Peter and I both spent the first day of quarantine (after we got back from being tested) in our respective cabins resting and watching out the window as the ship turned around and headed back to Lyon.
When we awoke the ship was docked next to Lyon’s riverside promenade, much favoured by cyclists, runners, dog walkers and the like. Passengers were off to sample Lyon’s culinary delights today – or at least that was the one we would have chosen. We waited for everybody to get off, then emerged, blinking, into the sunlight. Cabins on these vessels are just large enough for a bed and access to the bathroom. They’re really not designed to be lived in without a break. Since neither of us felt bad or displayed symptoms, we snuck off for a walk along the bank, and then into town to visit the pharmacy.
This part of Lyon wasn’t specially picturesque but we noticed that the shops were all closed. So was the pharmacy – but a note said it would open at 2pm. The south of France is much more laid back – shops are closed for lunch. It being about 1:30, we amused ourselves watching the traffic until opening time. There are road rules, of course, but they were bent, especially by e-scooters, bikes, and the police.
The following day SS Catherine was tied up at the twin towns of Tournon and Tain-l’Hermitage. The area is famous for its fine wine and all the day’s excursions involved wine tastings. But not for us. We went ashore for a look around the nearest village, Tain-l’Hermitage.
We didn’t enter the church but just outside there is a statue of a young couple, Jeanne be Bourbon and the future Charles V, King of France. They were both twelve, and second cousins, so they needed papal dispensation to marry, presumably in this very church. Apparently Jeanne had problems with mental health and probably passed the ailment on to her son, Charles VI (the Mad). She died at 41 in childbirth. Having babies wasn’t safe in those days.
There’s a map on one side of the plinth. At that time l’Angleterre included a very large portion (all) of current France’s Atlantic coast and Burgundy was still a powerful state.
We had a great view of Tournon’s old city as we cruised past.
If you’re new to this journey and want to find other parts of the trip, go to France 2022. That page has all the posts.
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