Tarascon Castle

Tarascon Castle

Hank Schrader, USMA '71, Europe Destination & Europe River Cruise Expert

Anne Schrader, Certified Travel Counselor & Certified Luxury Cruise Specialist

www.dreamdestinations.com

This is a tour of the magnificent medieval Tarascon Castle.  It was constructed to protect the Provence region from attack.

Outside the Castle

Inside the castle gardens, here is a good view of one of the round towers in the picture below.

This is what you would expect from a medieval castle built between 1401 and 1433. The entrance to the castle is over a moat bridge.  The 4-foot-thick walls have two round towers on the east side and 2 square towers on the Rhone side.

Inside the Castle

There are 30 rooms that could be toured on my excursion.  For many, there are not many furnishings inside the castle, and it may appear a little bland.

This is a picture of the herb gardens inside the castle.

The castle was created for protection of this region to protect the lands of King Rene. King Rene held the titles of King of Naples, Duke of Anjou and Count of Provence.

In one of the display cases, the round picture just a little left of center below the overhead picture of the castle is King Rene.

After King Rene’s death, the castle and lands become part of the kingdom of France and no longer was necessary to defend this area of Provence.

The castle later became a prison and also a hospital in the 1700s. One of the first rooms on the tour was the apothecary, used by the nuns to treat the sick. Here are 2 photos:

The next room we visited was the Dungeon. Here are 2 photos:

Next was an inter-courtyard area:

Next was the chapel:

The next room was the banquet area. The red floor coverings were added within the last ten years as part of a art project to add some interest to the interior.

King Rene made the castle an important place for social gatherings. Many festivities happened in this room of the castle.

The roof beam construction is solid and interesting. There are beam roofs in most large rooms of the castle.

In the Great Hall, there were displays of the wall decorations. These decorations added color to the stark walls of the castle. Here is a sample of the displays:

Here in this room is a large image of the entire castle:

Next, in another room, were some artwork of life in the middle ages and life in and around the castle:

Across the river, there was another castle in ruins. It is called Beaucarie Castle. It was a Cathar stronghold. This castle was under siege during the Cathar Religious wars in France in around 1209–1229. The Cathers believed in 2 Gods and were defeated by crusaders under orders of the Pope and the castle was destroyed.

There were also some wall carvings in another room that were quite impressive.

These date back to 1480, and were engraved into the walls by a prisoner enemy of King Rene.

And with our interest in how folks handled daily living , here is one of the bathrooms in the castle:

From the top of the castle, the Tarascon Collegiate Church of Saint Martha is an impressive Gothic church.

Our Final Thoughts

Castles have always fascinated me. It is fun for me to try and imagine what it was like during that era. We hoped you liked this article and learned something new about the castles of Provence.

We are travel experts, ocean and river cruise specialists, and Europe destination experts.  We have first-hand knowledge of almost anywhere you want to visit in Europe.  We know our products and the vendors who sell them to you.  We have designed special tours for dozens of clients, led several and will continue to find just the right vacation that will exceed your expectations.

When you are spending your hard-earned money for a vacation, you want an advisor who can match you with the right trip.  You want someone who will understand your expectations and fuel your anticipation (or excitement) to get you the best possible trip experience.  And, you want someone who can help you with the decision making process.  We think we have all these qualities.

Whatever your Dream Destinations are, we are here to help you get the best possible vacation based on what is important to you!  We will provide you high quality, expertly planned travel.  Please give me a call 713-397-0188 (Hank) or email me at hschrader@visitdd.com .  We want to help you:  Savor life…make memories…Visit Dream Destinations!  Your journey begins here!

ANNE has earned a degree from the University of Houston in Hotel and Restaurant Management.  Serving as the President of Visit Dream Destinations, LLC, since 2016, she is uniquely experienced professional travel advisor with over 26 years’ experience in the travel industry.  Among her numerous certifications, she is a Certified Travel Counselor (CTC) by the Travel Institute, considered the gold standard in travel agent certification and she is also an Accredited Cruise Counselor (ACC) by the Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA), as well Luxury Cruise Specialist also from CLIA.  Having traveled often to Europe since 1989, she has expanded on her certification as a Destination Specialist in Western Europe (DS) with extensive first-hand experience in luxury vacations.  She holds numerous other specialty designations from individual vendors.  An expert photographer, she delights in capturing the true essence of destinations to share with all.

HANK is a certified Western European Destination Specialist (DS) who has been traveling to Europe for 52 years.  He is also an Accredited Cruise Counselor (ACC), conferred by the Cruise Line International Association (CLIA).  This recognized expert in cruise and leisure travel is a retired Army Officer, and taught World Geography for 8 years.  He is a `71 graduate of West Point and has earned 2 master’s degrees.   His other Certifications:

• AmaWaterways River Cruise Specialist

• Viking River Cruise Specialist

• Scenic River Cruise Specialist

• Emerald Waterways Specialist

• Avalon Waterways Specialist

• Brit Agent

Beaune's Hotel Dieu

Beaune’s Hotel Dieu

Hank Schrader, USMA '71, Europe Destination & Europe River Cruise Expert

Anne Schrader, Certified Travel Counselor & Certified Luxury Cruise Specialist

www.dreamdestinations.com

We just finished escorting some great clients on an AmaWaterways river cruise.  The route was the Essence of Burgundy & Provence.  In Burgundy, I took a tour to the famous Hotel Dieu.

This stunning place was a medieval charity hospital.  It was commissioned and paid for by Nicolas Rolin, the chancellor of Burgundy and his wife, Guigone de Salins.  Construction started in 1443 and was completed 8 years later.

So, let’s explore together and learn about one of the best-preserved medieval buildings in France,

Overview

By the time of the construction of the hospital, the people of Burgundy were suffering from the Black Death (plague) and the religious Hundred Years War.  Estimates were that 75% of the population were destitute and many were sick.

There were few opportunities for health care during these times, so this is a rather unique facility.

The Courtyard

The tiled roof and courtyard area are just stunning.  The glazed tiled roof was a symbol of prestige and wealth and these colorful patterns have earned an architectural style that has become to known as “Burgundian”.  Here are some photos:

The amazing inter courtyard area

Notice the quality of the workmanship—very intricate

The workmanship is excellent and the details are everywhere

The inside courtyard, where the entrance leads to the Great Hall of the Poor

The entrance to the Hotel Dieu

The Pauper’s Ward (The Great Hall of the Poor)

It might be hard to understand how innovative this place was in the middle ages.  Normal care came by doctors visiting the sick at their homes, but few could afford care at home.

This is the largest room of the building.  Each bed held 2 or more persons (our guide told us men and women were often placed in the beds together—I guess if you must go it might be nice to have a little pleasure first).  This practice ended in 1658 when King Louis XIV (the Sun King) donated enough money to separate men and women.

This was not a place of recovery; it was a place for the poor to die as peacefully as possible and there were constant reminders of salvation awaited the faithful. Today we would call this a hospice.  Here are some pictures:

The Great Hall of the Poor

More of the bed area—there are 28 beds in this part of the hospital for the poor

A close up of one bed area

The ceiling of the Great Hall of the Poor

The Chapel

The chapel’s location allowed the patients to attend mass while in bed.

The stained-glass windows let the world know that the two patrons are included in the art provided this place for the poor.

The Chapel Alter

The art work over the alter area of the chapel

A stained glass window in the chapel

St. Hugue Ward

This was award for more wealthy patients who might have a better chance of surviving.

Notice the difference in the more wealthy area of this hospital—the paintings are more about hope and recovery than the Great Hall of the Poor

A closer view of the beds in this ward

St. Nicolas Room

This room has displays of medical instruments used during this time.

Kitchen

The kitchen area is very well preserved.

The large kitchen area

The Kitchen area

Another picture of the kitchen

Pharmacy

The nuns who staffed the hospital grew herbs in the second courtyard area gardens and these medical remedies were stored in pottery jars.

Some of the pottery jars in the pharmacy

More of the storage of medicines in the pharmacy

The second courtyard area where the nuns would grow herbs

Treasured Art Works

Among the magnificent art works on display are the Story of Jacob, The Last Judgement by Roger van der Weyden’s painting of the Last Judgement (Flemish artist), and the Prodigal Son tapestry.

The Last Judgement by Roger van der Weyden

The folding portion of the original alter. The 2 donors are on the outside pane;s

A tapestry telling the legend of St. Eloi. According to the legend, the horse in the tapestry refused to be shod and it was believed the animal was possessed by demons. He cut the horses’ leg off, shod the severed leg and then performed a miracle by reattaching the leg back on the horse, who was now demon free.

The Story of Jacob Tapestry

Burgundy Wine

The hospital is supported in part by a 60-acre wine vineyard.  There is a wine auction at the Hotel Dieu in November, that is famous for the barrels of high-quality wine sold (Sotheby’s organizes and conducts the auction).  It raises significant money to help preserve this great museum and important historical site.  It is the most famous wine charity auction in the world.

The wine is primarily Pinot Noir, with some chardonnay.  The exceptional vineyard is premiers’ crus and grand crus—the best wine produced in this region.

A display about the wine grown by the Hotel Dieu vineyard

A display about some of the barrels auctioned off—these are top wines, including one of my favorites, Pommard.

Our Final Thoughts

Wow—what a great place to visit.  It is a fascinating look back into health care in the middle of France.  This place was a wonderful tour on our cruise, and we highly recommend it.

We hope you enjoyed this report, and hope you want to visit here also—we are ready to help as needed.

We are travel experts, ocean and river cruise specialists, and Europe destination experts.  We have first-hand knowledge of almost anywhere you want to visit in Europe.  We know our products and the vendors who sell them to you.  We have designed special tours for dozens of clients, led several and will continue to find just the right vacation that will exceed your expectations.

When you are spending your hard-earned money for a vacation, you want an advisor who can match you with the right trip.  You want someone who will understand your expectations and fuel your anticipation (or excitement) to get you the best possible trip experience.  And, you want someone who can help you with the decision making process.  We think we have all these qualities.

Whatever your Dream Destinations are, we are here to help you get the best possible vacation based on what is important to you!  We will provide you high quality, expertly planned travel.  Please give me a call 713-397-0188 (Hank) or email me at hschrader@dreamdestinations.com.  We want to help you:  Savor life…make memories…Visit Dream Destinations!  Your journey begins here!

ANNE has earned a degree from the University of Houston in Hotel and Restaurant Management.  Serving as the President of Visit Dream Destinations, LLC, since 2016, she is uniquely experienced professional travel advisor with over 26 years’ experience in the travel industry.  Among her numerous certifications, she is a Certified Travel Counselor (CTC) by the Travel Institute, considered the gold standard in travel agent certification and she is also an Accredited Cruise Counselor (ACC) by the Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA), as well Luxury Cruise Specialist also from CLIA.  Having traveled often to Europe since 1989, she has expanded on her certification as a Destination Specialist in Western Europe (DS) with extensive first-hand experience in luxury vacations.  She holds numerous other specialty designations from individual vendors.  An expert photographer, she delights in capturing the true essence of destinations to share with all.

HANK is a certified Western European Destination Specialist (DS) who has been traveling to Europe for 50 years.  He is also an Accredited Cruise Counselor (ACC), conferred by the Cruise Line International Association (CLIA).  This recognized expert in cruise and leisure travel is a retired Army Officer, and taught World Geography for 8 years.  He is a `71 graduate of West Point and has earned 2 master’s degrees.   His other Certifications:

• AmaWaterways River Cruise Specialist

• Viking River Cruise Specialist

• Scenic River Cruise Specialist

• Emerald Waterways Specialist

• Avalon Waterways Specialist

• Brit Agent

11 Great Things to do in Lyon

11 Great Things to do in Lyon France

Hank Schrader, USMA '71, Europe Destination & Europe River Cruise Expert

Anne Schrader, Certified Travel Counselor & Certified Luxury Cruise Specialist

www.dreamdestinations.com

This is a good chance to learn more about Lyon, France. Lyon has two great rivers running through it. They are the Rhône and the Saône Rivers.

Lyon is known as the gastronomic capital of France, has Roman ruins and a very good old town. The historic section of town is known as Vieux Lyon (“Old Lyon”). The Old Town is on the Saône River.

Lyon is fun, we really enjoyed the old town area and its narrow streets and colorful bouchons (small bistros) with their trademark red and white checkered table cloths.

So, let’s explore together and find 11 great things to do in Lyon.

Saône.River view of the old town area

3 River Cruise ships on the Rhône River.

Notre-Dame Basilica—ornate church built in 1872 as a tribute to the Virgin Mary on the orders of the bishop of Lyon for sparing the city of Lyon during the Prussian-Franco War.  Free.  Located on Fourviere Hill above the old town. Here are 2 pictures:

Roman Theaters and Gallo-Roman Museum—there are 2 ancient Roman theatres here along with excellent artifacts from the Roman time in Lyon.  Among the highlights is a bronze chariot from 7th century BC.  Good explanations of exhibits in English.  Closed Monday.  Admission charge.  (www.musees-gallo-romains.com)  Located on the Fourviere Hill above the old town—there is a funicular to get up the steep hill.

The Old Town

The best thing to do is just wander around. Here are 3 pictures—showing the winding streets and lanes. The second picture is what moving day looks like in the old town.

Shopping—shop in Vieux Lyon.  Lyon is renowned throughout Europe for silk, especially silk scarves. 

St. Jean Cathedral—has a 700 year old astronomical clock.  This cathedral was built between the 12th and the 15th centuries, and its exceptional stained-glass windows date from the same era. Its apse is a masterpiece of Lyonnais Romanesque architecture. A highlight is the Flamboyant Gothic chapel of the Bourbons. On the front portals are medallions depicting the signs of the zodiac, the Creation, and the life of St. John.  Located in Vieux Lyon.

Traboules—these serpentine passageways were shortcuts that linked the old town’s 3 main streets.  Wandering these paths will allow you to discover courtyards, lovely loggias (covered walkways open on one side) and arches.

Museums and Workshops

Atelier de la Solerie—workshop demonstrating handmade silk printing and screen printing.  Free.  Closed Sunday.

Museum of Fine Arts--The former Benedictine abbey was built between 1659 and 1685 in the Italian baroque style. Today, it is home to the Musée des Beaux-Arts, which has an outstanding collection of paintings and sculpture.  Closed Tuesdays.  Admission charge.  Metro Stop Hotel de Ville.  (www.maire-lyon.fr)

Museum of Fabrics and Decorative Arts--In the 1739 Lacroix-Laval mansion by Soufflot (architect of the Panthéon in Paris), the Musée des Arts-Décoratifs contains furniture and objets d'art from the 17th and 18th centuries.  The medieval and Renaissance periods are also represented.  Closed Mondays.  Admission charge.  Metro stop Bellecour.  (www.musee-des-tissus.com)

Resistance and Deportation History Center—this museum has displays and videos telling the story of the French Resistance.  Closed Monday and Tuesday.  Admission charge.  Metro stop Jean Mace, turn right on avenue Berthelot and walk 5 blocks.

Lumiere Museum--Film buffs from all over the world come here. The famous Lumière family, including Antoine (1840-1911), Auguste (1862-1954), and Louis (1864-1948), once lived in Lyon. The brothers were chemists, industrialists, and motion-picture pioneers. In Lyon, they founded a factory for producing photographic plates, paper, and chemicals. They invented the Lumière process of color photography and the Cinématographe, an early motion picture camera, in 1895.  Closed Monday.  Admission charge.  Metro stop Monplaisir-Lumiere on Metro D.  (www.institut-lumiere.org)

Dining—Lyon is the gastronomical capital of France.  Among the best options are bouchons (small bistros) often their red and white checker-squared tablecloths.  Local specialties are plentiful and vary from the creamy cervelle de canut (fromage blanc with herbs) to salade Lyonnaise with greens, soft-boiled eggs, bacon cubes and croutons. Here are 2 pictures of bouchons and the most famous food market in Lyon:

One of the 70 stalls of Les Halles de Lyon Paul Bocuse market place

Getting Around

If you are coming by TGV get off at the second station, Gare de Perrache (takes 2 hours from Paris).

 A network of Métro lines, trams, and buses branch out to serve the city. A plan de poche (pocket map) is available at any office of TCL (tel. 08-20-42-70-00; www.tcl.fr), which handles all forms of mass transport. Tickets are valid on all forms of public transport, costing 1.60€ for the average ride or else 13€ for a carnet of 10 tickets. Most short-time visitors may want to purchase a Ticket Liberté day pass for 4.40€. For a cab, call Taxi Radio de Lyon at tel. 08-72-10-86-86).

Our Final Thoughts

Wow—what a great guide  We have 50 guides for interesting cities in Europe.

We hope you enjoyed this report.

We are travel experts, ocean and river cruise specialists, and Europe destination experts.  We have first-hand knowledge of almost anywhere you want to visit in Europe.  We know our products and the vendors who sell them to you.  We have designed special tours for dozens of clients, led several and will continue to find just the right vacation that will exceed your expectations.

When you are spending your hard-earned money for a vacation, you want an advisor who can match you with the right trip.  You want someone who will understand your expectations and fuel your anticipation (or excitement) to get you the best possible trip experience.  And, you want someone who can help you with the decision making process.  We think we have all these qualities.

Whatever your Dream Destinations are, we are here to help you get the best possible vacation based on what is important to you!  We will provide you high quality, expertly planned travel.  Please give me a call 713-397-0188 (Hank) or email me at hschrader@dreamdestinations.com.  We want to help you:  Savor life…make memories…Visit Dream Destinations!  Your journey begins here!

ANNE has earned a degree from the University of Houston in Hotel and Restaurant Management.  Serving as the President of Visit Dream Destinations, LLC, since 2016, she is uniquely experienced professional travel advisor with over 26 years’ experience in the travel industry.  Among her numerous certifications, she is a Certified Travel Counselor (CTC) by the Travel Institute, considered the gold standard in travel agent certification and she is also an Accredited Cruise Counselor (ACC) by the Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA), as well Luxury Cruise Specialist also from CLIA.  Having traveled often to Europe since 1989, she has expanded on her certification as a Destination Specialist in Western Europe (DS) with extensive first-hand experience in luxury vacations.  She holds numerous other specialty designations from individual vendors.  An expert photographer, she delights in capturing the true essence of destinations to share with all.

HANK is a certified Western European Destination Specialist (DS) who has been traveling to Europe for 50 years.  He is also an Accredited Cruise Counselor (ACC), conferred by the Cruise Line International Association (CLIA).  This recognized expert in cruise and leisure travel is a retired Army Officer, and taught World Geography for 8 years.  He is a `71 graduate of West Point and has earned 2 master’s degrees.   His other Certifications:

• AmaWaterways River Cruise Specialist

• Viking River Cruise Specialist

• Scenic River Cruise Specialist

• Emerald Waterways Specialist

• Avalon Waterways Specialist

• Brit Agent

Vienne, France--an Often Missed Gem

Vienne, France—an Often Missed Gem

Hank Schrader, USMA '71, Europe Destination & Europe River Cruise Expert

www.dreamdestinations.com

We always find one of the most fascinating aspects of Europe is a new discovery.

Vienne, France falls into this category—few Americans know much about this town and river cruise port on the Rhône unless they have sailed the Rhône.  It is at the confluence of the Rhône and Gère Rivers.

Just, 35 miles south of Lyon, it would be easy to overlook.

Vienne has great Roman ruins, cobbled lanes, an historic abbey, a castle and some of the best food experiences in France—perhaps, you are now getting more interested.

We have visited Vienne 3 times on a Rhône River Cruise (2013, 2014 and 2016 all on AmaWaterways) and before our 3rd Rhône cruise we spent 2 delightful days in Vienne pre-cruise. 

We were inspired by a great looking restaurant in Vienne, L’e Table de Bouchers (The Table of Butchers in English) and wanted to try it out.  Our instincts were correct and it opened us up to this gem overlooked by most pre-cruise visitors who might choose Lyon over Vienne.

So, let’s explore together and learn about Vienne—you won’t be disappointed!

Mount Pipet

On river cruises, some lines take you up to one of the best places to see the entire city on Mount Pipet, the highest hill in the town area.  They use a tourist train and the short ride up the steep hill is a worthwhile trip for great views.

Wandering the City

The winding lanes and streets are just made for walking. Why not take a stroll with us with these pictures?

Roman Ruins

Julius Caesar was the founder of the Roman colony in 47 BC (or correctly now BCE—Before the Common Era).  It became a major trade and commerce center in the Roman Empire.

The best ruin is not really a ruin—it is the wonderfully preserved Temple of Augustus and Livia.  It was built around 1 or 2 in the Common Era. This is one of the two best preserved Roman temples in France. Only priests were allowed inside—other citizens gathered in the Forum for religious ceremonies.

There is a very good display of Roman artifacts in the indoor museum.

Looking down from Mount Pipet, the amphitheater shows the grander of this once thriving city—it was said to be only slightly less important than Trier. The amphitheater could seat over 14,000 and is used today for concerts.

Archeological Garden of Cebete at first may not look that impressive but was an important part of Roman life.  There are foundations of several buildings, archways decorated with carved limestone figures and opening up to a forum (square)

The Pyramid of the Roman Hippodrome is another interesting past relic.  A hippodrome is a chariot race track. 

This picture shows what remains of the hippodrome—it takes a lot of imagination to see it as the center of a race track, as buildings and streets have covered the old race track area and only the center pyramid stands today.  This pyramid like structure was the center of the chariot race track. 

4 teams would compete—the winner was the first to complete 7 laps.  The judges were in the Pyramid.  It is built to resemble an Egyptian Obelisk.

Saint-André le Bas Abbey

The abbey was probably constructed in the 600’s.  It was a men’s monastery.  Starting in the 9th century, it was the palace chapel of the Kings of Burgundy.  In the 10th century, the abbey adopted the Benedictine rules and practices. 

It was one of the most important monasteries in the diocese of Vienne during the Middle Ages.  As time passed, it fell into disrepair and importance.  It really is an interesting structure of what remains of this once important abbey.  Here are some photos

Medieval Castle Chateau de la Batie

Built on another high point of Vienne, the ruins of this castle were built on old Roman fortifications on Mount Solomon.  In 1225, the castle was the residence of the archbishops of Vienne until the mid-14th century.  The only thing that remains today is the ruins of this once proud castle residence.

On the Right Bank of the Rhône

On the right bank, a large defensive tower caught my interest.   It is the Tour de Valois.  Nearly 30 meters high, it was once part of the defenses of Sainte Colombre (the name of the city on the right bank).  It is in ruins today and is not available to visit.  Here are 2 good photos of this impressive tower:

Our Hotel—true Luxury

We stayed at La Pyramide Hotel in Vienne, France, a 4-star Relais & Châteaux hotel and it has a two-Michelin star gastronomic restaurant—I guess you can figure out why foodies like us wanted to experience both.

Room 103 was lovely—here are some photos.

Great Food

We had 3 outstanding meals here!

First, the restaurant that inspired our stay, L’e Table de Bouchers.  One look at the menu after enjoying the wonderful building design, and I was hooked!  Here are some pictures of what inspired us:

We ate there on the second night of our stay.  The meals of the day specials that are quite common in Europe not only was a great value but the entire meal lived up to our expectations and the portions were huge!  Please imagine yourself eating here.

Our First Day Meals

Prior to our wonderful evening meal, we spent a great time drinking a bottle of wine along with some cheese and meats platter.  I can’t begin to tell you how wonderful, relaxing and fun it was.  We lingered for a couple of hours, enjoying the slow life that France is so famous for—perhaps one of my most favorite experiences in France.  Please savor our experiences through these pictures.

Now for gastronomy that is an epic experience—a true Michelin 2-Star restaurant Patrick Henriroux's restaurant La Pyramide.  Instead of describing this unique meal, our pictures should convey what an experience it was for us.

My Final Thoughts

What a great adventure—the town of Vienne, France—just another reason we love the Old World of Europe so much!  I think you can see why this town deserves a night or 2 stay for your travels in France!  We hope you enjoyed these pictures as much as we enjoyed seeing them during our travels.

We are travel experts, ocean and river cruise specialists, and Europe destination experts.  We have first-hand knowledge of almost anywhere you want to visit in Europe.  We know our products and the vendors who sell them to you.  We have designed special tours for dozens of clients, led several and will continue to find just the right vacation that will exceed your expectations.

When you are spending your hard-earned money for a vacation, you want an advisor who can match you with the right trip.  You want someone who will understand your expectations and fuel your anticipation (or excitement) to get you the best possible trip experience.  And, you want someone who can help you with the decision making process.  We think we have all these qualities.

Whatever your Dream Destinations are, we are here to help you get the best possible vacation based on what is important to you!  We will provide you high quality, expertly planned travel.  Please give me a call 713-397-0188 (Hank) or email me at hschrader@dreamdestinations.com.  We want to help you:  Savor life…make memories…Visit Dream Destinations!  Your journey begins here!

HANK is a certified Western European Destination Specialist (DS) who has been traveling to Europe for 49 years.  He is also an Accredited Cruise Counselor (ACC), conferred by the Cruise Line International Association (CLIA).  This recognized expert in cruise and leisure travel is a retired Army Officer, and taught World Geography for 8 years.  He is a `71 graduate of West Point and has earned 2 master’s degrees.   His other Certifications:

• AmaWaterways River Cruise Specialist

• Viking River Cruise Specialist

• Scenic River Cruise Specialist

• Emerald Waterways Specialist

• Avalon Waterways Specialist

• Brit Agent

Bordeaux River Cruise Ports

Bordeaux River Cruise Ports

By Hank Schrader, USMA ’71, Europe Destination & Europe River Cruise Expert

www.dreamdestinations.com

I write all the time about Europe river cruising and its value.  One of the newer routes on the Europe river cruise offerings is on the Bordeaux Estuary Area.  We took an AmaWaterways cruise in 2017 and it was truly unique and, in many ways, different from past river cruises.

Why was it different?—the main reason is there is so much emphasis on wine, wine production and how wine has impacted this area.

I plan to tell you a little about the Bordeaux wine region in general and then highlight some of the port stops.  I am not including the starting and ending port of Bordeaux—it deserves a future blog.

Although not the theme of this blog, I would be remiss if I didn’t laud our hosts, AmaWaterways on our “A Taste of Bordeaux” cruise.  AmaWaterways is our top rated Europe River Cruise Line and, as always, they delivered on our 16th cruise with this great company (we are going on #18 later this year).  It was a special wine themed cruise and a very good trip option, especially if you like wine.

Our Route Map—Diagram from AmaWaterways

So, let me defend my thoughts—why go on this cruise?

The Bordeaux Wine Region

To really understand the Bordeaux region, and the huge impact wine has on the region, a little background might prove helpful for you.  The origin of term Bordeaux derives from the French phrase “bord des eaux”—on the edge of the waters.  The Bordeaux region is dominated by 3 great rivers—where the Dordogne and the Garonne meet to form the Gironde.

Wine Areas of Bordeaux—Diagram form AmaWaterways

Bordeaux wines are blended wines.  The permissible grapes that can be used in red Bordeaux are Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Malbec and Petit Verdot.  There are also white Bordeaux wines produced, but the vast majority of wines are red wines.

Bordeaux is France’s and the world’s largest wine producing area.  There are about 287,500 acres of vineyards.  The area has over 900 chateaus, and about 10,000 individual producers.  89% of the grapes are red plantings, so the remaining 11% are white grapes.

The terroir of Bordeaux impacts the wine characteristics and some believe it is the perfect region to grow grapes to produce the highest quality wines in the world.  It is at 45 degrees north and has a temperate, maritime climate.  The weather conditions are moderated by 3 factors.  First, the Gulf Stream effects the temperature.  Second, the coastal pine forests, protect from high winds.  Third, the Gironde estuary, the Dordogne and Garonne Rivers, provide humidity and temper the temperatures during growing seasons.

2 Ports were About a Castle, a walled city and a Fortress.

Our first stop was a walking tour of Cadillac.  Founded in 1280, there are still some of the medieval walls and gates remaining that once protected this port city.

One of the Watch Towers

Looking into Cadillac from inside the entrance tower gate

The main site of this town is the Château of Cadillac.  The correct name of the chateau is Château des Ducs d'Épernon.  It is a very good example of how the aristocrats lived in the 1600’s. 

The Chateau

Moat area of the Chateau

After the visit to Cadillac, we took a short bus ride to Roquetaillade Castle. 

Roquetaillade in French means carved out of rock.  There has been a fortification on this site since Charlemagne constructed an earth and timber defensive position during his advance to the Pyrenees.

The castle

The current structure is a combination of two fortresses within the same walls. The castle has been lived in for over 700 years by the same family.

The entrance doorway into the castle

The tour took us through the castle rooms.  I particularly enjoyed the inside drawbridge to the rear of the castle and the kitchen area.

The rear drawbridge I liked from an outside view

In the port of Blaye, we visited the imposing Blaye fortress.  The most famous site in Blaye is the Blaye Citadel. The Citadel is a military complex designed by Sébastien Le Prestre de Vauban, the famous French military engineer.

Blaye Citadel

It was constructed between 1685 and 1689 and designed to protect the Gironde Estuary.

A view that shows how massive this fortress is!

Libourne

Libourne is located at the confluence of the Ilse and Dordogne Rivers.  In 1286, the town was founded as a fortified port.

The old port tower from the walled city—not much else remains of the defensive walls

The main sights in Libourne are the town hall and square (Place Abel Surchamp), the Museum of Fine Arts & Archeology, the Church of St. John the Baptist and the Rue Gambatta, a pedestrian only street.  Sadly, we were not able to visit these sites, as we chose to go on a wine tasting—something to look forward to on our next cruise here.

There are many famed Chateaux wineries around Libourne. We visited Chateau de La Riviere near Fronsac, France for a good wine tasting.  This is a dramatic wine estate worth a visit for a tasting and tour.

The stately Chateau

Chateau de La Riviere is the largest vineyard in Fronsac, with about 59 hectares planted with vines and 6 hectares beautiful gardens, and forest lands.  It is planted with 82% Merlot, 13% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 4-5% Cabernet Franc grapes.

It produces primarily red Bordeaux wines, between 15,000 to 18,000 cases per year.  Most of their red wines have strong dark red fruit flavors during tastings but this can vary.  They also produce a white wine.

The tasting room

St Emilion

We first took a tour of this city and the underground church.  St. Emilion is known for its great wines and the underground church started by Emilion, a Breton monk.  The monolithic church is a UNESCO World Heritage site.  There are about 124 miles of underground areas under the streets of St. Emilion. 

A good view of the city

Cool old half-timbered house

There is a tall bell tower in the city that marks the underground church—it is the largest monolithic church in Europe and it completely underground.

The Bell Tower marks the underground cathedral

There are 4 steep streets of St. Emilion, which are called “Tertes”—steep pedestrian cobblestone streets build by using cobblestone brought by English wine traders as ballast prior to returning with barrels full of wine.

One of the four tertes of the city

We then went to a wine tasting at Chateau de Ferrand for some St. Emilion Gran Cru—it was awesome! 

Enterance to the winery

The vineyard is planted with about 75% Merlot, 15% Cabernet Franc, and 10% Cabernet Sauvignon.  It is a 32 hectare estate.  The terroir is mostly limestone and clay.

They age the wine in oak barrels

It produces St. Emilion Gran Cu Bordeaux wine.  This red wine is usually medium bodied with red fruits as the primary taste on the pallet, but each vintage has its own subtle characteristics

Bourg

Bourg is pleasant and picturesque small town perched on the banks of the Dordogne River.

Local sites include: The citadel castle, with its horse-drawn carriage museum "Au temps des calèches", French formal gardens and terrace overlooking the lower town and surrounding landscapes:  the Moorish house built in the 18th and 19th centuries; the 18th-century Jurade mansion complete with a bell tower; the covered market; 19th-century wash house and the river harbor. 

We again, didn’t have time to see these, as we attended a wine festival during our AmaWaterways cruise at the House of Wines. It was a lot of fun and we had a small band in period clothing to help us celebrate.

The band at the wine tasting party

Pauillac

There are not many key sites to visit in the port of Pauillac, since the main attraction here is the world famous region of Medoc and their outstanding wines.  In Pauillac, the sites of interest include the large 19th century Church of Saint-Martin, and the 19th century market hall.

The church of St. Martin

It is the wine estates of the region that most come to see and taste while here.  They include Chateau Lafite-Rothschild, Chateau Latour, Chateau Margaux and Chateau Mouton Rothschild, the most recognized wines from the Bordeaux region.  These 4 wines all are “Premier Cru” (first growth)—the best of the best in the region.

We visited Chateau Leoville Payferre to taste 4 great wines.  Chateau Leoville Payferre, located in the St. Julien region of Medoc, and produces highly acclaimed Bordeaux red wine on their 60 hectare estate.

The chateau winery

They have planted 68% Cabernet Sauvignon grapes, 25% Merlot, 5% Cabernet Franc and 2% Petit Verdot.

According to Jeff Leve (editor of The Wine Cellar Insider), who focuses on Bordeaux wine, Chateau Leoville Payferre is “one of the most consistent producers of high quality Bordeaux since 2000.  They make so many great wines, it is hard to pick a favorite.”

Their old oak barrels to age the great wines they produce

We tasted 4 wines.  They were:  Chateau Moulin Riche 2016 (barrel sample); Chateau Moulin Riche 2011—30 Euros per bottle; Chateau Leoville Payferre 2012—80 Euros per bottle and Chateau Leoville Payferre 2000—220 Euros per bottle. 

I included the price per bottle just to show you how good the quality of the wines were we tasted—if you can command those prices in the market place, these are great wines!

We liked the mask decorations here

My Final Thoughts

Wow—what a trip!  I think now you can see how much wine has on this region—it’s not about the sites so much, it is about wine and the wine growing culture.  The forts and walled cities grew up to protect the wine producers and are not as much a reason to visit this area as the great wines—if you really enjoy wine, this trip is for you!

We are travel experts, ocean and river cruise experts, and Europe destination experts.  We have first-hand knowledge of almost anywhere you want to visit in Europe.  We know our products and the vendors who sell them to you.  We have designed special tours for dozens of clients, led several and will continue to find just the right vacation that will exceed your expectations.

When you are spending your hard-earned money for a vacation, you want an advisor who can match you with the right trip.  You want someone who will understand your expectations and fuel your anticipation (or excitement) to get you the best possible trip experience.  And, you want someone who can help you with the decision making process.  We think we have all these qualities.

Whatever your Dream Destinations are, we are here to help you get the best possible vacation based on what is important to you!  We will provide you high quality, expertly planned travel.  Please give me a call 713-397-0188 (Hank) or email me at hschrader@dreamdestinations.com.  We want to help you:  Savor life…make memories…Visit Dream Destinations!  Your journey begins here!

HANK is a certified Western European Destination Specialist (DS) who has been traveling to Europe for 48 years.  He is also an Accredited Cruise Counselor (ACC), conferred by the Cruise Line International Association (CLIA).  This recognized expert in cruise and leisure travel is a retired Army Officer, and taught World Geography for 8 years.  He is a `71 graduate of West Point and has earned 2 master’s degrees.   His other Certifications:

• AmaWaterways River Cruise Specialist

• Viking River Cruise Specialist

• Scenic River Cruise Specialist

• Emerald Waterways Specialist

• Avalon Waterways Specialist

• Brit Agent