ONE THING I LOVE: AFTER DINNER STROLLS

I guess it's true. The best surprises really do come in small packages. Towards the end of our river cruise we docked at a wee little hill town called Viviers, right at dinner time. Two enterprising British expats happen to live there, and some years back, they started coming down to greet the occasional riverboat that docked there for the night, and invited its passengers to "Come, take a walk with us."

Those after-dinner strolls were so popular that they became an official part of many itineraries. What is so special about this town? Well, unlike most, the oldest part of town, the part up on the hill, has long been protected by a "trust" -- a sort of historical preservation contract -- and thanks to that, it is completely unspoiled. Our tour guide (with her delightfully dry, British sense of humor) told us that the entire metropolitan area had about 4,000 residents, "but here on the hill we are 53, and 22 of those are nuns!" (one of which, she swore, is such a terrible driver that people run screaming when they catch sight of her little white car)

The sun was just setting as we began our climb up the hill, bathing everything in its rosy glow. The cobbled streets were narrow and winding, and if it hadn't been for brief glimpses of modern families, caught as we passed a window here and there, one could easily have forgotten that this was the 21st century.

It was a steep climb, and there were a few in the group who weren't really up to it, but I'd do it again in a heartbeat, just for that view from the top. By the time we reached the windswept overlook, it was completely dark, and lights twinkled all along the river and streets below us, but up on the hill there was just the faint glow of a few ancient-looking street lamps. Magnifique!