Life along the River Rhône One of the best ways to experience the essence of
any destination is through the eyes of the locals, who share insider perspectives you can’t get on your own. Highlights include:
Sample the bounty of the vine as you sip wines locally produced
• Tastings in Chalon-sur-Saône with culinary artisans who invite you into their shops to sample the specialties of the house. You will learn how delicate croissants are made – no less than 16 paper thin layers of buttery dough, deftly kneaded and fashioned into crescent shapes that puff and flake with flavor, will do – and that you must look for a pointed end on French baguettes to ensure that they were made by man, not machine.
• A dressage demonstration at the renowned Haras National de Cluny, established by Napoleon I as a military equestrian center. Today it is a stud farm and training center for magnificent horses, whose grace, strength and beauty are admired all over France. See carriage horses trot by and view an intimate dressage demonstration by a skilled equestrian who puts her beloved equine partner through its paces with gentle signals, affection and mutual respect.
9. CHALON-SUR-SAÔNE & MERCUREY Get ready to see picture-perfect sights today not just because this Burgundy town is known as the birthplace of photography, thanks to native son Nicéphore Niépce, but because Chalon-sur-Saône is also home to striking Romanesque churches, quaint half-timbered houses and painted doorways colored with French flair. Taste your way through town as you sample local culinary offerings at some of its noted food shops, from an artisan chocolate boutique to a splendid pâtisserie where the baker shares expert tips about baguettes and buttery croissants. Drive this afternoon along the Route des Grands Crus to the largest wine-producing area in the Côte Chalonnaise, stopping at a private vineyard on a grand family estate for a wine tasting with the owners. Meals BLD
10. CHÂTEAU DE CORMATIN IN BURGUNDY Huddled below one of the most beautiful Romanesque churches in all of Europe on the banks of the river Saône, Tournus is also the perfect place to anchor our riverboat for a drive through the landscapes of southern Burgundy to the 17th-century Château de Cormatin. A noble symbol of prestige and power with towers, turrets and a drawbridge over a wide moat, this castle was built to impress. After your tour of its famous “gilded rooms” and pleasure garden, we think you’ll agree. It’s back to the riverboat for lunch and an afternoon cruise to Lyon. Meals BLD
11. A DAY IN LYON, WHERE FOOD IS KING A full day in Lyon includes guided visits to the Basilica of Notre-Dame de Fourvière, “the hill that prays” high above the city, and medieval Vieux Lyon below. Wander through secret passageways and see the accurate 19th-century astronomical clock at the Cathédrale Saint-Jean-Baptiste. Enjoy lunch back on the ship or dine on your own as you explore more of Lyon – a fabulous city noted both for its culinary flare and great history. Join us for the farewell reception tonight. Meals BLD
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