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Even before the Romans founded Lyon, in 47 B.C. Julius Caesar transformed Vienne into a strategic outpost of the Roman Empire. Monuments of the era are still extant in the city today, including a 13,000-seat theater dating to the fourth century, home to an annual jazz festival in July. On a hill overlooking town sits the ruins of a medieval castle. On Saturday mornings, the town center blossoms with parasols sheltering the second-biggest market in France, with more than 350 stalls extending 3 miles in length.
Don't miss: What a great surprise to encounter the Temple of Augustus and Livia. Rising from the heart of town, the monument is one of the best preserved Roman temples outside Italy, in large part, because it was converted to a church in the fifth century. In the 19th century, it was restored and converted into a library. Several cafes face the monument, inviting visitors to appreciate the grace and symmetry of this 2,000-year-old temple in a relaxed setting.
Independent meanderings: If Viking's walking tours are too ambitious, the tourist office next to the port sells tickets for the Vienne City Tram, offering one-hour tours every hour on the hour.
Active pursuits: Viking provides walking tours at three different speeds, with the fastest attaining the top of Mount Pipet, revealing a great view of Vienne and the Rhone River Valley. A small church, the Belvedere de Pipet, is adjacent to the viewpoint. You can strike out on your own using the walking itinerary developed by the local tourist office, which hits all of the major sites in a two-hour circuit (plus stops). Be sure to stop by the Roman theater, built in the first century A.D. and snuggled into the base of Mount Pipet. Also warranting a look is St. Maurice Cathedral, a medieval Roman Catholic church where Archbishop Guy of Burgundy was crowned pope in 1119. On the edge of town, about a half-mile downriver from the port, lies the Pyramid, a stone obelisk that marks where the old Roman circus (chariot racetrack) was located.
Insider tips: The Rhone River Valley immediately south of Vienne is particularly fertile ground for fine wines. Just downriver you'll find several villages famed for the appellation (AOC) Cote Rotie, an elegant red wine made predominantly from syrah grapes. Seven miles south of Vienne is the town of Condrieu, an AOC dedicated to white wines made from viognier grapes. Both are within a 15-minute drive out of Vienne, and vineyards commonly offer a degustation (tasting).
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