It's hard to believe there is anyone in the world not thinking about France after the Paris 2024 Olympic Games. What a spectacle and such a great success for our Aussie team. No one had to ask me twice to head over.
With 51 rivers running through the country, the itineraries seem endless but I spent two weeks sailing the Rhône and Saône rivers on Scenic's Spectacular South of France river cruise . Watch the videos above. READ MORE: Eight things about Perth that will surprise first-timers Kicking off in Lyon, the food capital of France , was a treat for all the senses.
The Paul Bocuse market has more than 50 stalls with all the best French produce. It was a tough choice but I was happy to walk out with a couple of Lyonnaise cheeses and a baguette for lunch. Très magnifique! With Scenic you can choose to take a guided tour or explore on your own and in Lyon there is loads to discover, including secret passageways known as traboules.
There are about 500 of these traboules that were used by silk weavers to transport their wares across the city. These days most of them are closed to the public but there are still some that can be found using a phone app - Traboules by Lyon Tourism and Convention. READ MORE: Travel expert shares number one must-have item for trip to Japan From Lyon we cruised along the Saône to the history rich town of Beaune, deep in Burgundy wine country.
The main attraction is Les Hospices de Beaune, a hospital built for the poor in the 15th century. It was the only hospital in Beaune until 1971 and the building is still as magnificent today as it was all those centuries ago. Cruising with Scenic is always a pleasure but truffle night is next level.
Each course of the dinner included truffles - the dessert was a chocolate fondant with truffle infused chantilly cream, and yes, it was as amazing as it sounds. There are more casual dining options available and when the weather is good the crew set up a BBQ lunch on the top deck so you can eat and watch the wonders of France glide by. Now you can't come to France without visiting a chateau or two.
Scenic stops at several including Chateau de Cormatin, built in 1606. After hundreds of years of playing host to the rich and famous the chateau fell into ruin but three friends pooled their money in the 1980s and decided to restore it. Chatting to one of those friends, Pierre-Albert, it's safe to say it was a lot more time, money and effort than they first anticipated but it has all been worth it - it really is stunning.
Sitting on the banks of the Rhône was our next stop, Avignon, home to the Pope's Palace, which was the papal capital of the world for 60 years in the 1300s. It's also the location for a spectacular Scenic Enrich event, an exclusive gala dinner and private classical concert inside the palace. Heavenly! Nearby Avignon is Gordes, officially named one of the most beautiful villages in France.
Built on a mountain top with an abbey as its centrepiece it thrived for centuries due to a dye, deep red in colour, that was produced from the local ochre. After an earthquake hit in 1909 and chemical dyes were developed in the 20th century the village died and people abandoned their homes. As often happens, artists re-discovered the place and today it's filled with cafes, boutiques and galleries.
There's always great Scenic Freechoice options to choose from, some passive and some more active. I was feeling energetic so grabbed myself a kayak and headed out on the Gardon river. The trip included some fast flowing sections and some nice leisurely parts but the star attraction was seeing the Pont du Gard, a 2000 year old Roman built aqueduct.
Everything onboard Scenic Sapphire is ultra-luxury, including the suites, butler service and all the meals but one thing I really loved was Scenic Culinaire - a cooking class on board with the chef. This was my chance to improve my skills and come away with a recipe to try out at home. Coq au vin is a classic French recipe that sounds fancy but to be honest wasn't too hard.
It's basically chicken cooked in red wine and it tasted amazing. Back on dry land, the nearby hilltop village of Les Baux offered one of the most impressive panoramas of the region. Famous for its ancient castle but also where bauxite, the core ingredient of aluminium was first discovered.
It's now home to Carriere de Lumieres where an old quarry has been transformed into an incredible light show, the canvas made up of 7000m2 of limestone walls. Heading north along the Rhône once again and we docked at Viviers, a village that has remained basically unchanged since the 1300s. There are hidden courtyards and houses carved into the hillside that hold many secrets behind their doors.
Nearby is the Ardeche National Park, home to some massive limestone caves which amazingly were discovered by a shepherd in 1887 who lost his goat and the good news is, he found his goat and some of France's most grand and accessible caves. To round out the trip we headed about 30 minutes out of Lyon to the village of Perouges. It was like walking onto a movie set with its cobblestone streets.
But what I was most taken with was the local delicacy, the galette. It is a very thin slice of brioche bread with loads of butter and tonnes of sugar and it was delicious. The perfect way to finish up my time cruising through France.
Watch Getaway this Saturday at 5:30pm on 9 and 9Now to see David's second France episode plus visit www.9Now.com.
au/getaway-goes-to-france for loads of great French inspiration..
