The Rhone river becomes Off Limits to large River Ships and we had to make a turn, to go up the much more tame Saone, as our journey moved into Burgundy. We also felt the rains that were going to be the bain of the rivers, as the second half of our journey.
Lyon is at the confluence of the two rivers and as we left, we peeled away from the other two ships to which we had been ganged, there in a wide spot in the Rhone. We watched as our upriver facing ship made a slow left arc away from the dock, heading back down river in time to make a right turn around the island that divides the two rivers. We were going to change our whole existence and be sailing up the Saone.
These buildings were put up in an area that has gone through major changes. Check out the orange one!
As we sailed further up the Saone, we came upon the old parts of town that we had walked through, with the smaller copy of the Eiffel Tower, up on the hill, near the cathedral that locals refer to as the upside down elephant. The building on the hill was a convent, if I remember correctly.
Our goal for the day was to get to Macon and it was a long rainy day to out destination, which was only a dock for the night. Our breakfast entertainment was the scenery of the passing Beaujolais and Burgundian landscapes, which were very beautiful on this quiet river. We were joined by lots and lots of swans on this leg.
We had a short docking in a town called Tournus so that those of us who did not want to miss the the ruins of the Benedictine Abbey in Cluny could bundle up and head off on a bus. It was Capital R raining but I found the countryside to be charming.
When we arrived in the village of Cluny, there was a dressage event taking place, with lots of soggy riders slogging through it, while their soggy parents watched. We, however were here to see the ruins of what had been the greatest cathedral in the world, before St Peter's was built in Rome. We got the tour of the areas where the huge church once stood and here you can see the entrance to the back of the picture and to the sides are buildings from the salvaged bones of the church, which built the homes of villagers.
What remains of this colossus is one portion of the building, which has been preserved.
After our tour of the cathedral ended, we were free to walk around the village and although it was really coming down, Rod and I braved the rain to wander around the charming Farmer's Market. I was impressed with how they do it, in France. None of this throwing up an Easy-up for some of these vendors...no, it was more like some food trucks that you see at a fair, with a trailer that opens up to show off the refridgerated cases of meats and fish. I LOVED it.
The region is know for the cheese...
How about THIS for fast food?
We actually avoided buying any food from the vendors and got our soggy selves back to the bus, seriously ready to get back to the ship at the last stop of our journey, where we would have lunch, before heading out again for the main tour of Chalon-sur-Saone. More to follow.
Hello! I have been catching up on your blog and loved your pictures and comments. I didn't see any about Paris though! My DH and I spent a week there last month and it is so wonderful. I hope you enjoyed it too. I don't knit much anymore - (arthritis makes it hard)but the cooler weather may just make something happen.. I miss it. Have a wonderful show in NY also.
Kit Loring
Posted by: Kit Loring | October 07, 2013 at 01:35 PM