The River Cruise Chronicles — Burgundy to Provence - Day One - The Arrival
Lyon
Ever wondered about River Cruising - what its really like ? From Burgundy to Provence — seven days, two rivers, and a thousand little stories. Come aboard SS Catherine and follow me from the vineyards and charm of Burgundy to the sunshine and soul of Provence. There were beautiful towns, unforgettable scenery, fabulous food, good wine… and, of course, the sunbeds. There were locks, laughter, new friendships, unexpected moments and one rather memorable French cat. This wasn’t just a river cruise — it was seven days of slowing down, looking around and discovering what happens when you let the river set the pace. These are the River Cruise Chronicles. Come and travel the Rhône & Saône with me…
Follow my fantastic journey in France
Arriving into Lyon, I found myself navigating the huge queue for the famous European entry system — an experience which, frankly, I think should be banned under the Geneva Convention.
After what seemed like an eternity of queues, passports and the general feeling that nobody quite knew what was going on, it was finally time for the short drive down to meet the ship.
And then there she was.
The SS Catherine.
What a glorious sight on arrival. There is something rather wonderful about seeing your ship waiting for you, particularly when you know that something fantastic is about to happen. And when you step aboard any Uniworld ship, you can be fairly certain that something fantastic is about to happen.
Within moments, I was in my stateroom. Everything was ready, polished and gleaming, and before I knew it, I was unpacked, organised and settling in as though I had been there for days.
As a solo traveller who knew none of the passengers on the ship, I still find those first few hours of a cruise slightly nerve-racking. There is always that little moment of wondering where you will sit, who you will meet and whether everyone else already knows someone.
There was, of course, the welcome meeting , the Captains, the Cruise Manager and Head of Departments - a welcome and safety briefing first — an important part of settling aboard. However luxurious the surroundings, safety always comes first.
Which was accompanied by lots of bubbly.
And is, frankly, when things started to feel much more relaxed.
Because as soon as you find yourself in the bar, something rather lovely happens. Solo travellers somehow gravitate towards one another. We congregate. We recognise our own kind. Perhaps the a bar stool is simply the natural habitat of the solo traveller — a place where nobody has to explain why they have arrived alone.
And perhaps this is one of the great pleasures of travelling alone. You arrive without knowing quite who you are going to meet, and that uncertainty can feel slightly uncomfortable. But it is also where the magic lives. When everything is already arranged, there is very little room for surprise. When you travel alone, you leave a little space for life to introduce you to people you might never otherwise have met.
And from there, conversations begin.
A drink becomes a conversation, a conversation becomes a shared table, and before long you have a little group for your first evening in the restaurant.
And that is exactly what happened.
After a lovely first meal, I found myself sitting at a table with three other fantastic people. Conversation started almost immediately, helped along, as these things often are, by wine and plenty of tales from the day and previous river cruises.
It was easy. Natural. No awkward introductions or polite small talk that needs to be dragged along by the waiter. Just strangers discovering that they had quite a lot to talk about.
And, without realising it, we started a trend that was to become something of a habit during the holiday.
We were the last people to leave the restaurant.
Obviously, this was not deliberate.
It just seemed to happen.
From there, we edged our way down to the end of Deck Four and into the beautiful Bar du Léopard.
Little did we know at that moment that this rather elegant little bar was going to become a very important venue during our holiday — and, more importantly, the setting for the beginning of something rather exciting.
But that is another story
For tonight, it was simply the perfect place to end our first evening.
I didn’t get to bed until after midnight, but I went there happy, slightly wine-fuelled, and with that wonderful feeling you get when you know you have made the right decision.
The SS Catherine was no longer just a beautiful ship.
It was beginning to feel like the start of an adventure.
And perhaps that is what the first day of any journey really is about. Not the places you have seen or the things you have ticked off a list, but the unexpected people, conversations and possibilities that suddenly appear when you leave a little room for them.
I had arrived in Lyon as a solo traveller.
I went to bed feeling rather less alone.
And I was already looking forward to tomorrow.
Day One had ended.
The Rhône and Saône were waiting.
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