Martigues, one of the

Martigues, one of the coastal gems of Provence.It’s astonishing just how diverse the route is overa relatively short distance of around 300km (180miles) and how many cultural treasures there areto discover en route.Avignon and aroundAvignonSunset on the River Rhône at Tournon-sur-RhôneDiscover the richesof the Rhône Valleyfrom the river RhôneKnown for centuries as the Rhône Sauvage,after its ferocious nature, the Rhône river hasbeen largely calmed over the years thanks tothe creation of locks and dams which havenow made it a fabulous cruise destination forexploring valleys of vineyards, picturesquevillages, historic cities and the Camargue, anarea of outstanding natural beauty. JanineMarsh explores the riches of the Rhône Valleyby boat…The Rhône river runs for 505 miles,starting in the Swiss Alps and ending in theMediterranean Sea near Arles. I joined a6-day cruise (CroisiEurope.co.uk) which tookin some of the most beautiful sites alongthe banks of the Rhône Valley from Lyon toAvignon is the capital of the Vauclusedepartment in Provence, southern France.It’s the world-famous seat of the 14th-centuryPopes. Their former home is the greatestGothic palace in Europe and UNESCO WorldHeritage listed. Avignon is also home to afamous medieval bridge which inspired a songknown around the world. Only half the bridgeremains, the rest carried away by persistentflooding on the once very wild river. Avignonis small enough to get a feel for its manyattractions on foot from where the boat docks.There’s even time to dance on the bridge!The city is close to many of the most famousand loved Provence villages and our tourmanaged to fit in two of them – Les Bauxde-Provenceand St-Rémy-de-Provencewhich are just minutes from each otherthough quite different.I visited on a rainy day, but the charms of St-Rémy were not dampened. Plane-tree shadedsquares, elegant streets, cafés filled with localschilling over coffee or wine, tinkling fountains– this little town is a photographer’s dream.38 | The Good Life France The Good Life France | 39