By GERRY BARKER

In France, truffles are nothing to trifle with.
The cultivation and harvesting of these underground fungi, prized by chefs and foodies alike, is big business here. France produces around 30 tons a year, and much of that production in is the southeastern region, where our tour bus happens to be traveling.

Our river ship, the AmaKristina, is docked in Viviers (viv-je), a quaint, hilltop village where the imposing Viviers Cathedral overlooks the Rhone River below. Our destination today is the La Rabassiere truffle farm, near the town of Grignon, where we’ll get an up close and personal look at truffle farming.

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By GERRY BARKER
Photos/Video by Gerry Barker

It's the last full day on our eight-day wine cruise on the AmaKristina, and our tour bus is heading for the Beaujolais wine region north of Lyon and the historic town of Oingt. Once a Roman settlement, located high on a hill, it flourished in the 13th century, and still retains much of its Medieval charm as one of the most beautiful villages in France.

We are headed for the Domaine de Fond-Vieille winery, where we'll have a wine tasting and learn about the region and its grapes from the winery owner, Dominique. It's been family-owned since 1758, and he's been making wine here since 1988 from 100-year-old vines.

We are greeted by his dog, who gives us a warm welcome. We start our visit by following Doninique out to his vines, which populate the hillside with Oingt visible in the distance. Then it's time to enjoy cheese, bread and a tasting of three of his wines -- a red, a white and a rosé. One thing we've observed about the French on this trip -- they treat everyone like family.

​By the way, the Beaujolais scenery is just as good as their wines. Take a look:

By GERRY BARKER
Photos by Gerry Barker
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​One week after our AmaWaterways' "Colors of Provence" wine cruise on the AmaKristina, we are docked in Lyon, our last port of call. Lyon is France's third-largest city, located at the confluence of the Rhône and Saône Rivers. Like many cities we have visited on this cruise, it has a long and rich history, dating back to the Romans.

We are taking a city tour, which starts to the top of the city -- literally -- and works its back through the historic Vieux Lyon (old town) and the St. Jean district. Our starting point is Fourviere Hill, from which you can get a panoiramic view of the city. Also here is the magnificent Basilica of Notre-Dame de Fourvière, built  between 1872 and 1896 and dedicated to the Virgin Mary, whose golden statue stands high against the sky. This area is a designated UNESCO World Heritage Site.

While on tour we saw art that paid homage to Lyon-born aviator, adventurer and author Antoine de Saint-Exupéry, who wrote "The Little Prince," as well as examples of the striking wall and window murals that can be found here, including the "Wall of Writers," that honors 300 local authors.

During free time, we found a bakery and cafe and enjoyed capuccino and chocolate at one of its open air tables before taking a walk along the Saone River. Take a look:

By GERRY BARKER
Photos/Video by Gerry Barker

Day Six on our AmaWaterways' "Colors of Provence" river cruise finds us docked in Vienne, located between the wine regions of Beaujolais and Côtes du Rhône. Once again, the Romans and their buildings take centerstage. In fact, our tour is titled, "Footsteps of the Ancient Romans."

But before we walk, we must ride, so we start by boarding a tram that will take up winding, narrow streets to Mount Pipet, a high point that offers sweeping views of the city and river, and a bird's eye view of the well-preserved Roman amphitheater below us. The site of a one-time fortress during the Middle Ages, it now houses a statue and a chapel dedicated to Notre-Dame-de-la-Salette.

Off in the distance you can see the ruins of La Bâtie Castle, built in the 13th century by Archbishop Jean de Bernin. Listed as a historic monument in 1926, it s the last remnant of the town's medieval fortifications.
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Bet-you-didn't-know: "At the Council of Vienne, which was convened there in October 1311, Pope Clement V abolished the order of the Knights Templar."

For the walking portion of the tour, we explore the Roman amphitheater we just saw from the top, and which now hosts events such as a world-famous jazz festival, and see the Augustus and Livia Temple, built in honor of Caesar Augustus, son of Julius Caesar, and his wife, Livia. We also view the Saint- Maurice Cathedral, a Gothic church that took more than 500 years to build -- that's over 250 years more than America has been a country.

Speaking of America, take note of the plaque at the temple honoring the visit of Thomas Jefferson in 1787.

Your tour starts here:

By GERRY BARKER
Photos/Video by Gerry Barker

On Day Five of our river cruise on the AmaKristina, we are taking an "exciting and nostalgic steam train ride through the magnificent landscape carved along the Gorge du Doux" near Tournon, France. All true except for one thing: The steam engine is out of service, so we get the diesel variety. But that's okay -- the scenery is indeed magnificent.

The train boasts a lot of history. Work began in 1886, and took 1,000 workers five years to complete in 1891.  The cars date from 1891, and provide an open air, panoramic look at the gorge (which, by the way, passes a nudist beach).  Take a look (sorry --there are no views of the beach area):

By GERRY BARKER
Photos by Gerry Barker

On Day Four of our 8-day Rhone River cruise on the AmaKristina, we spent the morning visiting a truffle farm near the town of Grignon. In the evening, we are docked at Tournon, which boasts the oldest suspension bridge in France, built in 1825. Tonight finds us at a chocolate and red wine pairing at Villa Caroube in the Cave de Tain winery.

Red wine plus chocolate? Sign us up!

Located at the foot of a beautiful Hermitage hillside, it's a glorious, late summer day in Provence, with the afternoon sun reflecting off the rows of vines. On these hillside terraces, workers "embrace the traditions of tying the vines with straw, with that fine action of quickly and precisely tying 'straw knots'" that takes "years to master."

The villa is a new addition, a sparkling, contemporary building that hosts both training and special events.
We assemble at long rows of tables, where we'll have a tasting of several wines, each paired with a chocolate made by decorated pastry chef, chocolatier and teacher Alain Berne, who talked about why each of the chocolates we tasted were paired with the wine. 

There wasn't any chocolate left over we can share, but there are these photos: