France River Cruises

Embark on a river cruise along the Seine, Rhône and Bordeaux regions of France. Delight in fresh produce and French cuisine and enjoy a glass of local wine on the deck or amidst the neat rows of vines. Glide past the lavender fields of Provence, visit historic sites including the Landing Beaches of Normandy, and take in Paris from the water on a river cruise of France.

Popular River Cruises

8 Days Avignon to Lyon

Operator: Viking River Cruises

From 5,287pp
Save 3,022pp

11 Days Bordeaux to Bordeaux

Operator: Scenic

From 5,895pp
Save 2,724pp

11 Days Paris to Paris

Operator: Scenic

From 6,483pp
Save 2,724pp

8 Days Paris to Paris

Operator: Emerald Cruises

From 5,157pp
Save 1,626pp

France's Rivers

France's Rivers

Featured River Cruise Operators Featured Operators

Emerald Cruises
Scenic
Amadeus

Discover

Must do's to experience onboard your France river cruise
Monet’s Gardens at Giverny Monet’s Gardens at Giverny
Claude Monet’s artworks leap off the canvas here, where you can wander the gardens that inspired some of his masterpieces. A truly beautiful experience.
Normandy’s Landing Beaches Normandy’s Landing Beaches
Take a moving excursion to the WWII landing beaches where you can learn about the region’s sombre past and pay your respects at the war cemeteries.
Palais des Papes, Avignon Palais des Papes, Avignon
Europe’s largest Gothic palace and once the pope’s residence, this sprawling monument is impressive in its grandeur, history, architecture and artistic frescoes.
The City of Light The City of Light
Explore Paris by night, when it is illuminated by the warm glow of ornate street lamps. See the Champs-Élysées lit up in all its glory and watch as the city lights dance along the streets.
The French Art of Gastronomy The French Art of Gastronomy
Join a chef at the Bordeaux markets to handpick produce that you’ll transform into delicious French fare under expert guidance. Pair it with some local wine and violà, a meal to remember. Bon appétit!

Recent France River Cruise Reviews

What our clients are saying about their river cruises through France
Wonderful double Scenic River Cruises in France Normandy & Gems of the Seine & Spectacular South of France , NSW, Australia, Jul 2026
We loved both cruises with Scenic: Normandy & Gems of the Seine plus Spectacular South of France. Tracey Standing from Global Joirneys was very helpful and efficient in organising this Scenic package and always ready to answer any questions we had or information we needed to know. There was a great collection of people on each cruise from the U.K., read more USA, Canadians, New Zealanders and Australians. The food was magnificent, the wine and other drinks flowed, the Excursions all enjoyable and the entertainment on board was wonderful. I would highly recommend both these cruises, especially together, to anyone considering river cruising in France.
Great experience Spectacular South of France , QLD, Australia, May 2026
The highlight of the tour was Viviers where our tour guide took us to her hour which wad used as a Resistance house during WW2.
Uniworld Brilliant Bordeaux , CA, United States, May 2026
This was my second river cruise and 10th actual small ship cruise. I was very impressed with Uniworld as contrasted to a prior river cruise line. The food was quite good, not exceptional, but certainly of quality and well prepared. Chef outdid himself at a special paid dinner with beef wellington and other fabulous French dishes. Service couldn't read more have been better- in both the dining room and cabins. Our hotel manager just won the hotel manager of the year for the cruise line, and it shows.

On a bit of a negative side, the cabins are well laid out and thought through but very small. I am glad my friend and I had separate cabins otherwise there wouldn't have been enough room. The elevator was broken, which was a HUGE inconvenience for us as we have mobility issues. Apparently, a guest ran into the glass with a suitcase and broke it. It was down for the entirety of the trip. Some of the excursions weren't very good and not worth the time of leaving the boat. There was a huge downpour one day and the busses were parked quite away from the ship. It would have been considerate of them to send out some people with umbrellas; all of us were completely soaked (to the skin). Would I sail on Uniworld again, yes but in a larger cabin! Good experience!
Wonderful South of France River Cruise with Emerald Sensations of Lyon & Provence , NSW, Australia, Apr 2026
We have recently returned from a river cruise on Emerald. It was a fabulous trip, and we would not hesitate to travel with them again. We particularly enjoyed the active aspect of this company and their offerings.
Lovely trip on the Rhone River Lyon & Provence , ACT, Australia, Apr 2026
A lot of activity was crammed into this 7 day trip. Each day revealed amazing scenery, and shore excursions covered many ways to experience the current town or village. I particurly appreciated the " leisurely" version of some walking tours which catered for older people. We loved the train trip at Toulon and the excursion to the winery at Lyon. Perfect read more weather added to the enjoyement. The ship is spacious, cabin very comfortable with plenty of storage room. The lift was a bonus.
River Cruise through South of France Burgundy & Provence (Southbound) , ON, Canada, Oct 2025
We greatly enjoyed our river cruise. The staff on Poetry II were top-notch. We thank those who were especially helpful, like Matheus in reception, Marya in the dining room, and Carmen in housekeeping. Some really went out of their way to help me when I got sick during the cruise, such as Adrian who was super-accommodating in adjusting local tour arrangements, read more and Margarida who diligently served me a special medicinal drink using a very effective Portuguese recipe. This was a very positive experience and we look forward to joining another Avalon river cruise in the not too distant future.

Explore More

Your guide to travelling through France
To celebrate France Month, Scenic is shining a spotlight on their collection of luxury France river cruises. Not only do these itineraries explore the rich history and
Journey through Burgundy and Provence on a scenic river cruise along the Saône and Rhône rivers. This extraordinary journey is filled with remarkable food, world-class
Nestled in the southwest of France, lies Bordeaux - a region renowned for its gastronomic prowess and world-class wines. Be treated to breathtaking views of lush vineyards,
Embarking on a river cruise along the Seine is the perfect way to explore the heart of Paris and the northwest region of France. Offering travellers a unique and