Explore, Dream, Discover

Explore, Dream, Discover

“Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn't do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.”  Mark Twain

And so it shall be when you board a sumptuous river cruiser and sail down the rivers of Europe with nary a care in the world. The SS Catherine, latest Super Ship in the Uniworld Boutique River Cruises stable, was my home for eight days during which time I indulged, explored, dreamt and discovered Burgundy & Provence in the vein of Mark Twain’s musings.

From the moment you first board Catherine you are immersed in a world of absolute luxury where your every want, wish and whim is taken care of.  With attentive staff waiting to whisk your luggage to your room you sit in the fabulously furnished Van Gogh lounge sipping on a cup of tea (making a choice from the list that offers Darjeeling, Silver Needle, Milk Oolong is almost impossible) and nibbling on the freshly baked patisserie selection.

Then it’s off to your river view stateroom, your new home for the next week or so. And a wonderful retreat waits. With soft and silky gowns to ensconce you, L’Occitane en Provence bath and body products, a pillow menu, gleaming marble bathroom, French balcony and clever little touches such as the luggage mat to prevent dirtying the top quality linen you just know that your time onboard Catherine will be superb. It is perfection down to the last detail.

And if you choose to stay in a suite you will be treated to an in-suite butler service provided by staff trained under the tutelage of England’s Ivor Spencer Butler School, plus a complimentary in-suite well-being treatment, personal trainer services and a host of additional extra-special amenities.

The ship offers complimentary Wi-Fi and internet access so before I head out to explore the rest of Catherine I fire off a few emails and status updates. A ship as photogenic as Catherine simply must be shared.

For the next week I will be cruising on the Rivers Rhone and Saone through Burgundy & Provence, some of the most picturesque countryside and of course home to the foodie capital of the world – Lyon. I will spend my days exploring the Palace of the Popes in Avignon, soaking up the fifty shades of blue as the legendary Provencal lavender is in bloom and discovering the delectable delights of the Beaune Fresh Food Market. And I suspect I will be indulging in the finest Burgundian wines on offer.

But our first stop, after an overnight sail down the Rhone, is Tarascon and Arles. Arles is a particular highlight for me as it is closely associated with one of my favourite, albeit tortured, artists Vincent Van Gogh. The experience is augmented by a fantastic Signature lecture delivered onboard the SS Catherine by the Cruise Manager, Ingrid van de Ven.

Van Gogh arrived in the South of France in 1888 aged 35 and inspired by the exceptional quality of the light he produced some 500 paintings. In Arles he painted the legendary Café Terrace at Night, Starry Night over the Rhone and the The Yellow House amongst others. He was joined by Paul Gaugin towards the latter part of 1888 and during this time the notorious ear incident took place.

There is no clear indication of exactly what happened. Was it a bar fight? Did he cut off the ear in a depressive rage? Could Gaugin have been responsible? No one really knows but when it happened Van Gogh was moved to the Espace van Gogh (as it is known today) where he painted various self-portraits of his damaged visage and of course the hospital itself while he recuperated. He died in 1890 in Auvers-Sur-Oise of a gunshot wound, possibly self-inflicted.

Back onboard we indulge in the first of many superb lunch buffets prepared by the 18 chefs and cooks in Catherine’s galley. Every meal on the cruise is a wonderful affair populated by freshest ingredients that are locally sourced from the farms and markets at the various ports of call. It’s not unusual to see the chefs heading out after the breakfast service to scout out the best produce, and then bring it all back to create a wonderful meal, indicative of the area we are travelling through.

So it being Burgundy and Provence at lunchtime we are treated to Beef Bourguignon, slow roasted Proven?ale leg of lamb, Vichyssoise and Coq au Vin with all the trimmings on our return from the morning’s sightseeing. All of course washed down with lashings of the complimentary local wine and desserts that demand an after lunch siesta so that you can indulge again when Afternoon Tea is served.

Dinner onboard the Catherine is a suitably sumptuous affair. Your travels along the river are as much a culinary journey of the senses as well as a holiday where you explore the region in style. So after the evening port talk over the cocktail of the day an epicurean adventure awaits. Dinner will be several courses with a choice of appetisers, soups, salads followed by an entrée of prime-cut meats, sustainably sourced seafood and vegetarian options and a wide range of decadent desserts. You are also offered the Travelling Lite option for meals that are full of flavor but not on calories.

But it’s difficult to argue when presented with choices such as "Hors d'oeuvre Riche" (Homemade chicken galantine, thin slices of local cured ham and parmesan shavings, premium Irish smoked salmon loin, kumquat chutney, balsamico glaze and a cucumber dill relish) or the Médaillon de Langouste, risotto aux tomates sèchées et aux legumes with sauce Hollandaise (Lobster medallion on sun dried tomato Carnaroli risotto with a Hollandaise sauce). It is lip smacking deliciousness presented with the flourish and flare you’d expect from well-trained chefs.

On my third second morning I awake to find the ship docked in Avignon. Once a Papal residence Avignon is a beautiful walled city with a historical pedigree reaching as far back as Roman times. The Pope’s Palace is the star attraction with four large cathedrals and 15 000 square metres of floor space making it the biggest Gothic palace in all of Europe. It is undeniably spectacular.

A walk down the cobblestones of the Old Town of Avignon offers up a bevy of wonderful local treats. Pastis is an anise-flavoured aperitif which producers turned to when absinthe was banned in France in 1915. By reformulating the drink with a heavier focus on the aniseed flavor pastis was created and is of the same family of Mediterranean drinks such as sambucca, ouzo, raki and mastika.

Sailing further up the Rhone we stop at the charming little town of Viviers, home to less than 4000 residents and once host to the infamous Cardinal Richelieu. It is most worthwhile to walk up through the little town, which could pass as a film set for any retro movie set in Europe, to visit the smallest working cathedral in all of France – St Vincent’s. Uniworld has laid on a special treat. As we sit back in the pews taking in the splendid tapestries, some donated by Napoleon in the 17th century, we are treated to the first iconic bars of Bach’s Toccata and Fugue in D Minor played on the church’s century’s old organ. The depth and power of the piece resonated through the small cathedral and was simply superb.

My trip through the Burgundy & Provence region was made complete by the opportunity to experience something so incredibly photogenic and exceptionally ethereal – the lavender fields in full bloom.

Driving through the Drome countryside to Grignon and Clansayes your visual senses are overloaded with verdant vines and luscious fields of lavender bordered by oak trees nestling truffles and rolling lanes of wheat. But the lavender fields are my favourite.

Rightfully described as the soul of Provence you can simply not get enough of these beautiful blooms. Just when you think you’ve seen the most perfect, most beautiful, truly gorgeous field of lavender you round a corner and there is another vision of loveliness.

The South of France is all about the food and wine. And the twin cities of Tain le Hermitage and Tournon, perched on either side of the Rhone, face off in an eternal battle as to who produces the best wine. And it’s all about the Terroir.

On the east bank in the village of Tain le Hermitage we have the birthplace of Syrah (or shiraz as we are more familiar with), well-known producers such as Chapotier and Jaboulet and wines such as the Croze-Hermitage Reds and Whites. And the west bank is home to Tournon and vineyards of St Joseph. Subtle changes in temperature, the quality of the soil, the levels of precipitation and even the cycles of the moon all have their place in influencing what will be a great wine. Suffice to say the wines from this region are world renowned and come with the price tag to prove it.

Other gastronomical features of the twin cities include fruit, cheese, black diamonds (truffles) and chocolate. The Valrhona chocolate factory supplies its world class chocolate, with beans sourced from all over the globe, to famous chefs and pastry chefs. Said to be the best in the world, who can argue when faced with a Willy Wonka-esque array of choices. Valrhona is the first company to have created ‘Grand Crus’ chocolate following the same research methods as those used for wine.

My culinary adventure of southern France is rounded off by two exceptional foodie destinations. Beaune and Lyon.

Beaune plays host to the most spectacular food market every Saturday morning. The cobblestone courtyards and side streets become the central point for anything and everything that is fresh and fabulous. From truffles on sale for ten Euros a piece to Dijon mustard, asparagus spears the size of a small cricket bat, juicy, plump heritage tomatoes, macaroons, nougat, charcuterie, pickled garlic, smoked duck, fabulous pates of all kinds and more. Freshly picked and plucked, shucked and sorted.

Our final stop on our grand voyage on the Rhone is the gastronomical capital of the world – Lyon. World renowned for fine silks, the origins of the French Resistance and the inventors of cinematography, the Brothers Lumiere, Lyon is the second largest city in France. And home to more than a thousand eateries, the highest concentration of restaurants in France, so you know that food is more than a means to an end. It’s a way of life!

Lyonnais style food, while high up in the culinary ranks, can easily be described as quite homely. With delicious cassoulets and tasty coq au vin equally at home on a bistro menu, you will also find that Lyon treats every part of the animal with equal respect. Snout to tail gastronomy is a feature of most restaurants and it is quite likely that any dish you enjoy will have a range of ingredients that include most of the animal in question.

All too soon the cruise onboard the SS Catherine comes to an end and I find myself wishing for ways to stay on just a little bit longer. The whole experience has been magnificent from beginning to end. The attentive staff have made sure that my every wish and whim have been fulfilled; the superb sightseeing has given me the most wonderful experience of the Burgundy & Provence region.

It really is quite difficult to say goodbye to this life, but I do feel I’ve honoured Mark Twain’s mantra of Explore, dream and discover. And I urge you to do the same.

Amanda Hardy was a guest onboard the SS Catherine. Cruises onboard the SS Catherine start from R52 500 per person twin share and include seven nights’ accommodation in a Riverview Stateroom, all meals onboard, unlimited beverages onboard, shore excursions, scheduled airport transfers, internet and Wi-Fi, all gratuities , fitness centre, entertainment and cultural enrichment onboard and so much more. Port charges of R1800 per person and flights not included.

For more information contact Uniworld Boutique River Cruises on (011) 280 8400 or visit www.uniworldcruises.co.za. Follow them on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/uniworldrivercruises) and Twitter (@UniworldSA).