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Legends of the Rhône
From £2,095
Summary
To cruise the River Rhône in the south-east of France is to follow in the wake of countless travellers over thousands of years, from Romans and Christians to popes and painters.
Expect all the refinements of a French river cruiser with a taste of the cuisine for which Lyon and this part of France is so famous and a friendly, welcoming crew. A wide range of shore excursions take us into the countryside and to the great towns and cities of the region. Start in Lyon and discover the narrow passageways so typical of the city and visit the once-great abbey at Cluny. Encounter impressive Roman remains in Vienne and Arles, the latter indelibly linked with Vincent Van Gogh, marvel at the magnificent Pope’s Palace in Avignon and tour Viviers with its many fine monuments. Finally see the white horses and pink flamingos of the Camargue salt-marshes or enjoy a tasting of wine and other local delicacies in Tournon.
We sail on the MS Rhône Princess, a 4-anchor category ship with capacity for 138 passengers over two decks. All cabins have en-suite bathrooms with shower and wc, TV, safe, air-conditioning and wi-fi. All have windows to the outside, the largest being on the upper deck. There is a lounge and restaurant on the upper deck with all round panoramic views and you can also enjoy the passing countryside from the partially-covered sun deck. All meals are included along with wine or beer.
Keeping you safe on your next tour
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FREE 'Travel Safe' kits for every traveller
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COVID-19 insurance
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Enhanced Health and Safety audits
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Distanced seating on coaches
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'Get me home' service and private airport transfers
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COVID protocols at our hotels, and aboard our cruise ships
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Packed lunches and flexible dining options
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Flexible balance payment date and COVID-friendly refund conditions
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COVID-testing and medical training for tour staff
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Constant monitoring and post-tour tracing
Your itinerary
Day 1 -
We depart by Eurostar from London St Pancras this morning for Paris. On arrival at the Gare du Nord a private coach will transfer us across the city to the Gare de Lyon, from where we continue by TGV (high-speed train) to Lyon. On arrival we are met by our local coach and transferred to our ship, the 4-anchor category MS Rhône Princess, at her berth on the River Rhône in Lyon.
After settling into our cabins, we will be introduced to our crew at a welcome cocktail party. Dinner tonight will be followed by an evening of entertainment. The ship will stay in Lyon tonight.
Included meals: Dinner only.
| Meals included | Dinner |
|---|
Day 2 -
After breakfast on board you have the option of going ashore to explore on your own, or join our optional excursion, a guided tour of Lyon where we will discover its famous "traboules", the passageways that are typical of the city.
We return to the ship and spend the afternoon cruising to Mâcon, our berth for the night. Later we will enjoy dinner and an evening of dancing.
Included meals: Breakfast, lunch & dinner.
| Meals included | All meals included |
|---|
Day 3 -
Following breakfast, we have an included excursion to the Abbey ruins in Cluny. Although it was the largest church in Christendom until the completion of Rome's St. Peter's Basilica in the early 17th century, little remains of the original buildings. In total the surviving parts amount to about 10% of the original floor space of Cluny III. These include the southern transept and its bell-tower.
We return to the ship in time for lunch and spend the afternoon cruising to our overnight berth at Vienne, with dinner and entertainment in the evening.
Included meals: Breakfast, lunch & dinner.
| Meals included | All meals included |
|---|
Day 4 -
Following breakfast, you have the option of going ashore to explore on your own, or join our optional excursion, a guided tour of Vienne, which has some outstanding Roman remains and both Romanesque and Gothic churches.
Included meals: Breakfast, lunch & dinner.
| Meals included | All meals included |
|---|
Day 5 -
Following breakfast, you have the option of going ashore to explore on your own, or join our optional excursion, a visit to the town of Arles, famous for its Roman remains and its connections with Vincent Van Gogh, plus a visit to a local olive oil producer.
In the afternoon you have the option of joining our excursion to The Camargue, the extensive area of salt marshes and meadows which is home to the famous white horses as well as birdlife such as flamingos. We will visit a manade (horse breeding farm) and learn about how a manadier works with the animals.
We return to the ship in Arles and enjoy dinner and entertainment in the evening.
Included meals: Breakfast, lunch & dinner.
| Meals included | All meals included |
|---|
Day 6 -
Enjoy your breakfast. Our optional excursion this morning takes us to Avignon for a guided tour of the city famous for its truncated bridge over the Rhône and the magnificent Pope’s Palace, one of the largest and most important medieval Gothic buildings in Europe and the seat of Western Christianity during the 14th century.
In the afternoon we sail up-river to Viviers, where we have included a guided tour of the town filled with many listed monuments and fine views over the Rhône. Dinner on board in the evening.
Included meals: Breakfast, lunch & dinner.
| Meals included | All meals included |
|---|
Day 7 -
After breakfast the morning is spent cruising to Tournon. On arrival in the afternoon you have the choice of going ashore to explore on your own or joining the optional excursion, a guided tour of Tournon which includes a visit to the imposing Castle-Museum of Tournon-sur-Rhône followed by a tasting of local wines and regional delicacies.
We then return on board for tonight's gala dinner and evening. Our ship will cruise towards Lyon during the night.
Included meals: Breakfast, lunch & dinner.
| Meals included | All meals included |
|---|
Day 8 -
After breakfast we transfer to the railway station for our TGV to Paris Gare de Lyon, where once again a private coach will transfer us to the Gare du Nord and our Eurostar train back to London St Pancras.
| Meals included | Breakfast |
|---|
Tour dates & prices
Included in your cost:
- Accommodation
- Services of a professional tour manager
- Comfortable coach travel throughout
- Meals - as per the itinerary
| Tour Departure | Tour ID | Departure date | Return Date | Guided by | Price | Deposit | Single supplement | Availability |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 11 August 2021 | BLRC210811 | 11 August 2021 (Wednesday) | 18 August 2021 (Wednesday) | £2,095 (ex. flights) |
£100 | £595 | Call for availability |
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