Avalon Waterways Burgundy and Provence Jazz Cruise 2012

Print Email

Detailed Trip Description

Opportunities abound on this grand vacation to learn about France and to taste its sumptuous wines and cuisine. Your adventure begins with an overnight on the stunning Côte d’Azur, then travel to Arles in the Provence region to board your ship and sail north up the scenic Rhône and Saône Rivers. Along the way, explore Avignon, charming Viviers, medieval Tournon, Vienne, France’s gastronomic capital of Lyon, as well as Mâcon, Tournus, Chalon-sur-Saône, and fascinating Beaune. Your vacation ends in Paris with two overnights, guided sightseeing, and free time to explore the remarkable “City of Light” on your own! The June 26th departure is an exclusive Jazz cruise with special music features at no additional cost! The cruise is aboard the Avalon Scenery. The Avalon Scenery is the ship to choose when cruising in France. France is known for its gastronomy, and the Avalon Scenery answers the call for remarkable cuisine with the finest chef-inspired recipes, 5-star service, and complimentary regional wines. Accommodating only 138 passengers in an elegant, contemporary design, the Avalon Scenery also offers deluxe staterooms and suites - most with floor-to-ceiling sliding-glass doors and French balconies - with all the comforts you'd want and expect on a vacation to France. A host of popular onboard amenities further enhances the cruise experience, including three lounges and a bar, an Internet corner, Sky Deck with deck chairs and whirlpool, elevator, hair salon, and fitness center.

Print Email
 

Trip Itinerary

Day 1 - Provence-Alpes-Cote d'Azur

 
Côte d’Azur, France
Commercial Flight

Welcome to France! Time at leisure to get acquainted with your new surroundings.
Overnight at the Fairmont Monte Carlo in Monte Carlo


Day 2 - Arles

 
Côte d’Azur–Arles (Embarkation)
River or Barge Cruise

This morning, enjoy free time before transferring by motorcoach to Arles in the Provence region, where you’ll board your river cruise vessel. Before dinner, meet your crew at a welcome reception. (Breakfast, Dinner)


Day 3 - Arles

 
Arles
Historical and Educational Tours

On the northern tip of the Camargue, Arles is the capital of the Provence and was once known as the “Little Rome of Gaul.” See the church of St. Trophime; “Les Alyscamps,” the remains of the Gallo-Roman burial road; and visit the ROMAN AMPHITHEATER. Vincent Van Gogh was inspired by the special light of the Provence and spent a very productive year in Arles. The “Foundation Vincent Van Gogh” is a tribute to the artist. (Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner)


Day 4 - Avignon

 
Avignon
Historical and Educational Tours

The fortified city of Avignon is the capital of the Vaucluse region, the most picturesque part of Provence. Also referred to as the “City of Popes,” it was the center of the Catholic Church in the 14th century and the city landscape is dominated by the grandiose PALACE OF THE POPES. A photo of the bridge of the popular song is a must, and optional outings to Pont du Gard or to the famed wine cellars of Châteauneuf-du-Pape are available this afternoon. (Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner)


Day 5 - Avignon

 
Cruising - Viviers
River or Barge Cruise

A leisurely morning on board to relax and enjoy the passing scenery as you glide gently by. The charming town of Viviers was developed around its ROMANESQUE CATHEDRAL, and the OLD TOWN has an appealing mix of Christian, Roman, and medieval influences. (Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner)


Day 6 - France

 
Tournon/Tain l’Hermitage–Vienne
Relaxation

The twin cities of Tournon and Tain l’Hermitage lie nestled among vineyards between the Rhône River and the granite slopes of the Hermitage. Tournon, with its imposing 16th-century castle and Roman ruins, is one of France’s oldest medieval cities. This afternoon, enjoy Vienne, another charming little town surrounded by steep hills. (Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner)


Day 7 - Lyon

 
Lyon
Wine

Lyon is France’s second-largest city and its gastronomic capital. Founded by the Romans in 43 BC, the city’s prosperity dates back to the 16th century and is due to commercial, industrial, and banking activities. Roman remains, many excellent museums, and much renaissance architecture delight the visitor. Survey the city from Fourviére Hill and explore the Old Town, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, with its maze of medieval alleyways, Place des Terreaux, and the beautiful Place Bellecour. Beaujolais is the wine of the region and wine connoisseurs will know that the grapes must be hand picked. Tradition dictates that the “Beaujolais Nouveau” is tasted for the first time on the third Thursday of November each year. (Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner)


Day 8 - Macon

 
Mâcon–Tournus–Chalon-sur-Saône
Wine

Wake up this morning in Mâcon on the Saône River, a city that plays an important role in the wine trade. There’s free time for exploring after breakfast, then enjoy a short cruise to Tournus. Here, the cloister of St. Philibert or the Burgundy Museum’s folklore collection, located in an old family mansion, are worth a visit. A choice of optional excursions, including a visit to a wine cellar, is available. Before dinner, arrive in Chalon-sur-Saône. (Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner)


Day 9 - Paris

 
Chalon-sur-Saône (Disembarkation)–Beaune–Paris
Arts, Crafts and Antiques

After breakfast, head for Beaune, the unofficial capital of the Côte d’Or area which produces the Burgundy region’s finest vintages. Its most famous historical site, the Hôtel-Dieu charity hospital, houses Van der Weyden’s painting of the Last Judgement and is one of France’s architectural highlights. After lunch, continue north past the forest of Fontainebleau to Paris, the “City of Light.” (Breakfast)


Day 10 - Paris

 
Paris
Sightseeing

Paris’ famous sights are living history: your included city sightseeing shows you magnificent Notre Dame Cathedral, the unique Louvre Museum with its glass pyramid as a contrast to its ancient architecture, the commemorative Arc de Triomphe, Opéra, Madeleine, Champs Elysées, and the Eiffel Tower, a structural miracle of its age. The city is well known for its colorful nightlife that includes some of the world’s most famous cabaret shows. (Breakfast)

Overnight at the Le Meridien Montparnasse


Day 11 - Paris

 
Paris

Your vacation ends with breakfast this morning.
Extend your stay in Paris, travel to a different part of Europe (London is just 2 hours away by train!), or fly home!


Request more info

Not the trip you were looking for?

Click here to find experts to book your trip (it's free!)

Submit Inquiry to Travel Specialist

Trips you may also be interested in

European Family Discovery 13 days from London to Munich
Start this amazing family vacation with a welcome dinner, then discover London on a traditional London double-decker bus. See the major sites like Big Ben beside the River Thames, Westminster Abbey, and Buckingham Palace. Enjoy a “flight” on the London Eye, the world’s tallest observation wheel with stunning views of ...
NORMANDY-TO-PARIS RIVERBOAT TOUR
Join Chef Ron Boucher on this year's culinary adventure to France. Experience the local cuisine and the finest wines. Gastronomic dinners are interspersed with excursions into local history and culture.
PARIS, LOIRE VALLEY & CHAMPAGNE
You will be wined and dined at the finest French hideaway restaurants. Stay in an authentic 15th century château. Stare in awe at the majesty of the magnificent châteaux built by France's royalty from medieval times to the Renaissance days of splendor. Relax in quaint cafés looking out onto 10th ...
SOUTHERN FRANCE & NORTHERN ITALY
Come with us on a vacation you'll never forget! Taste the Best of Provence, the French and Italian Rivieras, Verona and Venice, and the Northern Italian Lake Region.
Search for travel inspiration