Overview
Take a delightful river cruise through France along the Rhône and Saône Rivers with guided sightseeing in known French treasures and some hidden gems too! Take in the beautiful countryside, quaint villages and towns, as you sail through the most captivating views of France. Visit Lyon, France’s gastronomic capital, founded by the Romans in 43 BC, which sits at the junction of the Rhône and Saône Rivers and is a showcase of medieval and Renaissance architecture. Explore the Mâconnais area and sample Chardonnay, the famous wine of the region, with a tasting in the cellars of a real medieval castle. read more Beautifully nestled among vineyards, you’ll find the city of Tournon, a medieval treasure with plenty of Roman ruins and a fascinating 16th-century castle, where you’ll go on a guided walk. Continue your river cruise to historic Avignon and see the 14th-century Palace of the Popes—the largest gothic fortress in the world. On the Rhône River sits Arles, France—famous for inspiring the paintings of Van Gogh and its 1st-century Roman Amphitheater, which hosts plays and concerts to this day.
Every Season. A Different Perspective. From the warmth of summer to the gentle transitions of fall and spring, this journey through the South of France takes on a distinct character in every season. You can enjoy hands on summer apricot harvests, fragrant flower picking and oil distillation, fall wine-harvest experiences or pastry demonstrations inspired by each season’s freshest flavors. Seasonal light and landscapes bring fresh perspectives to vineyard-lined valleys, riverside villages, and France’s celebrated art of living. It’s a classic route that’s been beautifully curated to reveal new depths of Burgundy and Provence throughout the year.
Every Season. A Different Perspective. From the warmth of summer to the gentle transitions of fall and spring, this journey through the South of France takes on a distinct character in every season. You can enjoy hands on summer apricot harvests, fragrant flower picking and oil distillation, fall wine-harvest experiences or pastry demonstrations inspired by each season’s freshest flavors. Seasonal light and landscapes bring fresh perspectives to vineyard-lined valleys, riverside villages, and France’s celebrated art of living. It’s a classic route that’s been beautifully curated to reveal new depths of Burgundy and Provence throughout the year.
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Our Price From
A$4,588 per person
Price shown based on twin share
Save up to $2,641 per person
Trip Length
8 Days
Trip Starts
Lyon
Trip Ends
Arles
Departures
Cruise Ship
14 Trip Reviews
Passengers
128
Crew
37
Launched
2014
Cruise Code
WJL
Countries Visited:
Itinerary
Your Suite Ship Awaits!
Welcome to France. Your Suite Ship® is Ready for Boarding. Flights into Lyon must arrive by 3:30 pm. Guests must be on board ship by 5 pm.
OVERNIGHT DOCKING IN LYON
Included Meals:
Dinner
La Vie En Rose in Lyon.
- Active: Discover Lyon's architectural district by bike with your Adventure Host, over bridges, and along the banks where the Rhône and Saône rivers meet, OR:
- Classic: Join a Guided Sightseeing Tour to survey Lyon from Fourvière Hill with its numerous churches. You'll also explore the Old Town with its lively cafés, monuments, and maze of medieval alleyways where history comes to life.
- Discovery: Be our guest for a WWII & French Resistance lecture on board your ship.
Later enjoy live entertainment after dinner.
OVERNIGHT DOCKING IN LYON
Included Meals:
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Fine Silk and French Sweets
Visit the Adventure Center for today's activities with your Adventure Host.
- Classic: Explore Lyon's silk heritage with a museum visit, a Walking Tour of La Presqu'île, and a live demonstration of hand - printed silk serigraphy in a workshop. A rich journey through silk history!
- Discovery: Later, enjoy a Pastry Demonstration on board your ship, while sailing to Mâcon.
Later, enjoy live entertainment on board.
OVERNIGHT DOCKING IN MÂCON
Included Meals:
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Wine on the Stunning Saône
Visit the Adventure Center for today's activities with your Adventure Host.
- Discovery: Travel into the rolling landscapes of the Mâconnais region to learn about its world-famous Chardonnay vineyards and the wines produced here. Attend a wine tasting in the cellars of a real medieval castle!
AFTERNOON/OVERNIGHT CRUISE TO TOURNON
Included Meals:
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
A Rendezvous with Castle Views and Vineyards.
- Classic: Take a morning Guided Walking Tour to explore Tournon—one of France's oldest medieval cities with its 16th-century castle.
Enjoy a leisurely sail to Viviers after lunch.
VIVIERS: World History in a Charming French Country Village.
- Classic: Explore the pale-stone buildings of Viviers on a late afternoon Guided Walking Tour of this charming village. You'll see its Romanesque cathedral and Old Town with a mix of historical Christian, Roman, and medieval influences.
EVENING/OVERNIGHT CRUISE TO AVIGNON
Included Meals:
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
The City of Popes in Picturesque Provence
Join your Adventure Host for today's special activities.
- Active: Discover Avignon by bike with your Adventure Host, OR:
- Classic: Take a Guided Sightseeing Tour of the fortress city of Avignon—with its ramparts encircling the city—and a visit to the amazing Palace of the Popes.
Guided Optional Excursions include a visit to the ancient Roman aqueduct of Pont du Gard, or a trip to the famed wine cellars of Châteauneuf-du-Pape for a true taste of the Rhône wine region. Explore Avignon on your own for the city's art and culture, theatre, and museums. Be sure to snap photos of the captivating countryside, historic monuments, and the medieval Pont Saint-Bénézet.
Later, enjoy live entertainment on board.
EVENING CRUISE TO ARLES
Included Meals:
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
A Brush with Genius.
- Active: Get your daily dose of exercise through a Power Walk in Arles with your Adventure Host, OR:
- Discovery: Attend a Painting Workshop to learn techniques of Vincent van Gogh. Create your own painting in the style of the legendary artist, OR:
- Classic: Enjoy a Guided Walking Tour of Arles—the captivating city of the Provence region. You'll visit the Roman Amphitheater in this visually stunning city.
This afternoon, enjoy free time to shop, stroll, or just relax in a lovely park along Arles' Boulevard des Lices.
OVERNIGHT DOCKING IN ARLES
Included Meals:
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Your cruise ends with breakfast this morning. Flights should not leave Marseille airport before 10 am.
Included Meals:
Breakfast
Life On Board
Avalon Poetry II
Float along Europe's most famous waterways in relaxed luxury aboard one of Avalon's award-winning Suite Ships. Read more
Our Vision. Your View.
With the only Open-Air Balconies in river cruising, experience Europe with a view like no other in a Panorama Suite. Read more
Exclusive Meets Inclusive
Avalon features all the right inclusions which compliment your luxurious river cruise experience. Read more
Avalon Choice
Personalise your cruise to make it your own with Avalon Choice. Select whichever included excursions interest you the most. Read more
Active & Discovery
Avalon's Active & Discovery river cruises offer activities for travellers with varying interests & for all energy and fitness levels. Read more
From View to Table
Savour regional cuisine and familiar favourites using the freshest local ingredients throughout your river cruise. Read more
River Cruise Reviews (14)
River Cruise through South of France 0
Norman and Gloria, 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.
Relaxing but limited cruising time 2
May May, WA, Australia, Oct 2019
Unfortunately for us, we were not able to board the Suite Ship on day 3 as per itinerary due to the unsuitable water level. We were transported by coach from Dijon to Lyon to board the Suite Ship which was docked till day 6. Hence, we missed out on a lot of cruising. When we did cruise, it was in the evening. The extra we paid for the cabin with balcony read more was wasted. In the day time we could only see the river bank or another ship docked next to ours from the balcony. We were, however, compensated with one free optional tour in Lyon. We did make good of our time by enjoying the land tours (free and optional ones), food and company of fellow cruisers. Overall, the trip was relaxing and enjoyable.
Pleasant trip down the Rhone 2
Paul, NSW, Australia, Aug 2017
The cruise was very enjoyable in many respects, but we were probably spoilt back in 2014 when we did the trip from Amsterdam to Basel which is prettier and had better tour highlights. No complaints with the crew, food and comforts but the other cruise was hard to top.
Cruise director could have done more with onboard commentary and was very dismissive read more about one query about flamingos in the Camargue. He said you'd never see one. We caught a local bus to the site from Arles and saw hundreds.
Cruise director could have done more with onboard commentary and was very dismissive read more about one query about flamingos in the Camargue. He said you'd never see one. We caught a local bus to the site from Arles and saw hundreds.
Burgundy & Provence 3
Philip & Deborah, SA, Australia, Aug 2016
Our trip from Paris was faultless, commencing with excellent accommodation for 2 nights at the Westin Paris Vendome. Next day we enjoyed a guided sightseeing tour of the beautiful city. Then by TGV down to join our luxurious ship at Chalon Sur Saone with wine tasting at Beaune along the way. The next 7 days were really fabulous visiting many lovely read more towns and cities whilst being pampered, wined and dined on board the MS Avalon Affinity. Finally disembarking at Arles and then travelling to Monte Carlo with a final night at the luxurious Fairmont. All meals were excellent as were the hosts and local guides. We have no hesitation in recommending this tour.
Fantastic service and wonderful new relationships formed 2
Kes & Gaz, NSW, Australia, Apr 2016
This was a wonderfully run tour. Our tour leader, Danielle, was always able to make things work e.g. When the water was too high north of Lyon, to take the boat under the bridge, she organised different day trips and bussed us to them at no charge, to make up for what we'd missed. The staff were amazingly pleasant and all displayed a great sense of read more humour. Service was fantastic and the food was fabulous! The beds were very comfortable and every need was met within the cabins. To add to the experience, we met so many lovely travellers with whom we related and hopefully this will be the beginning of many years of friendship despite the distance that separates us.
Wonderful Trip 3
William & Carmel Mccrow, ACT, Australia, Oct 2015
The river cruise was excellent we are convinced small boat cruising is the best. Some of the outstanding features on the cruise were; the on board staff; tour director; on-board catering; general peace a serenity of this type of holiday. On the other side, some things that could be improved are; 1) the wines on a couple of the paid tasting excursions read more were sub standard compared to those available in Australia for comparable prices. The exception being the winery near Avignon. 2) Monte Carlo was a considerable disappointment way overpriced. In particular we strongly recommend that Avalon changes the location of the last nights tour dinner. This establishment let down the tour by; serving sub standard food, no choice of white wine for the main, stone cold poorly made coffee and finally the staffs attitude.
Staff excellent & all very helpful 2
Rosemary & David Workman, VIC, Australia, Sep 2015
Staff excellent & all very helpful. Local guides very informative & provide unique information about local culture. Rooms very comfortable, spacious & clean.
Second river cruise with Avalon and they do it very well 2
Graham & Caroline, SA, Australia, Jun 2015
This was our second river cruise with Avalon Waterways and they do it very well. The ship was possibly the oldest in the fleet but you wouldn't know it, it looked brand new. The service is excellent as is the food. The tour started in Paris where there was a couple of optional tours on offer and the only inclusion was a tour around Paris is a coach. read more The hotel in Paris was very big but of a good quality and handy to the Metro. The Tour Director was very good, very helpful and kept the tour on track. The French countryside is beautiful and the places visited were all very interesting. At the end of the river section of the tour you are coached to Monaco which takes about 4 hours and we stayed in the Fairmont Hotel. The hotel is of a very good standard and well located to the Casino and other attractions. The only activity offered in Monaco is an optional tour comprising a dinner and walking tour of the old part of the city. We didn't do this optional tour (it was quite expensive) and as we stayed an extra day in Monaco, we arranged a half day guided tour of Monaco separately, which was very good. Although Monaco is not very big, spending only half a day there is not really enough and I would recommend staying an extra day.
A wonderful experience 2
Peter Old, Australia, Jul 2014
The only issue was when other ships double berthed next to our ship. This happened a number of times and our balcony/large windows could not be used as we were looking into the window of another ship! This was disappointing as we had paid for the top deck specifically to maximise the views of the river and to use the balcony/large windows. This is the read more only reason I have marked down the value for money as everything else about the cruise was great value for money. Other than this one issue we thoroughly enjoyed our tour. It was a wonderful experience.
Visited many historic and interesting towns 3
Phillip Purvis, Australia, Jul 2014
Enjoyed the Avalon River cruise, visited many historic and interesting towns. The hotels in Paris and Monte Carlo at the start and end of the tour were good and many of the optional sightseeing tours on offer provided the opportunity to see the French countryside and wine growing areas.
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Avalon River Cruises (2027)
Discover the world’s most iconic rivers and waterways with Avalon River Cruises, where thoughtful journeys, spacious Suite Ships, and immersive experiences place you at the heart of every destination. From the Rhine and Danube to the Amazon and Galápagos, enjoy unforgettable scenery, regional flavours, and expertly guided exploration, all backed by more nearly a century of Swiss heritage and craftsmanship.
Dates & Pricing
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Cabin Layout Options:
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Tuesday
30 Mar 2027
30 Mar 27
Lyon
Tuesday
06 Apr 2027
06 Apr 27
Arles
Details
Avalon Poetry II
Exclusive Savings
River View
A$4,588
Save $2,623
Twin Share (Per Personpp)
Note
Tour & cruises prices are per person. Prices shown have savings applied, are subject to availability and may be withdrawn at any time without notice. Pricing and trip details are correct at this point in time, however are subject to confirmation at the time of booking and are subject to change by Avalon. For cruise itineraries, cabin images are sourced from the cruise-line and should be treated as indicative only. Cabin inclusions, upholsteries and room layout may differ to the image(s) shown depending on the ship selected and your sailing dates.
Tour & cruises prices are per person. Prices shown have savings applied, are subject to availability and may be withdrawn at any time without notice. Pricing and trip details are correct at this point in time, however are subject to confirmation at the time of booking and are subject to change by Avalon. For cruise itineraries, cabin images are sourced from the cruise-line and should be treated as indicative only. Cabin inclusions, upholsteries and room layout may differ to the image(s) shown depending on the ship selected and your sailing dates.
