Bon Voyage! France Family River Cruise

Tour begins: 6:00 PM, Sofitel Le Scribe Paris Opéra. A transfer is included from Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport or Gare de Lyon, Charles de Gaulle Station or Gare du Nord train stations to Sofitel Le Scribe Paris Opéra.

Your family's France river cruise gets off to a fabulous start from the moment you check into your your luxury hotel, a historic treasure in the heart of the city that for centuries has been at the heart of Parisian society. Meet the families you'll be traveling with at a welcome reception and dinner at the hotel, featuring entertainment by a mentalist that's fun for the whole family. Stay Two Nights: Hotel Scribe Paris Managed by Sofitel (D)

The day begins with a choice of sightseeing – a walking tour through some of Paris' iconic plazas and parks, culminating with a stop at Notre Dame Cathedral, where you'll go beneath the grand plaza for an exciting virtual reality experience to learn about the history and construction of this incredible church. – or a visit to Opera Garnier, one of the most famous opera houses in the world and the setting for Gaston Leroux's 1910 novel, The Phantom of the Opera.

Following lunch, your family to explore Paris as you please. (B)

Your morning begins with a Tauck Exclusive – a pre-opening guided visit to Musée Marmottan Monet. Located in a historic 18th-century château, the museum was opened in the 1930s – devoted as a "guardian of French heritage." The collections have grown over the decades, and today feature paintings from many periods – highlighted by a sizable collection of Impressionist paintings by Claude Monet, Auguste Renoir, Camille Pissarro and many other artists.

Early afternoon, travel aboard a high-speed train called the TGV and head south to Lyon, where you'll board your luxurious Tauck river ship , your floating hotel for the next five nights. The crew makes sure that you know your way around before our welcome reception, which is followed by dinner aboard ship... with some rather magical entertainment. Stay Five Nights: aboard your luxurious Tauck river ship (B/D)

This morning your riverboat docks in Tain l'Hermitage for fun family discoveries ashore including a choice of excursions; a wine & cheese tasting at a local co-op, recognized for its prestigious "cru" of wines; a visit to world renowned chocolate producer, Valrhona, where you'll learn about the history of the chocolate maker, taste the difference between a few different types of chocolate and take part in a chocolate truffle making class with one of Valrhona's top pastry chefs; or, embark on an active hike through the vineyards of Tain I'Hermitage, learning about the region's rich wine history and indulging in a jaw-dropping view at the top of the hill, one that warranted a visit from future president Thomas Jefferson back in 1788.

The rest of the afternoon and evening are spent cruising the Rhône, bound for Arles in Provence. (B/L/D)

After arriving in Arles this morning, get a change of scenery on a drive into the Camargue for a taste of France's "Wild West." This vast marshy delta has been home to free-roaming black bulls since Roman times; today the bulls are looked after by French gardians (cowboys), saddled up on white Camargue horses. You'll see them up close at a private ranch, called a manade, and a hayride into the fields to see bulls, mares and foals. Enjoy a Provençal lunch, gypsy music and a daring show in which players attempt to retrieve paper tokens from a bull's horns.

Later today you'll return to medieval Arles for a walking tour that brings alive many of the places captured in brilliant strokes of color by one of its most famous residents, artist Vincent van Gogh – then create some tasty art of your own based on lovely French landscapes with a hands-on chocolate painting experience, This evening, an onboard performance by an accordionist precedes dinner. (B/L/D)

Everyone dreams at one time or another of living in a palace... and today's France family river cruise does just that when your family visits an extravagant grand palace with four mighty towers... On a guided tour of 12th-century Palais des Papes in Avignon, once a "renegade" papal palace (built in opposition to Rome), your imagination takes flight as you explore one of Europe's largest medieval Gothic buildings. Or, if you wish, instead of visiting Palais des Papes you can join us for a bicycle ride in Avignon this morning.

You'll have some time this afternoon to discover Avignon as you please. Then everyone meets up to walk across the famed Pont du Gard, and enjoy some refreshments; this three-level, 164-ft.-high "bridge" was built by the Romans to carry fresh water over the Gardon River nearly 2,000 years ago! (B/L/D)

This morning brings adventure to your France family river cruise with a walking tour of medieval Viviers, where you'll wind your way up through narrow, cobbled streets, curious passageways and doorways in shades of blue and green... leading up to the petite 12th-century Cathédrale Saint-Vincent.

Next, try your hand at a game of pétanque, played by tossing a small metal boule about the size of an orange. Return to the riverboat for lunch (a barbecue on the Sun Deck, weather permitting) and an afternoon and evening spent cruising. Join us this evening for a farewell reception and dinner. (B/L/D)

Tour Ends: Lyon. Our family France river cruise concludes in Lyon today as your family disembarks MS Emerald; fly home after 11:00 AM. A transfer is included from the riverboat to either the Lyon Airport or Lyon's Perrache or Part Dieu train stations; you should allow a minimum of 3 hours for flight check-in at the airport. (B)