Back when we chose this trip in 2019, we had just recently taken a wine class on Hermitage. The idea of drinking wine from this famous hill, on top of the hill. called out to us. Actually, at first, we LOVED the idea of hiking up to the top of Hermitage and toasting at the top. We had such great intentions of getting into hiking shape and France was our carrot… We started off in February of 2020, diligently looking forward to summer 2021! We were going to be hiking FOOLS by then. Instead, we fell victim to the 2020 malaise. No, no, we didn’t get sick -we got even MORE lazy. We let pandemic become our excuse and were NOT prepared for the hike up Hermitage. Still, we were considering it. We’re very overweight, but otherwise physically healthy – no ailments. After the fact, we heard from our friends that very few who started the hike actually completed it. A group of six made their way all the way to the top. Many others just strolled along the hill. It may have been wise to separate the hiking groups by ability level. After our first few days in France, walking around five or six miles a day, we decided it was just too hot to trudge up that hill, so we were so glad to have selected the Masterpiece Collection where we were taken in a van to the top.

When we opened the drapes that morning, we looked out to swans. I can definitely see why the impressionists spent so much time in the French countryside, and the amount of swans on that river just take my breath away. We saw them EVERYWHERE.

On this day, we ate a quick breakfast, then went outside to wait for the van. The start to the trip put me a little off kilter. There were three couples standing outside by the arch and many people milling around waiting for the hike up Hermitage or the walking tour of Tournon. Tournon and Hermitage are two towns separated by the Rhone River, each has a spectacular view of the other. We were to do our tasting at Hermitage, then we’d be driven to Tournon.

We joined the small group, believing it to be ours. We were told that they also were going to the private tasting on top of Hermitage. I introduced myself and Richard to the group of six. One of the other couples told me their names, then said, “But I’m not going to even pretend to try to remember anyone, whatever.” It’s likely she was just being funny, but it left me feeling a little uncomfortable and embarrassed.

Then, to continue with my “too much personal information” portion of this blog, our van pulled up. Our guide was FANTASTIC. He was an English teacher from Tournon. I mused to myself how, although he was born and raised in France, he spoke English with a British accent. Then, I thought, “Um… what do you expect, Tamara? He learned to speak English here. Did you expect him to sound like he’s from Kentucky?” Anyway, the van was a nine person van, and there were eight of us, plus the guide. I mention my size again because it’s a source of embarrassment for me. I have struggled with my weight and eating disorders my entire life. I have done every program and every plan (short of surgery). I have had massive successes and massive failures for the last 41 years of my life. The times my weight bothers me most, though, are when I have to make OTHERS uncomfortable due to my downfall, and that was the case climbing into this van. My husband is quite tall (6’3) and big man as well. The guide suggested that he sit in the front. Then, the group suggested I sit up front with my husband. Ohhhhh….my…. I squeezed myself in there like I was Pillsbury dough going back in the can, but I was ashamed and uncomfortable squeezing this poor, kind guide. This is no one’s fault but my own, but it was starting to set my mood for the next hour. Also, I sort of felt the need for a restroom, but I thought we’d find one when we went for our tasting. (I’m not sure why I thought that).

We began the drive to the top of the hill, passing the Cave de Tain on the way. This was the organization that employed our guide. We drove to the top of Hermitage where our guide drove the van off to a dirt flat and stopped. Then, began to get a table and folding chairs out of the back of the van. OH! We were tasting RIGHT HERE in the middle of the vines! What an amazing (and restroomless) place to be!

The views were more beautiful than any I had seen yet on the trip. I so wish pictures could get the depth that truly showed the breathtaking majesty of it all. There were were looking at Hermitage, St. Joseph, Crozes Hermitage… it was all RIGHT THERE!

It was so windy on the top it was difficult to get the table and the wine glasses to stay in place, but our guide soldiered on. I’m upset that I didn’t take more pictures of the tasting itself, but I was distracted by the wind and the minor turmoil in my head! It’s always best to drink wine in a good mood; it makes the wine taste better. I’m actually not kidding. That’s something new I learned on the trip. It has something to do with the way the pH levels in your body react with the wine. It could be a bunch of hooey, but it seemed interesting because I’m sad to say, I don’t really remember the tastes of these wines. My husband, however, who is quite the oenophile, said that they were exceptional. I’ll believe him! What’s NOT to like about Marsanne and Roussanne? The first white we had was a blend, the second 100% Marsanne. Then, we had the two reds: one was a St. Joseph, the other a Hermitage. Both wines 100% Syrah – one of my favorite grapes. Hermitage has always been one of my favorite regions.

The plus side about having a taste of wine when your mood is a little off, is that it usually brightens things. This was the case on top of Hermitage, too. I relaxed some and started to feel better and enjoyed our “Pillsbury can” drive back to the other side of the river. The guide and I talked about teaching secondary English. Sadly, he has found the same struggles in France that I am having in the US. The guide bid us “adieu” and dropped us off for a wine brotherhood ceremony at Château des Seigneurs de Tournon (which DID have a restroom!) This was another excursion that was part of the connoisseur collection. The ceremony was a little silly but fun. The highlight was standing atop the hill, looking back at Hermitage from where we had just come, drinking the wines of the region. It was equally amazing to see the views from the other side.

Hermitage was one of our early departure days, and we were to set sail for Viviers around noon, so we decided to duck out of the excursion early and walk back over the suspension bridge to Hermitage to hopefully check out some of the tasting rooms before we needed to walk back to the boat. We were successful visiting both Jaboulet and Chapoutier. Again, these were producers I have admired and enjoyed for the last fifteen years. To be in their tasting rooms was a literal dream come true! After paying thousands of dollars in wine tasting fees over the last decades, it was amazing to us that almost all of the tastings we encountered in France were free, and the price of the bottles was so reasonable!

We went back to the ship for lunch; then had SEVERAL hours before we were to arrive in Viviers. All times are approximate because of the lock system. You never know whether you will have to wait for other boats. I found the locks fascinating! When on the lower levels of the boat, you were completely surrounded in thick, concrete walls, They are so close on both sides, you can literally reach out and touch them. There are a mere three inches on each side. The boat becomes very dark. When on the sundeck, however, you see the whole “show.” It is amazing to watch as the boat is lowered and the gates are opened for the next portion of the river, and you can literally see the river at your sides above you.

I actually enjoyed the half day of river sailing time. It led to a forced relaxation and gave time to do laundry. Often on trips I feel I have fill every single second with DOING something. But, on the boat, we couldn’t do much but ride and relax. We went to the cocktail informational hour. That night was to be the 20’s theme party after dinner. To be completely honest, this is something I was somewhat dreading. I do not like costume type parties at all. I don’t want to be a wet blanket for others, but I do not enjoy them. I knew that Uniworld was doing them on all cruises this year. I also knew that it wasn’t particularly well advertised. I needn’t have worried. I would say about 20-30 people dressed up, and they seemed to greatly enjoy it! I was happy for them. There was not, however, really any kind of “party” to go with it.

We shared one of our bottles of wine at the cocktail hour before going to dinner with our friends where MOST were willing to branch out and try frog legs. I’ve had them before. These were good, but I’ve never had them without a finger bowl, so they were messy. Overall, I would call this the best meal of the trip. The pork tenderloin was amazing!

It was an absolutely beautiful night for going up to the sundeck for a nightcap with friends as we pulled into Viviers.

Waiting for us on the dock was our entertainment for the night. We watched as we docked, the gangplank was quickly lowered from the sundeck with a pully system, and the dancers ran on board. The whole thing took less than five minutes. Richard was tired, so he went to bed. I went back down to the Van Gogh lounge to find our friends and watch some dancing. The original plan was to watch a demonstration, then learn a few dances ourselves. However, we had docked late, so the former professional ballroom dancer and his wife went through five or six dances, and five or six costumes before having time to do only one group dance. I’m not sure where the 20s part of the evening came in, except one of the dances was from the 20s. I thought it was fun, nevertheless.

But it was a late night, and an early morning was ahead as we were to spend the next morning exploring the village of Viviers and the afternoon at a truffle farm and the village of Grignon before catching the boat in Chateauneuf du pape in order to set sail, then dock in Avignon for the night.