Aramon to Vallabrègues

The weather forecast for today was for bad weather, with lots of rain, thunder, lightning and high winds; there was even talk of a possible tornado! I decided to skip today’s ride and have an easy day, catch up on my blogging and read a bit.

The plan for those joining today’s activities was to go into Vallabrègues for a tour with a local guide followed by an altered itinerary afterwards. A number of people decided to skip the guided tour but join the group around noon for the rest of the day, and so we were able to get a card school going in the morning, which helped pass the time - even though I said I would work on my blog, the cards called me!

A smaller group left the boat and cycled the short distance into Vallabrègues, a medieval village located on the Rhône. A local guide gave them a tour of the village, including the main church and two old mansions which had been owned by wealthy families, including one of the Kings mistresses.

There was a massive rain storm while they were visiting the first house. It had been flooded along time ago, with silt making its way half way up to the ceiling. Instead of removing the silt, they built a floor over it and so the ceiling was now very, very low, making it a bit cramped and stuffy inside. Following the guided visit the group rode about 6 kms to Tarascon, an old city located on the Rhône, where they had lunch and a look around the old city. They then visited the impressive Chateau de Tarascon, where the guide from the other boat treated them to an impromptu performance of monastic singing in the chapel. There was a statue of the mythical Tarasque next to the castle, a monster which apparently ate people, but was ultimately killed by a combination of holy water and locals with spears.

They then crossed the river into Braucaire and rode out to the Troglodyte Abbey of Saint Roman. This involved a ride up hill followed by a walk up to the abbey. Here they checked out the dug-out caves and climbed to the top of the hill for great views of the countryside, including back to where the barge was moored. The group then rode back to the barge via a shorter route, crossing a dyke and a bridge on the way, for a well earned cold beer and delicious afternoon tea.

While the group was out, Katie and I walked into Vallabrègues for a bit of a wander and a coffee. The weather had cleared and we had sunshine at last. It is a lovely place and the people are all very friendly.

For dinner we had Pistou soup, Provençal quiche and chocolate mousse, everything was so good. Once again a number of us stayed up to play cards. We have learnt two new games - Seven and Knock.Читать далее