Today was supposed to include a daytime visit to one charming riverside town and a nighttime stroll in another. We managed the first but the second was scrapped because of rain. A disappointment but grateful for all the favorable weather and low water up to now, everyone accepted the change without a fuss.

A settlement secluded between the river and terraced vineyards has enjoyed this hillside location in the region of France called the Ardeche since Celtic times (loosely 700 BC to 400 AD). Tournon is home to the oldest high school in France (1536); an ancient castle built right into the rock; and shazam, the Valrhôna chocolate factory just across the river. Sadly there was no opportunity to visit the home of this 100-year old luxury brand.

Tournon was our jumping off point for the Train de L’Ardeche, a steam train dating back to 1891. This nostalgic railway, listed as a French historic monument, took us into the Doux Valley, a conservation area inaccessible by road. We skirted along the Doux River, a tributary of the Rhône, and enjoyed views of valleys and woodlands. One thousand workers, mostly Indochinese, laid the rails and built the supporting walls, eight viaducts, and four tunnels. It was used extensively and enthusiastically for carrying passengers, mail, and goods (mostly timber) until the 1960s.

The Ardeche is an arid region known for, among other things, its wine and aggressive goat cheese. Our guide pointed out how green and lush the landscape is at the moment and said it’s only because of the record amount of rain they have gotten this year. It’s the wettest in 40 years.

After our scenic train ride we returned to the ship for a laid back afternoon highlighted by lunch, a molten chocolate cake demonstration, tea, short naps, and watching the green landscape go by. I finished my book, The Vanishing Museum on the Rue Mistral (thank you Mary Kay), and passed it on to Hettie since it is a French story with a little twist involving porcelain that used to belong to Napoleon. Before we knew it, it was time for dinner. We shared our table with a fun couple from Mountain Home, Arkansas.