As we returned to our ship, the Viking Buri, after our tour of Lyon on day 6 of our river cruise, we were greeted by a French accordion player. He treated us to traditional French café music as we filed into the dining room for a luncheon of regional dishes from Provence. Lyon, France, is actually in the Rhône-Alpes region but we began our cruise in Provence just south of our current location so we were still in the general neighborhood.
French accordion player on the Viking Buri
While all of the food on our cruise was superb, this meal was my favorite. Not only was the food excellent but the scene was set to provide us with a full Provençal experience. The tables were set in Provençal style and even the wait staff stayed in character.
French flag at the entrance to the dining room
Table setting with Kathy and Jerry
Provençal dishes on the buffet
The ratatouille was so amazing I asked Chef Pascal for the recipe which he willingly provided. His recipe was actually no different than I make at home so I can only conclude that everything tastes better in France.
My favorite ratatouille
And who could ever complain about French bread?
French baguettes
The dessert bar featured a fountain of chocolate but many other delicacies tempted us as well.
Desserts
Macarons, made of almonds, sugar, and egg whites are typically gluten-free, so they have become my French favorite.
Macarons
Decadent chocolate dessert
My plate: please don’t judge me; it was so good
Enjoy a snippet of the French café music we enjoyed at lunch and imagine we’re together in Provence. But don’t linger too long because after lunch we’re bound for Perouges, a medieval walled town that is the subject of my next post.
Based on events from November 2016.
