Rhône River Cruises in France 2024
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The Basilica Notre-Dame and a magnificent view over the city and the countryside. Culture-rich itineraries on the Rhône, and its chief tributary the Saone, have a wide appeal. Viking's Rhône river cruises are an ideal option if you have sailed on the Rhine and Danube and will be enjoyed by anyone interested in food and drink.
Cruise Director Tony on cruising with Riviera River Cruises
Mâcon is also the southernmost city in the Burgundy region and the centre of the Mâconnais district. The friendly, almost Mediterranean character of Mâcon’s inhabitants is underscored by a veritable sea of flowers in the city. His music was known for its elegance, exquisite detail and exemplary finish. The design, the details, the sweet service, it all adds up to a perfectly honed experience that will make you smile for many years to come. We are meticulously crafting cruises that will match the splendor of the landscapes through which you will sail. It runs through France’s most beautiful regions, such as Burgundy, Rhône-Alpes and into Provence.
Saone & Rhone River Cruises
You will also have some free time to explore at your leisure before returning to the ship for dinner, during which we commence our cruise towards Chalon-sur-Saône. Arrive in Avignon, where your five-star floating hotel is moored in the picturesque historic center. The dedicated English-speaking crew will welcome you on board and help you to your cabin.
Rhône Route Panorama 2025
We wander back to the ship for another superb lunch, during which we enter perhaps the most picturesque section of the Rhône as the river squeezes and twists past Condrieu, Saint-Rambert-d’Albon and Saint- Vallier, with wooded cliffs rising high on both sides. For 90+ years, the Tauck family has had a passion for sailing — aboard small ships and yachts at sea, riverboats along great inland waterways, and at home on the rivers and lakes of Connecticut and New York. When we began blending our land experience with our strong passion for cruising in our first European river cruise back in 1992, we knew that no "ordinary" river cruise experience would do for our guests. We wanted them to travel Europe's rivers in the same beyond-the-ordinary Tauck style they experienced on our land trips. With that in mind, we searched to find a company to partner with that would share our values and our commitment to "do the right thing" by our guests... Together, we crafted a river cruise experience that was ahead of its time and inspired by the destinations we explore.
Our ship on the river Rhône
This afternoon, we’ll board our river ship with time to settle in before a Welcome Reception and Dinner. Sail the rich landscape of France’s Rhône River, witnessing rustic countryside charm and elegant city couture. At night, the stories seem to emanate from the walls of the nearby houses. Yes, a walk through Viviers is a journey back to the Middle Ages, because the former bishop’s town was spared the destruction of wars. For example, the cathedral with special works of art such as the five tapestries – three of them were given to the bishop by Napoléon III.
Our port today is in the ancient city of Avignon, filled with magnificent art and architecture and home to seven popes in the 14th century. This evening, return to our ship for a delightful Provençal dining experience, expertly prepared by Top Chef finalist, Fabien Morreale. Its 80,000 inhabitants make it the second-largest city in Burgundy today. Here, you’ll have the opportunity to explore the Saône region by bicycle or visit the city, with its many beautiful old townhouses and the Cathédrale Saint-Vincent, which is definitely worth seeing. From the vineyards of Burgundy to the fragrant fields of Provence, there’s something to delight wine lovers, history buffs and gourmets of all types on a Rhône river cruise.
Drink in the gorgeous landscape as you paddle from Barthélasse Island, the largest river island in France, to witness the lower Rhône Valley's tranquil landscape. Learn about the waterway's rich ecosystem, and you might even spot resident herons, beavers or badgers as you pass beneath the medieval-arched Pont d’Avignon. Itineraries also call at 2,000-year-old Lyon, known as France's epicurean center and located at the convergence of the Rhone and Saone. Much of it is designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and you can survey the city from atop Fourviere Hill and explore ancient Roman ruins. More Roman treasures await in Arles, where the vistas inspired artist Vincent Van Gogh, who arrived in 1888 and produced more than 300 works during his tenure here. This evening we enjoy the sumptuous Captain’s Dinner, with the chef serving specialties of the regions you’ve visited during your voyage of discovery.
Holiday Magic: Danube Family River Cruise
AmaWaterways Expands Combination River Cruise Offerings - Luxury Travel Advisor
AmaWaterways Expands Combination River Cruise Offerings.
Posted: Wed, 11 Oct 2023 07:00:00 GMT [source]
These cruises sail through Burgundy and Provence, the gastronomic heartland of France that's home to some of the world's most revered wine-growing regions. With its sloping vineyards and riversides dotted with lofty cypresses and red poppies, the Rhône Valley makes for an exquisite destination for walkers. You can take it as slowly as you like, stopping at local boulangeries and patisseries for baguettes and cakes, and straying to wineries for a glass of robust Syrah. In Tain-l’Hermitage, visit Valrhona to sample some of the world's most decadent chocolate, before crossing the Passerelle Marc Seguin bridge.
Viking Rhône River Cruise: Cultural Cities and Art
As the Rhône flows southwards, you enter what is perhaps the most picturesque stretch of the river featuring some of the finest Roman heritage. In Vienne you’ll find well preserved temples and theatres to explore, while in nearby Tournon, there’s a magnificent 10th century castle. This is also prime Côtes de Rhône country and so a visit to the fabled Hermitage vineyard, set on steep slopes above the river, is incredibly rewarding. Most itineraries begin or end in Chalon-sur-Saône, on the Rhône’s main tributary the River Saône. For wine lovers this could well be heaven on earth, being at the centre of some of the world’s finest wine producers in Givy, Rully, Mercurey and Montagny. Vineyard tours and tastings are very much on the agenda here, but the charming town of Chalon itself is well worth a visit.
In Tournon you can even take a nostalgic steam train ride through the spectacular gorges, forests and pastures of the Doux Valley conservation area. Alternatively, hike through vineyards to learn about local viticulture and taste the region's full-bodied Syrah wines. The time capsule Vieux Lyon, Lyon's quaint old town, lies on the west bank of the Saône (Lyon lies on both the Saône and Rhône), with beautiful Renaissance buildings facing the waterfront, hiding a warren of cobbled medieval streets. Browse the shops to pick up trinkets to take home, sip on fine Beaujolais and dine on some of the most perfect traditional Lyonnais cuisine. You could also take the city's funicular to Fourvière Hill, which looms over the old town, for sweeping views across the city. After our first splendid breakfast, we have a leisurely start enjoying a guided tour of Lyon, one of France’s most fascinating cities.
For those wanting a more active excursion, a guided trek winds through the birthplace of syrah, through leafy vineyard views of the Rhône, the town's castle, and your ship. This cruise visits landscapes shaped by centuries of history, wine-growing and art. After leaving Amsterdam you'll visit Kinderdijk, with the country's biggest concentration of historic windmills, and then sail through the vine-clad UNESCO Middle Rhine Valley to sample vintages from Germany's largest wine-producing region. You'll also venture into the Moselle, a quiet tributary of the Rhine, which is renowned for its pretty villages dotted with half-timbered houses and wineries.
Enchanting cities such as Arles and Avignon line its banks, beavers and river otters live in its wetlands – and its arms form the Camargue Delta, where flamingos strut through salt lakes and white horses live in the wild. A river for gourmets and for people who love the beautiful things in life. The Rhone river rises in Switzerland and for the large part is not fully navigable due to hydro-electric dams as it journeys west into France. At Lyon, it is joined by the Saone river, at the ‘confluence’, a recently redeveloped area now providing shops, restaurants and entertainments alongside both rivers.
The voyage of discovery follows the brushstrokes of visionary Impressionist painters including Monet, Renoir, Cezanne and Degas. The first section of this Viking river cruise features two overnight stays in Paris. There's plenty of time to explore the City of Light on excursions such as a private visit of the highlights of the Louvre, which houses some of the world's greatest paintings, and a stroll around the charming bohemian art district of Montmartre. The Ardèche Gorge is one of those staggeringly beautiful places you see on postcards and in travel brochures. The teal-hued Ardèche River, flowing through a deep limestone gorge between Vallon-Pont-d'Arc and Saint-Martin-d'Ardèche, takes center stage and can be visited during your voyage.
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