Tournon – a return visit
We visited Tournon back in the days of covid, where we conducted our own tour of the town. That time we parked on the Tain-l’Hermitage side of the river. It was a lot warmer that day than today.
Tournon itself has been important for centuries. It grew up as a fortified town on the right bank of the Rhône, dominated by its castle which dates back to the Middle Ages. The river was the great highway of southern France, and controlling a crossing point like this meant trade, tolls, and influence. The castle still sits above the town as a reminder that this was once a strategic stronghold, not just a pretty stop for tourists.
Across the river lies Tain-l’Hermitage, a very different place in character. Where Tournon was about defence and control, Tain developed around trade, particularly wine. This is Hermitage country, one of the most famous wine regions in France, and for centuries barrels have moved through here along the Rhône. The river tied the two towns together economically, even while they belonged to different provinces in earlier times, sometimes even rival jurisdictions watching each other across the water.
The bridge between them, now so photogenic, represents more than just a convenient crossing. It links two towns that grew up with different roles but depended on the same river. One guarded it, the other prospered from it.
Back on our river cruise, I’d developed one of those coughs that was sure as eggs going to end up in my chest. I know this from experience. One of the joys of travelling, especially in cold and windy conditions, is coming down with a head cold. There are always a number of people coughing and sneezing. I’ve managed to get sick on quite a few tours so when the cough started turning into a bark I decided to ask to see a doctor.
In the past you waited for a doctor to attend the hotel or ship. These days though it’s all hi tech and done through the internet. Tour director Mitch set up a mobi doctor call for me. It was fast and simple. Type in the basics, describe the symptoms, and a real doctor appears on the screen. I now have a script we can get filled at the local pharmacy. With any luck, that’ll stop things before they get serious and make the flight home miserable.
So, our first stop in town was a pharmacy. Unlike some other countries, French people don’t always go out of their way to speak English. But we managed well enough. Between gestures, goodwill, and a bit of trial and error we came away with amoxycillin, paracetamol, and, very importantly, something equivalent to Imodium.
Since it was so cold, we stayed on board the ship. There was no point in taking chances – and I managed to get a few wonderful shots of the river. That afternoon the breeze had died away completely and there were patches of blue sky. We had marvellous views of the bridge between the two towns, reflections in the Rhône, and snow on the distant mountains.
Given the freezing conditions, we passed on the jazz concert on the castle terrace and enjoyed dinner in the dining room with some fun people instead. Sensible choice, I think.
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If you’ve missed any of the posts for this trip, go here. Europe 2026
