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Provence Featuring Art, Cuisine & Wine

Program Overview

Discover the world-famous Burgundy and Beaujolais wine regions of Provence at the height of the harvest season on this 7-night itinerary. Cruise from historic Lyon, France, along the storied Rhône and Saône rivers, to Arles. Dock in the heart of each port and visit the historical Hôtel-Dieu in Beaune; the medieval Papal Palace of Avignon; the Roman Amphitheater in Arles; the Roman city of Orange; and the ancient Roman Pont du Gard aqueduct. Enjoy an exclusive tour of the Beaujolais wine region’s Château de Montmelas, guided by a member of the family, with a specially arranged fortepiano concert and wine tasting. Enhance your experience with the Lyon and/or Aix-en-Provence Optional Extensions.

*Itinerary operates in the reverse direction on the September 4 departure.

Program Details

August 28 to September 5, 2024 (Amadeus Provence) September 4 to 14*, 2024 (Amadeus Provence)
From $4,045 plus air View Terms & Conditions
  • Exclusively chartered, deluxe small river boat, Amadeus Provence.
  • Specially designed, one-of-a-kind itinerary cruising France’s storied Rhône and Saône Rivers during autumn, the height of harvest season.
  • One port call every day, often docking in the very heart of each charming French city, town or village—all excursions included.
  • Visit 6 UNESCO World Heritage Sites.
  • Exclusive tour of the Beaujolais wine region’s Château Montmelas, guided by a member of the family, with a specially arranged fortepiano concert and wine tasting.
  • Walking tours of historic Old Lyon, Avignon, Arles, and Vienne, featuring stops at the iconic Pont d’Avignon, the Roman Amphitheater, the Temple of Augustus, and the medieval Cathédrale de Saint-Maurice.
  • Complimentary wine and beer with lunch and dinner aboard boat.
  • Specially arranged educational lectures.
  • Lyon and/or Aix-en-Provence Optional Extensions.

*Itinerary operates in the reverse direction on the September 4 departure.

Day 1 - Depart Home City

Day 2 - Lyon, France / Embark Amadeus Provence

Day 3 - Lyon

Day 4 - Charlon-Sur-Saône for Beaune

Day 5 - Mâcon for Cluny / Montmerle-sur‑Saône / Trévoux

Day 6 - Vienne / Tournon

Day 7 - St-Étienne-des‑Sorts / Orange / Châteauneuf-du‑Pape / Avignon

Day 8 - Avignon / Arles

Day 9 - Arles / Disembark river boat / Marseille / Return to home city

*Itinerary will also operate in the reverse direction.

Amadeus Provence

Exclusively Chartered, Deluxe River Boat

The elegant and meticulously crafted Amadeus Provence features all the comforts of a refined and traditional hotel. The 70 stylish staterooms and suites are among the most spacious of any European river boat (172 to 284 square feet). Suites include a private balcony, and select staterooms feature a unique floor-to-ceiling window that lowers to French-balcony height at the touch of a button.

Learn more about the Amadeus Provence >

France, Lyon, Footbridge

Lyon Optional Extension

Experience fine cuisine and wine, art and architecture, and Provençal beauty in the captivating, UNESCO World Heritage City of Lyon on this 3-day extension. Choose from excursions ranging from a tour of local delicacies on display at Les Halles Paul Boucuse covered market, or a bike ride through Lyon and along the river banks one day; and a gourmet French cooking class or an art and architecture tour on another. Indulge in a wine tasting and cheese pairing with a French sommelier to learn about vintages and grape varieties.

France, Aix-en-Provence, Sainte Victoire Mountain

Aix-En-Provence Optional Extension

Our 2-day post-cruise extension explores the beautiful, medieval city of Aix-en-Provence—located in the heart of France’s Provençal region—which captures the quintessential élan of all that is Provence. Stroll the Mazarin district and Old Aix with its mansions on Cours Mirabeau. See Atelier Cézanne, the painter's colorful studio just outside Aix, and drive along the colorful, Provençal “Route Cézanne” to  the foot of Saint-Victoire Mountain, the artist’s muse for many of his paintings.

Depending on your chosen departure date, optional extensions may be a Pre-Program or Post-Program.

Optional Extensions are available at an additional cost. Details will be provided with your reservation confirmation.

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Program Itinerary

Day 1 Departure

Your trip will begin by departing your home city.

Day 2 Lyon, France / Embark Amadeus Provence

Arrive in the captivating city of Lyon, a UNESCO World Heritage Site located at the confluence of the Rhône and Saône rivers, and embark the Amadeus Provence. Enjoy the Captain’s Welcome Reception and Dinner on board this evening.

Day 3 Lyon

On a panoramic city tour, stop at the top of Lyon’s Fourvière Hill to appreciate the breathtaking views. Then, stroll the tree-lined streets of restored Old Lyon, where well‑preserved Gothic and Renaissance mansions attest to the wealth of the city’s long-standing silk industry. Walk through the ancient quarter of Saint‑Jean and its narrow, covered pedestrian passageways, called  traboules. Return to the ship for lunch and explore more of Lyon at leisure this afternoon.

Day 4 Charlon-Sur-Saône for Beaune

Visit enchanting Beaune, founded in the fifth century B.C. Tour the magnificent 15th‑century Hôtel-Dieu/ Hospices de Beaune, a former charitable almshouse founded in 1443 as a hospital for the poor. Admire its imposing architecture and ornate, glazed tile roof, and view the polyptych altarpiece painting, “The Last Judgment,” by Rogier Van der Weyden. Enjoy free time in Beaune followed by a French picnic lunch of baguettes, charcuterie, and local wine. Then, visit the 12th-century Château de Rully, a medieval fortress set among wine vineyards, for a private tour by owner Count Raoul de Ternay, followed by a wine tasting in the medieval kitchen.

Day 5 Mâcon for Cluny / Montmerle-sur‑Saône / Trévoux

Tour the 12th-century, Romanesque Cluny Abbey, a former Benedictine monastery and one of the most significant abbeys of the Christian Middle Ages. Return to the ship and sail to Montmerle‑sur‑Saône. Disembark and journey through the bucolic French countryside during a scenic drive to Ravatys Castle, a wine château in the beautiful Beaujolais region. Enjoy a tour and wine tasting with canapés. Re-board the ship in Trévoux.

Day 6 Vienne / Tournon

Begin your tour of charming Vienne with a short mini-train ride to the top of Mount Pipet. Appreciate the stunning view of the village and river, and then continue on a walking tour of the village. See the ornate, medieval Cathédrale Saint‑Maurice d’Angers. Return to the ship for lunch and a special wine and chocolate tasting on board with a local wine expert. Disembark in Tournon to begin your excursion. Choose from walking tour of the picturesque villages of Tournon and Tain l’Hermitage, with a wine tasting; or choose a historical, scenic train ride through the hills around Tournon aboard the Train de l’Ardèche.

Day 7 St-Étienne-des‑Sorts / Orange / Châteauneuf-du‑Pape / Avignon

Traverse the picturesque French countryside, passing colorful fields and stucco houses en route to visit the UNESCO World Heritage‑designated Pont du Gard, a 2,000‑year‑old Roman aqueduct that triumphs as one of Europe’s most impressive archaeological sites. Next, travel to Orange to explore the Roman city’s UNESCO World Heritage Sites, including a visit to the ancient Roman Theater and a stop to see the Triumphal Arch, built in the late first century as a symbol of Roman imperial glory. Next, travel to Châteauneuf-du-Pape for time at leisure around the famed wine-making village and surrounding vineyards. Return to the ship, now docked in Avignon.

Day 8 Avignon / Arles

Embark on a walking tour of the ancient, UNESCO‑inscribed city of Avignon, regarded for its architectural beauty and rich cultural heritage. Stroll past Gothic churches, beautiful facades of townhouses and Cardinals’ palaces, and the extensive city wall. At the river’s edge, see the remaining four arches of Pont d’Avignon (also known as Pont Saint‑Bénézet), the only bridge built across the Rhône during the Middle Ages. Then, tour the grand Papal Palace, the most grandiose château built in Europe during the Gothic era and a testament to Avignon’s golden age. Re board the ship for lunch. Then, in Arles, take a walking tour of the coastal city brimming with Roman ruins, colorful pastel houses, and artistic inspiration. Enjoy an inside visit to the colossal, Roman Arles Amphitheatre. Pass by Le Café La Nuit, which inspired Vincent Van Gogh’s “Café Terrace at Night,” featuring his iconic starry sky. Say farewell at the Captain’s Farewell Reception and Dinner this evening.

Day 9 Arles / Disembark river boat / Marseille / Return to home city

Following breakfast, transfer to Marseille Airport for your return flight home.