Before disembarking in Viviers, we were told that there was a little church high on the hill that was famous as being the oldest cathedral still in use…so we climbed up the highest hill only to find a statue and not much of a church at all, but one can see it in the next photo taken from that spot!

Avignon is a delightful medieval center almost totally intact and surrounded by a wall that the popes built in the 14th century. It was easy to be mesmerized by the beautiful gardens and a bridge to nowhere. The palace, cathedral and said bridge are all part of UNESCO’s World Heritage site.

Arles  is “Gaul’s Little Rome”  another of UNESCO’s  world cultural heritage sites, particularly the amphitheater.The landscape around here was also captured by  Van Gogh in many of his paintings.

Aix-en-Provence, via bus trip with the Germans…history was not translated but we enjoyed the views.

Tournon is a lovely quiet remnant of life centuries ago.

And Lyon was the start and the end of our week on the Rhone.  We did the new city before and the old city after.  I’d say that Lyon served well as travel bookends for this trip.