A Three-Day Weekend in Lyon
18 December 2005 | Lyon, France
By Capts. David and Desiree
If any of you want to get a real feel of our experience in Provence, France, pick up the book "A Year in Provence," by Peter Maley. It captures the essence of living in France and is good for more than a few chuckles.
We were fortunate to have been invited to stay a long weekend in the Rhone River Valley with a family we met while cruising along the Cote Azur. We met the Pannethiers' while we were both docked on Ile de Porquerolles. Ryan and Wesley played with Annabelle, Theo and Augustine, and we enjoyed the company of Veronique and Jacques. We kept in contact with them by email and they invited us to their home outside of Lyon. We were able to coordinate time together, including a day for Ryan and Wesley to spend with their daughter at her school and be part of their Christmas celebration, crepe party and appearance from Pere Noel (aka Santa Claus).
Their house was a beautiful old farmhouse, and they had made some amazing changes to enhance the character of their home. It had a spectacular view of the Rhone River, and the river curved endlessly around the breathtaking valley. Ryan and Wesley had a wonderful day at Annabelle's school, and were able to hold their own with their French. From the moment we got there, Veronique and Jacque made us wonderful Savoie meals.
The following morning we went to one of the famous outdoor French markets in the nearby town of Vienne. The market was bustling with local food, clothing and signs of Christmas. We walked through the historical town, catching many sights of Roman ruins. As we drove through we continued to appreciate the countryside and the Rhone River. Veronique and Jacques were wonderful hosts, and surprised us with one of their favorite meals of Savoie. Kids and adults together participate in a "fondue-ish"dinner called raclette. We all placed local cheeses underneath a table top grill to melt, and then poured the melted cheese over sliced baguettes with local cured meats.
The following morning Jacques took us to one of the nearby wineries (the structure dated from 1494). We started wine tasting at 10:30 AM (never to early for wine in France). We joined some local Frenchmen in the tasting.
These friendly gentlemen were straight from central casting right down to wearing the classic French "chapeau." The winery was above the hills of the Rhone River, and we were fortunate to have another spectacular view. After another lovely meal, we hiked the countryside behind their house (in hopes, perhaps, to digest just a little!) It was Sunday evening, and time to return to Courchevel. In our minds, one of the best parts of this trip has been meeting all the wonderful people. We hope, as our travels carry on, meeting new friends will only continue.