Bonjour,

Tournon-sur-Rhone is a small village on the Rhone river. However, it is only on one side of the river. Tain l’Hermitage is the town across the river, which is a modern town. This email is really for both villages.

1. This is Tain l’Hermitage and the hills above the village. Grape vines cover the hillside including every little rise and valley. There is no terracing and the vine rows go up and down the hills.

2. This photo is in Tournon-sur-Rhone. Some of the village is old but much of it is new as well.

3. A fellow named Marc Seguin was a local engineer who evidently, according to our local guide, had a girl living on each side of the river and so felt a strong need for a bridge. He designed and built the world’s first suspension bridge. The bridge is still in good working order and you can see it here.

4. This is a close-up of the world first suspension bridge with Tournon-sur-Rhone and some of its vineyards in the background.

5. This is Tournon-sur-Rhone at sundown. The feudal castle is the main feature that you see and it is now a museum.

Voila,

Bill