French Art and History Along the Rhône River (port-to-port cruise)

6 nights from £1,557pp departing Sunday 29th Sep 2024

Discover the Rhne through an offbeat, seven-day cruise. See each city differently as you retrace the footsteps of the artists and celebrities who influenced their cultures.From Alphonse de Lamartine's Mcon to the side trips to Paul Bocuse's Lyon and Van Gogh's homestead in Arles, each excursion will bring you to the core of the city and its history.Discover unusual sites such as the Quarries of Light in Les Baux-de-Provence and the Palais Idal du Facteur Cheval in Hauterives.This cruise on the Sane and Rhone Rivers overflows with the vineyard landscapes and limestone cliffs of southern France.

Itinerary

Map

					Arrive	Depart
	29th29	SepSep	202424	Martigues, France, embark on the MS Rhone Princess	18:00	18:00
Passengers are welcome to board our ship at 6 p.m. After comfortably settling into your cabins, we'll introduce our crew at a welcome cocktail. We'll enjoy dinner on board. The ship will sail towards Port-Saint-Louis.
	29th29	SepSep	202424	Port-Saint-Louis-du-Rhône, France	22:30
	30th30	SepSep	202424	Port-Saint-Louis-du-Rhône, France		08:30
This morning, we'll leave for an excursion to the city Paul Czanne adored, Aix-en-Provence. Aix-en-Provence was founded in 123 BC by the Romans. The city's deep history can be seen and felt everywhere you stroll. The architecture, monuments, sites, shops, and squares simply ooze Provenal charm and allure. By following the letter C along the streets, you'll walk in Czanne's footsteps from his birth to his death. In the older part of the city, you'll discover the city's prestigious past. At the end of our excursion, we'll enjoy a tasting of the traditional Calisson d'Aix, a candied delight. In the afternoon, join us for a visit of Arles following the footsteps of Van Gogh. Arles is an ancient Roman city whose ruins are second only to Rome and include the Antique Theater, Amphitheater, Thermes of Constantine, and the Alyscamps. Arles is also an important stop along the Way of St. James. Van Gogh, longing for the sunshine and vibrant colors of the south, came to Arles in 1888 and produced almost 300 drawings and paintings here. Our tour will retrace his steps to the different sites where he set up his easel, such as the Place du Forum, the Quai du Rhne, and Place Lamartine.After our excursion, we'll return on board the ship.
	30th30	SepSep	202424	Arles, France	12:00	18:00
	30th30	SepSep	202424	Avignon, France	21:30
	1st01	OctOct	202424	Avignon, France		13:00
Join us this morning for a visit of Les Baux-de-Provence and the Quarry of Lights. We'll travel by coach to one of the most beautiful villages in France, Les Baux-de-Provence. Our tour will include seeing the exteriors of several important sites such as the chteau and the church. At the foot of the village lies the Val d'Enfer, a valley formed by erosion. Within the valley is a former limestone quarry that has been the inspiration or backdrop for many works, including Dante's poem The Divine Comedy and Jean Cocteau's Testament of Orpheus. Today, the quarry is home to a multimedia experience highlighting works by the greatest names in the history of art.This afternoon will be spend cuising towards Viviers.
	1st01	OctOct	202424	Viviers, France	19:00
	2nd02	OctOct	202424	Viviers, France		08:00
In the morning, our ship will sail to la Voult. In the afternoon, we'll head out on an excursion to the Palais Idal du Facteur Cheval, a monument built by a local postman from 1879 to 1912. No other building like it exists in the world, which is why it attracts the curiosity of visitors from all over. In addition to building the structure with his own hands, Ferdinand Cheval personalized the palace with poetic texts describing his feat. The idea came to Cheval one day when he was delivering his mail on foot and he spotted an unusual rock. He decided that since nature could create sculptures, he should be able to achieve the dream he harbored for years to build an ideal palace. And so the adventure began.After our excursion, we'll return on board the ship. We'll spend the night cruising to Lyon.
	2nd02	OctOct	202424	La Voulte-sur-Rhône, France	13:00	18:00
	2nd02	OctOct	202424	Tain-l'Hermitage, France	17:00	18:00
	3rd03	OctOct	202424	Lyon, France	08:30	18:00
In the morning, join us for a guided tour of the city and a tasting at Les Halles de Lyon-Paul Bocuse.(1) We'll cross through the city and go up Fourvire Hill to the white basilica, the best place to take in the view. Then, we'll head over to Vieux Lyon to have a look at its historical homes and the bouchon restaurants that are found throughout the district. Learn about the discrete and strategic doorways leading to shortcuts, known as traboules, that go from street to street. Don't miss the tasting of fine food at Paul Bocuse's Les Halles de Lyon, a huge, three-story, indoor market where close to 50 shops offer the finest gourmet food. We'll enjoy a snack of local sausage and cheese, topped off with a lovely glass of wine. We'll cruise to Mcon in the afternoon and arrive in the evening.
	3rd03	OctOct	202424	Mâcon, France	20:45
	4th04	OctOct	202424	Mâcon, France		12:00
This morning, join us for a guided tour of Mcon as seen through the eyes of French author and poet Alphonse de Lamartine. With its colored facades, Mcon feels like it should be part of Provence. Learn more about this Burgundy city on a tour highlighting its major sites as Lamartine described them in his works. Join us this afternoon for a guided tour of medieval Prouges, which has been categorized as one of the most beautiful villages in France. A stroll along its cobblestone streets will take you back to the time of knights and troubadours.After our excursion, we'll return on board the ship and cruise to Lyon in the evening. Tonight is our festive gala evening.
	4th04	OctOct	202424	Cruising	14:00	18:00
	4th04	OctOct	202424	Trévoux, France	16:30	18:00
	4th04	OctOct	202424	Lyon, France	22:00
	5th05	OctOct	202424	Lyon, France, disembark the MS Rhone Princess
Enjoy breakfast on board this morning before disembarking at 9:00 a.m.

MS Rhone Princess

Launch Year

2001

Refit Year

2011

Capacity

138

Cabins

Accessible

The images shown are for illustration purposes only and may not be an exact representation of what you find on the ship.

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Holiday Summary

	6 nights cruising on the Rhone, Saone
	All meals included
	Drinks included with meals & at the bar
	Gala dinner & evening welcome cocktail
	Free Wi-Fi in lounge & bar
	Headsets included for excursions
	Travel Assistance & Repatriation Insurance
	Port Taxes and Fees
	ABTA and ATOL Protection*

Oceanview staterooms from		£1,557pp
A_GLS_PP	Cat A (Main Deck, Adjustable Twin Beds)	£1,690pp
B_GLS_PP	Cat B (Main Deck, Adjustable Twin Beds)	£1,605pp
C_GLS_PP	Cat C (Main Deck, Adjustable Twin Beds)	£1,557pp
A_GLS_PS	Cat A (Upper Deck, Adjustable Twin Beds)	£1,860pp
B_GLS_PS	Cat B (Upper Deck, Adjustable Twin Beds)	£1,775pp

Suite staterooms from		£1,775pp
B_SU2_PP	Cat B Suite (Main Deck, 2 Single Beds)	£1,775pp

	Oceanview	Suite
	(All prices are £GBP per person)
Wed 1st May 202401 May 24	1,090	1,304
Tue 4th Jun 202404 Jun 24	1,090
Fri 26th Jul 202426 Jul 24	989	1,197
Sat 24th Aug 202424 Aug 24	989
Sun 29th Sep 202429 Sep 24	1,282	1,496
Sun 4th May 202504 May 25	1,310	1,514
Tue 3rd Jun 202503 Jun 25	1,310	1,514
Thu 3rd Jul 202503 Jul 25	1,188
Sat 2nd Aug 202502 Aug 25	1,188	1,391
Mon 1st Sep 202501 Sep 25	1,310	1,514
Wed 1st Oct 202501 Oct 25	1,310	1,514