Bit of a Blog - M/S Chardonnay - Cote d'Azur to Paris - August 1st 2013

[NorbertsNiece]

We took a cab back to the boat.... this picture really doesn't do the driver justice but it was hung with many flyers.....

 

 

Lunch

 

 

 

 

On the way to the quarry we passed fields of sunflowers

 

[NorbertsNiece]

Our cruise ends tomorrow. We will be debarking at 2pm and spending 2 nights in Lyon, hotel yet to be advised but on a full board basis. Various excursions will be organised. We head for Paris on Friday for the 3 nights already included as part of the itinerary. The crane from Marseille has yet to arrive at the lock.

 

I spent the day on board mostly, chilling. Walked in to town earlier; charming little village with a few shops and a medieval castle.

 

Cruise Critic picked up a post from me here

[Jason12]

Wow shame the river cruising part was cut short, hope there's some reimbursement...

[NorbertsNiece]

It's 10pm and I'm pretty much the only one still up here.... I have a double Bailey's to keep me company and no-one to witness the consequences.

 

I do hope you will continue to follow on even though we will be on land...

Here are some pics from the quarry visit. I can't do the interiors justice with my camera.

 

 

Here is the interior, plain with no projected images..... I hope you get a sense of just how high the ceiling is.

 

 

Giverny, you are walking on lily pads.....

 

 

Images are projected on the walls :

 

 

 

Dancers move across the scene..... they are able to bring static images to life

 

Edited August 6, 2013 by NorbertsNiece

[NorbertsNiece]

A double Bailey's and I am unable to post without errors.... time to head below decks.....

 

They show a movie a day on the TV continuously..... SKYnews broadcast live too....

 

They've shown : Julie & Julia, Lust for Life and Cabaret..... I can name those films as I recognise them....

[PH8]

Our cruise ends tomorrow. We will be debarking at 2pm and spending 2 nights in Lyon, hotel yet to be advised but on a full board basis. Various excursions will be organised. We head for Paris on Friday for the 3 nights already included as part of the itinerary. The crane from Marseille has yet to arrive at the lock.

 

I spent the day on board mostly, chilling. Walked in to town earlier; charming little village with a few shops and a medieval castle.

 

Cruise Critic picked up a post from me here

did you notice??

Cruise Critic member NorbertsNiece -- who is currently stuck onboard Grand Circle's MS Chardonnay waiting for the lock to clear so his vessel can pass through:p

[beverlyjack]

I'm sorry to hear of the premature end of the cruise portion of your trip, but such is the nature of river cruising, just as ocean storms are part of the nature of ocean cruising. How well the company and the passengers deal with the unforeseen circumstances will be the true measure of the trip. Please continue to post, as we are interested in this trip in the future.

[NorbertsNiece]

did you notice??

Cruise Critic member NorbertsNiece -- who is currently stuck onboard Grand Circle's MS Chardonnay waiting for the lock to clear so his vessel can pass through:p

 

No, I didn't!! Chuckle.

 

I did however note my own spelling mistake..... win some lose some I guess!

[NorbertsNiece]

4 am.

We are under way.

I am woken by the racket from the engines.

Not sure if I should say damn or yayy!!! :eek:

[NorbertsNiece]

Breakfast :

 

 

I take a walk in to town to find a pharmacy

 

 

Tourists everywhere! From another boat.... the one that is to be stuck in the lock later on.... I went back to see if I could get a shot of the pretty street but there was a delivery van parked there at that time.....

 

 

 

 

Kitten wanted to play....

 

Edited August 7, 2013 by NorbertsNiece

[NorbertsNiece]

Viviers contd :

 

 

 

 

Pigeon pic

 

 

 

Edited August 7, 2013 by NorbertsNiece

[NorbertsNiece]

Croque monsieur

 

 

Goats cheese everywhere !

 

 

Iced tea served with lunch (wine can be purchased)

 

 

We are stuck at a lock for ages and I grab a couple of pics.... little did we know that we would be turning around to berth elsewhere. There is a road that runs in front of the lock.... that has to have been affected too.

 

 

 

We are treated to a demonstration of how to make crepes suzette...

 

Edited August 7, 2013 by NorbertsNiece

[NorbertsNiece]

Making the sauce....

 

 

DIY and pancake flipping

 

 

We are bussed to Tournon.... our sister ship, the Provence, is similarly stranded but at least in a relative metropolis.

 

 

We are hosted by the Michel family.

 

 

They grow a lot of vegetables in their garden.

 

 

They built a small pool alongside

 

[NorbertsNiece]

They are set up to seat 15!

 

 

 

 

We show them on a map where we are all from.... I am standing somewhere in the Atlantic!!

 

 

Me and 2 of the girls.....

 

 

Kir aperitif

 

[NorbertsNiece]

Salad starter.... and they a GF cracker for me..... so thoughtful

 

 

Robert is a chef.....dishing up ratatouille

 

 

We have it with a pepper crumble and a sausage

 

 

Cheese

 

 

The lovely family

 

 

Dessert with apricots from a friend's tree.

 

[NorbertsNiece]

 

Laundry list from the boat

 

 

Pics from Cruas (Tuesday) where we have been stranded for a day

 

 

I am served lunch by myself in peace....

 

 

 

I walk into the village

 

[NorbertsNiece]

It's quite a long road.... you can just see the castle on the hillside

 

 

Outside the Town Hall they have this :

 

 

And this..... I am a F1 fan!

 

 

 

It's a steep walk up to the medieval castle

 

 

Up and up.....

 

[NorbertsNiece]

 

I'm there!!

 

 

 

After walking around the castle I head back down. The village has a number of little stores but I was particularly impressed with this parking spot outside the pharmacy..... wish we had this in the UK

 

 

 

[NorbertsNiece]

The others are now back on board after their long ride to and from Lyon. They had lunch at a restaurant and had a guide take them to different places.

 

 

Mimosa!! (Buck's Fizz)

 

 

 

 

 

[NorbertsNiece]

My friend Mr Bailey

 

 

We are motoring along this morning (Wednesday) trying to make up time.

It is pouring with rain as I write. We are travelling through several locks without incident.... the wild birds are lovely....

 

 

Olivia holds a raffle where every room wins something typically French

 

 

I win this....

 

[NorbertsNiece]

The pic of Robert and Florence Michel and their family has turned sideways for some reason and I am too late to edit.....

 

Here it is again....

 

OK.... it is the right way round on Photobucket but turns sideways here..... will try and sort it out when I get home.

Edited August 7, 2013 by NorbertsNiece

[newfirsttimer]

The photo was showing just fine for me. Glad the lock opened for your passage. Is it now fixed or did they just let your boat through?

[NorbertsNiece]

The photo was showing just fine for me. Glad the lock opened for your passage. Is it now fixed or did they just let your boat through?

 

My understanding is that the hydraulics for the gates had been ruptured preventing them opening. Somehow they managed to fix them so that we could pass through. I have no idea what happened to the 2 vessels that had been damaged inside. Hopefully somebody on board the AMA boat will report back but I believe they will have moved on to the rest of their tour (they are on a 21 day grand tour using different vessels) certainly the boat is due to pick up new passengers to head back south tomorrow....

 

Our sister ship, the Provence, was not so fortunate, as apparently they had debarked their passengers so they weren't actually on board at 3am....

[NorbertsNiece]

We have pulled in to Vienne; an unscheduled stop but gives us the opportunity to go ashore and visit a Roman museum. I've had a look on 'wiki' and it looks lovely. However, it is bucketing down with rain and I'm not sure I can get into my trainers as my foot is still swollen from the bite and blister.... have been mostly barefoot on board. If it stops raining I may go ashore for a wander round later.

 

Captain's farewell drinks and dinner tonight.... we actually debark on Friday.... more canapés! Tenderloin on the menu along with a number of other courses. Norbert and Alice have been invited to dine with the Captain.... awwww.

 

More on what's on TV : Movie of the day is 'Saving Private Ryan' and I've stumbled across Hilary Swank and Richard Gere in a film about Amelia Earhart which has been shown before.... don't think they want us in our rooms! Lol

Edited August 7, 2013 by NorbertsNiece

[Mimosa09]

Thanks for posting this thread about your trip. The photos are wonderful! We are considering this itinerary, just not sure which company to go with (Tauck, Vantage or AMA). Your pics of the food have been quite helpful selling my husband on the idea (such a foodie!), however your mosquito bite has confirmed his fear of bugs getting on a river boat:o. Wonder if there is a mosquito problem in April or May? Anyone know?

 

Glad to hear you were able to continue on with your trip after they resolved the lock problem. Love all the pictures of what you are seeing too. I am also intrigued with the idea of eating at the various host families along the way. Really nice!

 

Thanks again for posting this thread - so helpful!

 

-Rose