
Last week, I shared about visiting Lyon, as well as wine tasting in Beaujolais, a visit to Vienne, and a train trip to Tournon sur Rhone, and put in a lot of pictures at the link (see https://lushlife.ca/a-week-in-provence/).
This week, I’ll share more, including Avignon, Pont du Gare, Arles, and Paris.
Next week, I’ll share about the work the AMA cruise manager who was with us onboard did, and all the additional things she was doing in the background to ensure the guests who were impacted by the France labour strikes were well cared for. And – we did a ship swap too, when the protesters drained one lock on the Rhone, and blocked traffic on another. Still had a wonderful cruise experience, and I’d highly recommend it.
Have a look at the second instalment – pictures and descriptions.
Seeing the Avignon bridge in Avignon makes you remember nursery school songs.
Sur le Pont d’Avignon
L’on y danse, l’on y danse
Sur le Pont d’Avignon
L’on y danse tous en rond.
Some pictures from our time in Avignon on Tuesday, and visiting the Palais des Papes (including the Indulgence window) .
Some pictures from our visit last week to see the famous Pont du Gard, an aqueduct that is a masterpiece of engineering dating back to Roman times.
We had a wonderful time on an excursion from our Provence river cruise visiting a local truffle farm, and learning all about this delicacy.
Did you know that animals detect the scent of the truffle starting to decay in the ground?
I didn’t know that dogs are preferred over pigs for hunting the truffles. As our local guide said, it’s possible pigs may have a slightly better nose for detecting them, but who wants to have a pig live in their home?
Our truffle farm owner and his dog found a winter ‘black’ and a summer ‘white’ truffle in the ground. It was really interesting to watch the dog find it, and have the farmer dig it out from the ground.
We heard how the farmer tries to grow different trees to test the yield (the truffles tend to grow in the earth beneath a tree), but he had the most success with the traditional tree.
We also learned that winter ‘black’ truffles are 4 x the price of summer ‘white’ truffles.
And we got to taste the truffles – both with bread and wine (the white), and carved pieces of the expensive black.
Of course, our guide taught us the correct way to taste the truffle. With the large pieces of black truffle he passed around, we had to push it to the roof of our mouth, and let the saliva start to break it down and release /enhance the flavour until we were supposed to touch it with our teeth.
So educational – and – a yummy experience!
Pictures from our last day on the Provence river cruise – a Van Gogh walking tour of Arles.
We were fortunate to have a guide who was an art historian and a painter himself. He shared his passion for Van Gogh’s work, and shared details of Vincent’s life, loves, and fights .
Very interesting day – topped by seeing a Van Gogh painting at the museum.
Paris on national strike day is still Paris.
Trains and metro down?
Catch a cab.
