Paradise

Our first full day on the boat, and it was brilliant. Everyone was so friendly, and the staff couldn't do enough for us. After a leisurely buffet breakfast, we headed by foot into the old town and to the Palais des Papes, the Popes' Palace. This massive complex dominates the town and is a huge touristdrawcard.

As Wikipedia tells us, it is one of the largest and most important medieval Gothic buildings in Europe. Once a fortress and palace, the papal residence was the seat of Western Christianity during the 14th century. Six papal conclaves were held in the Palais, leading to the elections of Benedict XII in 1334, Clement VI in 1342, Innocent VI in 1352, Urban V in 1362, Gregory XI in 1370 and Antipope Benedict XIII in 1394. The Palais is actually two joined buildings: the old palais of Benedict XII, which sits on the impregnable rock of Doms, and the new palais of Clement VI, the most extravagant of the Avignon popes. Together they form the largest Gothic building of the Middle Ages, it is also one of the best examples of the International Gothic architectural style.

We then had some free time, so visited the nearby Place de l'Horloge, also very picturesque, but rather too touristy for our tastes. Our guide had told us that Avignon is the third most visited place in France, after Mont St Michel and the Eiffel Tower. We were surprised, as we expected the Louvre and Versailles to be above it on the list, but either way, it's very popular.

Wandering back in the direction of the boat, we passed the famous Pont d'Avignon. We'd like to have climbed up there and taken photos - for an entry fee - but were a bit pressed for time by then, so gave it a miss. We then set off on a very short 'cruise' to Villeneuve les Avignon. All the meals are major affairs of about four courses, with all the wines and other drinks that one could possibly wish for. We knew that we'd need to pace ourselves or we'd become 15 stone alcoholics. We got to taste the local foods, wines and cheeses of each area which we visit.

After lunch, we were picked up and taken on a 30-minute drive to the renowned wine region of Chateauneuf du Pape. We started at the ruined tower which overlooks the town, providing plenty of highly photogenic views. The air was very clear, giving us a great view of the only mountain in the region, the famous Mont Ventoux, aka 'The Beast of Provence.' Plenty of good photos, we're hoping.

We got back to the boat at around 5pm and decided to take a walk to the nearby town of Avignon Villeneuve, the so-called new town. By our standards it is anything but new and is very picturesque.

Once again we were treated to a great four-course meal with unlimited local wines and any other drinks included. Brilliant.Læs mere