French River Cruises

Hank Schrader, USMA '71, Europe Destination & Europe River Cruise Expert

Anne Schrader, Certified Travel Counselor & Certified Luxury Cruise Specialist

www.dreamdestinations.com

There are 3 distinct rivers in France that provide exceptional river cruising opportunities. These rivers are the Seine, the Rhône and Saône, and the Garonne.

The Seine, a slow flowing river, is 485 miles long, is the longest navigable river in France, and empties into the English Channel.

The Rhône and Saône link northern and central France from the Burgundy region to the Provence Region and finishes off into the Mediterranean Sea.

The Bordeaux region cruise consists of 3 rivers—the Dordogne ,the Garonne, and the Gironde (actually Europe’s largest estuary) and is in the southwestern part of France.

You can sail from 7-days to 22-days by combining these 3 river routes which provides you a great opportunity to see a lot of France easily and adding a pre or post land extensions will make it a fabulous vacation.

So, let’s learn a little about some of the sights and reasons to take one of these 3 French cruises.

Seine

The Seine is usually a 7-day round trip cruise into Normandy, often starting and ending in Paris but some lines now offer a Paris to Honfleur one way option, with a return in the opposite direction.

The cruise highlights are Monet's village of Giverny, the harbor town of Honfleur, Rouen, the historic capital of Normandy and the spot where Joan of Arc was burned at the stake in 1431 (also of special note is the 700 restored half-timber buildings in the old quarter), as well as a chance to visit the medieval towns along this scenic route and see some of the most important sites of D-Day at the Normandy beaches area.

Various lines have some visits to the Château of Versailles, and Le Harve with land extensions in St. Malo and Mont St. Michel.

This is a gentle voyage along farmland and meadows, historic towns, and good food such as brie and camembert cheeses, Calvados (apple brandy) and Normandy cider.

If you like history such as the 100 Years War between England and France, want to learn more about the largest amphibious landing in history at the D Day beaches, and like impressionist paintings, this is the cruise for you.

Rhône and Saône Cruises

Route Map of a Rhone and Saone from AmaWaterways

The Rhône—most of these cruises go from Lyon to Arles (or the reverse). Starting in Lyon, the gastronomical capital of France, you cruise through France's legendary wine growing regions of Beaujolais and Cote du Rhone, observe medieval villages in the Provence region of France; then on to the Papal town of Avignon and finish in Arles, where Vincent Van Gough spent much of his time.

The cruise then changes direction from Arles to Lyon for the next 7-day cruise. You will sample great wines, visit Roman ruins, and learn about the cuisine of Provence, among stunning scenery—fields of purple lavender, yellow sunflowers, and vineyards. We have sailed on this route several times and each time it was awesome—we are ready to return anytime.

Some of the highlight ports are:

Lyon, France’s gastronomic capital. It was founded by the Romans in 43 BC, on the junction of the Rhône and Saône Rivers and is a showcase of medieval and Renaissance architecture.

Tournon, a medieval treasure with a fascinating 16th-century castle.

Avignon to see the 14th-century Palace of the Popes, which is the largest Gothic fortress in the world; home to a famous destroyed bridge that is part of a famous French song, and even a huge Roman aqueduct over the Pont River.

Arles, and Vienne which have excellent Roman ruins.

*Roman Temple of Augustus and Livia in Vienne—it dedicated to the cult worship of Emperor Augustus and his wife Livia*

There are excellent wines and food to learn about and sample while here.

The Saône is often added to some lines offerings and now even has some lines focusing solely on the Saône. The key ports are:

Macon, to tour the city or visit the Cluny Abbey.

A bridge over the Saone in Macon, France. Photo Anne Schrader

Tournus to take a city tour or visit the Château Cormatin and its wonderful gardens.

***Château Cormatin Photo Anne Schrader***

***Some of the extensive Château Cormatin gardens. Photo Anne Schrader***

Chalon-sur-Saône, where guests can tour the city or take the Beaune visit which includes the famous tiled roof of the Hotel-Dieu

Bordeaux River Cruises

The newest river cruise in Europe for most lines is in the Bordeaux region of France on the Garonne River and Dordogne River. It is a round trip cruise out of Bordeaux and features wine tastings, chateaux and abundant vineyards along the Garonne and its tributaries.

The Bordeaux estuary is unique since both river cruises and ocean cruises can sail to some ports here—we first visited Bordeaux on an Azamara ocean cruise before taking a river cruise that started and ended in Bordeaux. In Bordeaux, you can stroll down the wonderful gardens near the river or visit the museum of wines.

The usual port cities of Cadillac, Pauillac, Blaye, Bourg and Libourne are included in most sailings of this region.

In Cadillac, you will visit an interesting château in the town or perhaps the castle fortress Roquetaillade;

Blaye is home to a huge citadel fortress;

Libourne is near the quaint town of St. Emilion with its old timber houses and famous wines;

Bourg is a former walled city with an interesting carriage museum.

This is an important wine region of France, and you will experience tastings of some of the most distinguished wines including Sauternes, Medoc, and Bordeaux wines.

If you like wine, cognac, oysters, truffles, chateaux, and the grand buildings of Bordeaux, this is the cruise for you.

Our Final Thoughts

Sometimes, focusing on just one country on a river cruise becomes a fabulous trip and any of the these 3 are great options. Go to France on a luxury ship and learn about these 3 great regions of France on one or more of these excellent choices.

We hope you enjoyed this report.

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Whatever your Dream Destinations are, we are here to help you get the best possible vacation based on what is important to you! We will provide you high quality, expertly planned travel. Please give me a call 713-397-0188 (Hank) or email me at hschrader@dreamdestinations.com. We want to help you: Savor life…make memories…Visit Dream Destinations! Your journey begins here!

ANNE has earned a degree from the University of Houston in Hotel and Restaurant Management. Serving as the President of Visit Dream Destinations, LLC, since 2016, she is uniquely experienced professional travel advisor with over 26 years’ experience in the travel industry. Among her numerous certifications, she is a Certified Travel Counselor (CTC) by the Travel Institute, considered the gold standard in travel agent certification and she is also an Accredited Cruise Counselor (ACC) by the Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA), as well Luxury Cruise Specialist also from CLIA. Having traveled often to Europe since 1989, she has expanded on her certification as a Destination Specialist in Western Europe (DS) with extensive first-hand experience in luxury vacations. She holds numerous other specialty designations from individual vendors. An expert photographer, she delights in capturing the true essence of destinations to share with all.

HANK is a certified Western European Destination Specialist (DS) who has been traveling to Europe for 50 years. He is also an Accredited Cruise Counselor (ACC), conferred by the Cruise Line International Association (CLIA). This recognized expert in cruise and leisure travel is a retired Army Officer, and taught World Geography for 8 years. He is a `71 graduate of West Point and has earned 2 master’s degrees. His other Certifications:

AmaWaterways River Cruise Specialist
Viking River Cruise Specialist
Scenic River Cruise Specialist
Emerald Waterways Specialist
Avalon Waterways Specialist
Brit Agent

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