October 10 - Tournon

Ruins on the Rhone River

We left our dock in Lyon in the middle of the night and set sail for Tournon.  When we woke we were in the middle of Rhone Alps.  Although these hills are not as spectacular as the Swiss Alps, they still are very impressive.  I would say they are the same height as the Laurentians in Western Quebec.   

On the opposite bank of the Rhone river from Tournon is the Hermitage AOC.   Hermitage, the rich Syrah-based red from the northern Rhone Valley, is one of France's most enduringly prestigious wines. Hermitage wines sell for 70€ locally and can sell for over $200 in the LCBO.

The prestige of Hermitage wine can be clearly traced back to the 17th Century, when it was an official wine in the French courts of King Louis XIII and his successor Louis XIV, the 'Sun King'. Not just the monarchs' preferred wine, it was also used as a gift for visiting dignitaries and foreign royalty.

The whole of the granite hillside where the Hermitage vineyards are planted faces south, meaning that the grapes benefit from the maximum amount of sunlight throughout the day. The topsoil here is relatively thin compared to that of the valley floor. As intense Rhone sunshine warms the hillside during the day, the granite bedrock stores this heat, encouraging the grapes to ripen more fully than those in less-exposed sites.

Ardéche Valley Gourge

In the afternoon we took a steam train through the Ardéche Valley.  The trip is very similar to the Wakefield train in Gatineau.  During this 33 Km ride you get to see wonderful vistas as you wind your way up and down the mountain gorges.

At the end of the line they have a turntable, where one person can turn the entire steam locomotive around in a 180 degree direction.

Ardéche Valley Gourge

View from Tournon Castle

After the train trip, we walked through the small village of Tournon and went to their castle, where we had what Scenic cruises calls their Sundowner reception.  The terrace, where the party took place, offers stunning views of the Rhone River.

Rhone River at Tournon

Joan is still feeling like a bag of poop. Ricardo, who is our favourite waiter had the kitchen mix up a cocktail of lemon juice, garlic and honey for her.  We're not sure if it will work but it has to be better than nothing.  John is starting to have a sore throat, so we're hoping we can avoid it. This cold is starting to infect a lot of passengers.

For dinner tonight we had an invitation to the exclusive La Rive table with the rest of our group.  This is where we had a six course dinner with each course paired with a different wine.  The service is white glove and it the whole presentation is first class.

Here is the menu.

We both agreed that was one of the best meals we've had in a long, long time.  John said it was "good tucker".  I have no idea what that means but I think it must be a compliment in Aussie.

Later in the lounge, we think we got one of the staff in trouble.  We invited Danella to sit down with our group while she took our drink order.  Later Dave heard the head waiter giving her a lecture.  I guess that somehow, she broke their service protocol.  I can’t imagine how being extra friendly to the passengers is a crime, but apparently that is the case.