Recommendations for stops in Lyon, Avignon, Arles, and Nice?

We are leaving soon on GCT's Cruising Burgundy & Provence to Cote d'Azur. We will have time explore Lyon, Avignon, and Arles as well as Paris and Nice on our trip. I would love to hear from people who have visited these places as to local crafts or other products and any specific shops you might recommend? Did you buy a scarf in Lyon? A tablecloth to remind you of Provence? Pottery? Lavender products? Santons? Is there something perfect for grandchildren (3, 5, and 15)?

Any recommendations for what to do in our free time in Lyon, Avignon, or Arles? We are traveling with 3 other couples, and we probably have varied interests. and if you had time to have lunch in one of these places, where would you go?

Our Program Director has already started sharing some city maps and recommendations for things we might like to do in our free time, as well as some restaurants near our hotels in Paris and Nice. (We will have 2 nights in Paris - Millennium Opera Hotel - at the beginning and 2 nights in Nice - B4 Plaza Nice - at the end.) It is great to have these maps ahead of time and be able to do a bit of research before we leave home. But I would welcome input from fellow travelers as well. You were very helpful when traveled along the Rhine and Mosel Rivers two years ago.

Many thanks!

Lyon still has hand-made silk ateliers. We enjoyed visiting Atelier de la Soierie where they do silk screening; we were able to watch them making scarves and they had several lovely ones for sale. We also went to La Maison des Canuts, where they still weave silk and have old looms on display. And there are several silk stores in Vieux Lyon. The colors are amazing!

More details about all the ports you will be visiting in the AMA Rhone cruise portion of our France blog:

https://jazzbeauxfranceblog.wordpress.com

Some thoughts (we did this cruise in 2015)

Lyon:

- take the funicular up Fourviere hill, enjoy the view and the cathedral. Walk partway down and see the Gallo-Roman museum, the partially restored theatre, and odeon.

- enjoy the spectacular buildings around Place Bellecour.

- see if the new museum at the confluence of the Rhone and Saone is open yet (wasn't open in 2015 but the area looks cool).

- Visit Les Halles market on your own and nibble on all the interesting foods on display there.

- Walk the river promenades (or bike) and enjoy.

- Lyon is supposedly full of fantastic restaurants. No personal experience with that, though.

Arles:

- there is a combined ticket that gives entry to several Roman ruins either 9 or 12E I think. For example - the amphitheater, the (regular) theatre, underground vaults (cryptoportique), Roman baths, and a few other sites. Buy it at the visitor's information center near Place de la Republique.

- wander the charming little streets, enjoy the atmosphere. Arles is very picturesque and quaint a few blocks away from the main attractions.

- if you like Van Gogh, they have a series of plaques around town highlighting some of his paintings, at the site which inspired them. Neat.

Avignon:

- Lots of restaurants at the main square by Hotel de Ville

- Walk uphill from Palais de Papes, visit the cathedral (was under construction and closed when we were there), then keep going uphill until you get to jardin des doms. Nice panoramic view of the countryside, the pont d'Avignon, and the town across the Rhone (with its imposing Fort St-Andre).

- you have to walk on the bridge. It's about 5E for a tour with audioguide included. Cool!

- you can also walk some of the city walls between the jardin and the bridge.

More details about most of these things in my trip report; link in signature below. Sorry that we are terrible shoppers so I can't give you any advice at all about what to buy...

Enjoy your trip!

We have done this itinerary twice and loved it! Lyon is one of our favorite cities in France and we added time there on both trips.

We are foodies and enjoy wine, therefore the wonderful markets in France are what we gravitate to and the things we often purchase to bring home.

We purchased truffle salt, herbs de Provence, specialty mustards, dried mushrooms, hand made French chocolates. Don't miss Valrhona chocolate store in Tain-l'Hermitage.

We participated in several wine tastings and also joined a hike to the very top of a vineyard which was a work out but the views were stunning!

I research restaurants and wine bars for our trips and we always look forward to these in Provence especially.

Enjoy!

I don't have shopping recommendations just a cautionary note. We stayed at a hotel on the square in Arles which is also the setting for Van Goughs painting - the yellow cafe. The caution is while the cafe is scenic, do not eat there. We were advised strongly against this on numerous occasions at our hotel.

Arles and Nice are both very enjoyable. We did both on our own a couple of years ago. Enjoy.

I agree about Arles. It's charming just to walk around, watch the locals. There is another Van Gogh sight, the famous bridge that he painted multiple times, but it's a bit out of town, can't remember how far (we biked there, but it was decades ago.)

We were on a Viking Rhone cruise in April. Out of Arles, they offered an optional tour that went to Carrieres de Lumieres and Les Baux. Carrieres de Lumieres is an old limestone quarry where they project art on the walls accompanied by music. For example, we had Hieronomus Bosch's Garden of Earthly Delights accompanied by Led Zeppelin's Stairway to Heaven! It is mind-blowing, I highly recommend it, if available. Les Baux was okay, medieval village but very crowded and touristy. We had been to Perouges earlier in our cruise and liked that better, smaller and not so busy.

We were on a Viking Rhone cruise in April. Out of Arles, they offered an optional tour that went to Carrieres de Lumieres and Les Baux. Carrieres de Lumieres is an old limestone quarry where they project art on the walls accompanied by music. For example, we had Hieronomus Bosch's Garden of Earthly Delights accompanied by Led Zeppelin's Stairway to Heaven! It is mind-blowing, I highly recommend it, if available.

AMA includes this in their Provence itinerary, and it got rave reviews. We will definitely include next trip. Also Pont du Gard.

Caviargal - We love Lyon too and plan to go back next year. Do you have any restaurants that you would recommend?

Thanks.

Wow! Thank you all for your helpful input! I have just put all of your suggestions into a word document to print out and share with our fellow travelers.

Jazzbeau and Jpalpny, thank you for your suggestions and the links to your blogs. Hoping to have time to look at them before we leave.

Caviargal, I appreciated your ideas on what one might buy. (We will have two foodies - gourmet cooks - in our group.)

Truckmaker, thank you for cautioning us about the cafe!

Wendy, sounds like my camera (and I) will be very busy in Arles trying to take in all there is to see and then bring home a few digital souvenirs.

LFS517, I appreciate your input on the tour to Carrieres de Lumieres and Les Baux. GCT also makes this available as an optional tour.

Thanks again!

For children and yourself and every other person with a sweet tooth you could get some nougat, the soft variety: https://www.montelimar-tourisme.com/en/local-produce/montelimar-nougat/ You could get some herbs de Provence or lavender honey.

When I was in Provence I did buy the typical style with olives motif cotton, but I was not so keen on the multi-coloured tablecloths I bought some napkins. The quality was very good.

Arles is a great place, perhaps you will be able to see Orange as well. The amphitheatre is used for concerts: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roman_Theatre_of_Orange

I have fond memories of that part of France, the small towns are so interesting and Pont du Gard is stunning.

I am sure you will have a great time.

notamermaid

Lyon is the spot for foodies. We find that with GCT skipping lunch on the ship to eat in town works out well. If I were in your shoes, I'd email the PD and ask for suggestions, and perhaps even reservations. At least one PD on that itinerary is a foodie.

Notamermaid, thank you for your input. I will look for the soft nougat.

CPT, yes, we did skip lunch on the ship a few times on our last cruise to eat in town with GCT, and thought we might be able to do that in Lyon. Our program director, Jean Philippe, has already shared maps and suggestions for Paris, Lyon, Avignon, and Nice.

The two restaurants listed for Lyon are:

- Bouchon Chabert et Fils (traditional Lyon restaurant): rue des marroniers - 30EUR

- Tête d’Oie 1 michelin star restaurant : 4 Rue du Professeur Pierre Marion, 69005, Lyonsplendid view from 65€ to 130€

I would welcome input on these restaurants or other recommendations in Lyon. Thanks!

The restaurants that our Program Director mentioned being near our hotel in Paris are:

Corner Haussmann - 28, boulevard Haussmann – 75009 Paris

Le Manoir - 34, boulevard Haussmann - 75009 Paris

Le Triadou Haussmann - 80 Boulevard Haussmann, 75008 Paris

Bouillon Chartier - 7 rue du Faubourg Montmartre | 75009 Paris

Cojean Haussmann (soups and sandwiches) - 64 boulevard Haussmann, 75009 Paris, France

Any input on these or another restaurant somewhat near our hotel? Mixed reviews on Trip Advisor for some of these. (I am used to reading and writing reviews for TA so I know these can be a mixed bag.)

Looks like there are lots of great options for restaurants in Nice!

Thanks again. We leave on Thursday so trying to wrap up the final preparations!

I'm on that same GCT trip a few weeks after the OP, so I too thank everyone for their suggestions! Sapphire, please come back and tell us how it all went. Bon voyage!

I'm on that same GCT trip a few weeks after the OP, so I too thank everyone for their suggestions! Sapphire, please come back and tell us how it all went. Bon voyage!

I will try to write a trip report after our trip. May do a brief one while traveling and then one with photos later.

It would have been fun to have you on the same trip we are on!

I will try to write a trip report after our trip. May do a brief one while traveling and then one with photos later.

I hope that you can do a trip report with photos. Very much enjoyed your last one!

Agree with JP, your last photo review was great!

Not to mention, we just booked a Provence cruise on the SS Catherine for next year. I've already looked at JP and Jazzbeau's trip reports, and the more the merrier!

Robin

I'm on that same GCT trip a few weeks after the OP, so I too thank everyone for their suggestions! Sapphire, please come back and tell us how it all went. Bon voyage!

Barrheadlass, we are just back from our trip and it was wonderful! Since we just got home last night, it will take me a while to post a full trip report with photos.

But here are a few notes that you may find helpful:

Friday, Sept 8 - Arrival, walking tour near hotel, lunch & dinner on our own

Lovely hotel. We had a room on one of the upper floors and while we looked out on several rooftops, we could also see Sacre Couer!

Tip: We had a wonderful dinner at Au Petit Riche! http://www.restaurant-aupetitriche.com/en/

(We were traveling with 3 other couples and sampled several different dishes, including the French onion soup, escargot, frog legs, beef tartare, Baba au Rhum, etc. We found the food and the service to be excellent! It was one of our favorite restaurants on the trip.)

Saturday - Bus tour of Paris, free time in the afternoon, dinner together

Tip: We chose to visit Musee de l'Orangerie to see Monet's paintings of the water lilies. It is within walking distance from the hotel but it was a little rainy so we took 2 taxis (because we had 8 people). If you take a taxi, write out the name and address of the destination! One taxi dropped off his passengers at Musee d'Orsay....

Sunday - Bus trip to Macon with light lunch at a lovely winery in Burgundy

Our program director added an informal walking tour of Macon after dinner. I went on the walk and was glad I did.

Monday - Sailing to Lyon, Afternoon Tour of Lyon

After the tour, we took the funicular up to the cathedral (Basilique Notre Dame de Fourviere) and then walked down to see the Roman theaters.

Tip: We were also offered the chance to visit a silk store (Soierie Saint-Georges) in Vieux Lyon where father and son have several looms where they still weave silk. This was a highlight for us as the son explained the process and demonstrated weaving on the jacquard loom.

Tuesday - Visit a French market in Lyon, Evening Cruise of Illuminated Lyon

After visiting the market, we went back to the silk store to buy some scarves when it was less crowded. Some of us stopped in the puppet store nearby. (My little grandchildren love the pop up puppets - made in Germany - that I bought there!).

There was a lecture in the late afternoon about the French Resistance. We were fortunate to have a former member of the Resistance come on board and share some of his experiences, assisted by a younger man who gave us a power point presentation.

Tip: Highly recommend going up to the sun deck for the evening cruise of Lyon all lit up at night! You can hear the music by Alix (singing) and Jo (playing the accordion) while on the top deck.

Wednesday - Tour of Vienne, Home hosted visits

We enjoyed seeing the Roman ruins in Vienne (baths, forum, part of a road) and stopping by a store where we bought some coffee grounds and the soft nougat recommended by Notamermaid. And as usual with GCT, the home hosted visit was a highlight of the trip!

Thursday - Walking tour of Viviers, sail to Avignon

We enjoyed seeing Viviers and love the pottery bowl that we bought here. Spent a lot of time on the sun deck as we sailed to Avignon. This was also the day we went through the deepest lock in France (75 ft). The plan was to have us experience going through the lock before lunch was served but there was a delay to allow another boat to go through with us.

Tip: Try to go up on the sun deck for a few minutes while sailing through the lock, even if you are in the middle of eating lunch. (I didn't but heard from another photographer that it was well worth while.)

Friday - Walking Tour of Avignon, Optional Tour in Afternoon, Farewell Dinner

We enjoyed the guided tour of Avignon which included the papal palace. We enjoyed seeing the frescoes there. I heard good things about the optional tour to Carrieres de Lunieres and Les Beaux but didn't end up going. We considered visiting Pont du Gard as an alternative but ended up spending a little more time exploring Avignon instead.

Saturday - Arles and Visit to the Bull Farm in the Camargue

We started with a great tour of Arles, followed by free time to shop. Entrance to the museums and Roman ruins were free this weekend (patrimony days) so our program director added the Roman colliseum to our tour. (Usually you see the walls of the colliseum from the outside during the walking tour.)

I had asked JP, our program director, to recommend a place where I could purchase santons and he recommended a store in Arles that had an extensive selection.

The afternoon visit to the Camargue region was great! (see tip below)

That evening, our program director offered another optional walking tour at night because Arles was having a parade to celebrate the beginning of the rice harvest. Five of us went with JP to view the parade which included lots of people dressed in traditional clothing.

(Note: During our walking tour, we passed restaurant where they were cooking paella outside in a huge skillet. Some fellow passengers had lunch there and said the paella was wonderful!)

Tip: During the GCT visit to the bull farm, you will board a wagon to go see the bulls and watch the gardian (French cowboys) drive them toward the wagon. The people seated on the bench to the left side (as you get on the wagon) get a good view of the bulls being driven to the wagon. And a wonderful view of the gardians all riding up to the wagon at the end. We were seated on the bench to the right and had a good view of the bulls as many of them ended up on this side of the wagon. (There was also a bench in the middle.) If you are traveling with friends, you may want to try to split up so that you can share photos and video later?

Sunday - Disembark in Arles, Visit Rhone American Cemetery, arrive in Nice

While this cemetery is relatively small, we found it a moving experience to visit this cemetery. (There was a group of French children visiting the cemetery and a French family bringing their children to visit as well.) In Nice we had a quick orientation to show us a variety of places where we could eat lunch before a lovely walking tour of the Old Town.

Tip: We enjoyed having lunch at Le Safari (traditional Nicoise dishes) and our dinners at two small family run restaurants where the locals eat: La Femme du Boulanger and Restaurant Davia (cash preferred at the latter). But there are many good options!

Monday - Free day to explore Nice

Some of us took the hop and hop off bus in the morning, then went back to Old Town in the afternoon to do some shopping before the group met for a farewell drink.

P.S. Barrheadlass, our program director (Jean Philippe Ruzé) offered several extras that you may or may not experience if you have a different program director, are taking the trip in the reverse direction, etc. I mentioned two evening walks that he offered, but I think he offered one or two other evening walks as well. Our group of 4 couples felt that JP was an excellent program director!

Glad you had a great trip! You hit a few places that we didn't, but almost all of them are on our list for the next visit. I wish the JP guiding you along on this trip had been me... :(

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