Day 7 Nimes - Pont du Gard - Cotes du Rhone - Charols

We started the day with breakfast at our hotel in Nimes.  We were very surprised that there were only 3 tables set up in the breakfast room; I guess this really is the off season.

First stop of the day was Pont du Gard.  We were impressed by the preservation, size and scale of this Roman aqueduct.  We spent much more time at this site than planned because of the extensive offerings of the museum and grounds.

 After Pont du Gard, we began our tour of the Rhone valley.  After passing through several villages and wine caves, we decided to stop in the village Chateauneuf du Pape.  We enjoyed a delicious lunch of local cuisine which included wine from the local vineyards.

We visited Domaine du Fontnobles in Gigondas, Domaine des Roches Fortes in Vaison-la-Romaine,
and Domaine Piallat in Suzaud.  We sampled several varieties at each wine cellar, and purchased wine from each (bringing the best home for Thanksgiving)!!

Our last destination in the Rhone valley was the 16th century Chateau les Oliviers de Salettes in Charols.  Our rooms had a panoramic view of the Apilles Mountains and the beautiful grounds of the chateau.  We enjoyed a gourmet meal of caviar, crusted eggs with truffles, foie gras, roast duck, and boeuf.