Blogs from Vienne, Rhône-Alpes, France, Europe

Day 7 The riverboat silently pulled away from its dock in Lyon on the afternoon of day 6 and we gently floated down the Rhone River towards Vienne where we arrived just a few short hours later. We remained on board for the evening knowing that at 9:00AM we would gather our guided tour equipment and wind our way through the streets to learn about this city and its secrets. Vienne is the first city of this trip that is new to Tom and I. The guided tours can be slow and tedious at times, however, we are committed to them because these local guides provide us with a window into the past of these towns along the Rhone. We actually learned a lot more about Lyon by just going on the guided tour to places ... read more

K- Maybe we should have paid more attention to the picture of a nuclear power plant on the map but it soon became clear after we left Orange that our guidebooks passing reference to industry in the Rhone Valley was a little rose-tinted at best. Mile after mile of grim and industrial scenery and no sight at all of the Rhone river. Moreover, it soon began to rain. And I mean seriously rain. It was grim. And so we decided as the rain just hammered down that we would opt out of traveling for a day. After 13 months why should we have to go and get gloriously wet in a dump of an area. That's what you do on vacation. When traveling you can, and should, just take a break. So we did. A 79 ... read more