Starting to feel like we are being fattened for the slaughter. We have eaten so much. At least 3 to 4 courses each meal and yeah I know, you don't have to eat it but the food is so good it is hard to knock back. Anyhow, off to breakfast..... We have a cruising morning so quite a few take advantage of a sleep in. Lots sitting in the lounge watching our progress up the river, some reading, computing and sleeping. Very lazy morning. We do lunch then onto a bus for a quick trip to our next outing. A ride on the Ardeche steam train up into the hills. All herded into open carriages with vey hard seats then we start the climb up to a station with a very long name. Beautiful scenery on ... read more

We arrived at Chateauneuf-du-Pape last night. Our mooring is 3km from the town and this morning we have free time. Some rode bikes but they also had a mini bus doing shuttle trips. Not a lot to see in town other than an old chateau on the hill (ruins) and lots and lots of wine dealers. This area grows and makes a very nice red which is tightly controlled in how it can be grow, picked and then bottled. We walked up to the chateau, which was rather steep but great views when you made it to the top. Looking down at the vineyards and crop fields it was very pretty. Back to the ship for lunch then off to our organised winery tour which also took us back into town and to the chateau again. ... read more

New day, new things to see. Today we have a full day of visiting the Camargue where we will see Bulls doing what bulls do and special Camargue horses doing whatever they do. On the bus with our picnic lunch bags to an area we have just left. That is we go back past Arles to the Camargue region and the Mediterranean Sea. Hmm, how does that work you might ask, so did nearly everyone on the bus. Ahh, the joys of an organised tour. Any hoo, off we go. Get to the horses/bull farm and get ushered onto the back of trailers behind a John Deere tractor. Out into the paddocks with horse people following. Beautiful looking horses and the riders look well in control. Get to a paddock and they move the bulls into ... read more

A good sleep for our first night in the ship but we have an early start so that is a bit of a bugger. our tour to Marseille starts at 0800 so early breakfast and off. We are on the big red bus (groups broken up for ease of tour guides). Our guide speaks well so she has our attention, but as usual with tour guides, once they get the microphone in their hand they don't stop talking. Arrive in Marseille and start our walk. After about 20 steps all we get in our earpieces is heavy breathing. A bit off putting as at least 3 around us mention the fact she is almost putting the sky breathing on for us. But no, as we walk anywhere we get the huffing and puffing in our ear. ... read more

Well, into another country already. Up early, Sweden lost the soccer so we had mournful singing most of the night. Up early for a walk along the promenade by the sea. Lots of rubbish everywhere and lots of council workers cleaning it up. quite a few sleeping bodies on the beach as well. Bought some nice fresh fruit from the market outside our door. Then off to our boat to Monaco. Sea was like glass. And ever so clear. Cruised along the coast and arrived in the French harbour which is just beside the big port of Monaco. Short walk into the main town and found our way up the very steep hill to the Prince's palace. Disturbing thing is they have defribulators placed in strategic places on the way up...... Got there in plenty of ... read more