Southern France’s rivers are becoming more popular for cruises, in no small part due to the almost assured sunshine.
While cruises along the Rhine and Danube remain popular, trips along the rivers of southern France are gaining in popularity, thanks in no small part to the almost guaranteed sun. For a trip through Burgundy, the Rhône River, and Provence, we boarded the MS Lord Byron.
The Cruise
Riviera Travel, a rapidly expanding British travel company, set off from sunny Lyon on a cruise through Burgundy, the Rhone River, and Provence in the middle of April. After passing through Geneva, the Rhône and Saône merge. The Rhône originates in Lake Geneva.
The cruise begins in the Burgundy wine region and continues south via many vineyards and cities like Vienna and Arles before concluding in Roman-rich Avignon and offering complimentary walking tours and other activities.
The Ship – Ms Lord Byron
The MS Lord Byron, which made its debut in 2013, can accommodate 140 passengers. Inside, polished wood, marble flooring, brass, and plush blue carpets embroidered with fleur de lis provide a welcome counterpoint to the building’s clean exterior.
The lounge and bar, upholstered in blue and gold, stretch from the ship’s center to its bow. Downstairs, in an area that looks quite similar, is where you’ll find the restaurant.
The upper two floors of the cabins have glass walls, half of which fold back to provide an airy interior, while the ground floor has just windows that reach over the cabin occupants’ heads.
Longship’s sun deck has a spa and a putting green. There’s a hair salon, a steam room, and a sauna down there.
Dinner is served in five courses and includes meat, fish, and vegetarian alternatives in addition to the always-available salmon and chicken. Breakfast offers fried favorites, cereals, fruit, cold cuts, and cheese.
Nightly entertainment includes piano performances by Kirill, trivia games, and special guests (such as a ballroom dance couple and a humorous Gallic accordionist).
Lyon
At the central riverbank, where joggers, bikers, and even yoga fanatics congregate against a background of exquisite buildings, we board the ship. The scene is reminiscent of Paris’ Seine. At noon, we set out on a stroll over the Rhône, through the streets of the peninsula that sits between the two rivers, across the Saône, and into the heart of the old town. After turning around, we retrace our steps back to Confluence Park, a collection of stores, residences, and restaurants located at the point where the river joins the Rhône.
Next day, a bus trip takes us up to the hill above the old town to see the spectacular 19th-century Basilica of Notre-Dame de Fourvière, which dominates the skyline from almost everywhere.
After cruising through Confluence Park and up the Saône through the city and beneath low bridges (one with barely 4 inches of clearance, even with the wheelhouse down), we return to the boat to enjoy our lunches on the back patio in the sun.
Chalon-sur-Saône
We get up early, grab a croissant, and take a leisurely walk around the town’s historic river island, the newly opened market, and the opulent gardens of Parc George Nouelle. The next stop is Beaune, a charming town in the heart of France’s wine region, where we’ll stroll the historic streets before sitting down for a wine tasting.
At 9:30 in the morning, we are sitting under the medieval stone arches under a wine store, drinking red, white, and the most deliciously rich cassis, that blackcurrant liqueur, that we have ever experienced. Next, we drive back through famous vineyards before stopping for a walking tour at La Moutarderie, the Edmond Fallot mustard factory (about 30 miles from Dijon). We don’t have time for the factory tour, but we do get to sample some mustard for free and stock up on our favorite variety—the cassis mustard—before leaving.
Vienne
In the midst of some beautiful hills is a quaint little town. In order to reach the Belvedere de Pipet viewpoint and the quietly magnificent Notre Dame de Pipet church from the 19th century, our ride on the City Tram, a compact road train, winds along narrow lanes bordered by Roman walls. We look down at the Roman amphitheater, which once held 13,000 people but today only hosts the two-week-long Jazz à Vienne event in July.
Squealing brakes bring us to a stop in the town square for our walking tour. There are the gigantic columns of the Auguste and Livia Temple, which seem like they belong on the Acropolis; the Jardin de Cybele, which was formerly part of the Forum; and the Pyramid, a stone obelisk around which chariots used to race. We quickly cross the footbridge over the river and enter the massive, modern Gallo-Roman Museum, behind which is a seven-acre complex with exposed roadways, foundations, and fountains.
Tournon
The afternoon cruise from Vienne brought us into the heart of yet another wine region, where we saw storks nesting in trees and seagulls with their chicks on the locks just north of tiny Andance. A little town that has the remnants of a castle on a nearby hill, Tournon is located on the other bank of the river from Tain-l’Hermitage, another wine-producing town.
At sunset, we ride the ship’s bikes down a short section of the 500-mile ViaRhôna trail, which stretches from Lake Geneva to the Mediterranean. Along the way, we pass over the bridge that inventor Marc Seguin constructed in 1849; it was the first suspension bridge to use wire cables (and a wooden roadway).
Ardeche Gorge
The next day, we woke up in Tournon and made our way south via hills and chalky bluffs, eventually reaching the little commune of Le Pouzin at midday (although we had already eaten). We’re speeding out on a five-hour trip to the gorge, although one that includes a stop at a lavender farm (and lavender gift shop).
Like the Grand Canyon, the gorge is a deep river bed that winds its way through the wilderness, creating a completely different ecosystem. We make our way down the winding roads to the river’s level, where we see the Pont d’Arc, a rock arch that soars 180 feet into the air.
After parking the bus, we take our time driving back up the hill and stopping for pictures at the lookout points along the way. We stop at the Belvedere, a quiet place with a cool coffee shop and sweeping views of the valley and the towering Cathedral Rock, farther up.
Arles
This was our most southern stop. It was a Roman city all the way through, and we had a whole day planned to look around. A morning stroll through the winding streets, stopping to see the imposing stone amphitheater and the mysterious, ancient Church of St. Trophime.
We also pass the sunflower-hued Van Gogh Café (immortalized in the painting Café Terrace at Night) on our way to Espace Van Gogh, the colorfully planted courtyard of the old hospital where Vincent Van Gogh was confined after chopping off his ear. The next stop will be at the Pont du Gard, a Roman aqueduct with three levels and a reputation as one of France’s top tourist attractions. Our balmy Provencal weather finally gave way, and we went over the massive bridge in the pouring rain, across the gaping chasm formed by the River Gardon.
Avignon
We’ll begin our last trip at the bridge, which is docked not far from the historic Pont d’Avignon. Walking out into the river and under the remaining medieval arches is an unforgettable experience. It’s spectacular, but the city itself, surrounded by a Roman wall of 2.7 miles, is much more so.
A number of popes lived lavishly in the Palais des Papes, a massive stone building that is more of a castle than a palace, where each time you enter a new chamber, you are surprised to discover it is even larger than the last. The tranquil Jardin des Doms, perched on a hill above the river and bridge, is the ideal way to round up a week spent immersed in wine, Romans, and breathtaking vistas at the Notre-Dame des Doms Cathedral, which houses the Gothic tomb of Pope John XXII and dates back to the 14th century.
Check availability
From April to October, for just £1,569 per person (flights, transfers, and WiFi included), you can cruise the Burgundy, River Rhône, and Provence (rivieratravel.co.uk). Wine and beer for lunch and supper for just £99!
