3 June 2022.Lyon
France's 3rd largest city - but we didn't see much of it.
3 June 2022.Lyon
France's 3rd largest city - but we didn't see much of it.
La Basilique Notre Dame de Fourvière
From the river, mock windows painted on the side of a block with enlarged detail below
First day up the river as far as Chalon, a Burgundy wine region. Visited Niepce Museum. He's credited with inventing photography (in competition with a few others!) Parked there overnight.
Now it's downstream, past Lyon to Vienne. It was from here that Julius Caesar took off to conquer Gaul. Largely original temple of Augustus and Livia - restored in 19thC. The theatre still functions - it used to hold 13,000 spectators. Also shown 12thC cloisters of Abbey St Andre-le-Bas
The Ardèche. Enough of old buildings. Gorges, canyons and natural rock bridges, spectacular and beautiful.
Arles. First inhabited by Greeks in 6thcent BC. Became Roman capital of Gaul shortly before Rome was overrun. The amphitheatre - that we didn't get in - held 26,000 spectators.
Pont du Gard. Amazing. 160ft high. Built by the Romans chanelling water from 30 miles away with a drop of only 55 ft which equals 20 inches per mile!
Avignon. Last day. Pope Clement V set up house here when it got too hot in Rome (politics not climate change). Popes stayed there for nearly 70 years and when Gregory IX went back to Rome France appointed their own Pope! Better known, perhaps, is the bridge. Built with 22 piers, a 1000 yards long. Victim of a flood which reduced it to 4 piers. Avignon still has 39 towers and 13 gates left over from 14thC defences.
We were there
