13th October Paris to Avignon and Boarding Viking Buri in Avignon
/We arrived in Avignon yesterday, checked in and walked the beautiful city. We had been a little nervous departing Paris by TGB and how we would manage the luggage and then get to our beautiful old Hotel in Avignon.
We needn’t have worried as our Blacklane chauffeur driver was able to drop us off at the entrance to a lift to the Station. Check-in and access the platform was easy and via lifts. The train itself was not initially very full in first class and we found plenty of space to store our luggage, but the only issue was getting the 2 heavy cases upstairs as we were on the top level of the double-decker TGV carriage strategically placed near the rear of the train.
Fortunately, there was a fit young Doctor travelling to Marseilles sitting opposite, but he saw us enter the carriage and agreed to assist in carrying our cases individually. We were most grateful, thanked him and he offered to help us at Avignon TGV Station. We could have caught the local train. The TGV is the French Railways high speed intercity and comfortably moves large numbers of people at high speed (something between 250-300 km/ hour) . We have ridden several of these trains over the years. To Marseilles to Paris it is about 4 hours 20 minutes and first class in comfortable.
Upon departing the train we were faced with how to exit the elevated platform. But there were ramps and also elevators, we walked out onto a promenade and there were buses and taxis awaiting down another short ramp.
Our driver knew the hotel, didn’t speak any English but our drive into the city took less than 15 minutes, we were dropped off outside the former Monastery.. We had driven through one of the major gates in this ancient walled city. The weather was overcast, but quite pleasant.
Sunday comes with a near perfect morning and later we join our Viking Buri for our River cruise . As a starting point we decide to walk to the Pope’s Palace tourist area, where we have breakfast sitting in an open restaurant with sensational views. We walk through the area, appreciating that we were undertaking a guided internal guided tour of the Pop’s Palace area tomorrow upon the return of Buri to Avignon having been to Arles. So following breakfast we walk through the city of Avignon, taking in the beautiful architecture on a perfect morning.
We enjoy this walk and then prepare to pack our cases for the transfer the 6 minutes to the cruise port along the River. There are 3 other River cruising boats, but we pull up in front of the Viking Buri, are greeted by 3 staff all dressed beautifully in white shirts and trousers, dark ties and blazers. Our luggage is taken and we are welcomed aboard with cool towels and iced drinks. We are taken o our cabin #215 and are immediately pleased by the whole cabin, fit out with plenty of storage. It has been an enjoyable start to our river Cruise on Viking Buri.
