Day 1 : Fly to France

Board a comfortable overnight flight to Europe.

Day 2 : Discover Nice

Arrive at Nice Cote d’Azur Airport and enjoy a guided walking tour to familiarize yourself with the must-see attractions of Old Town Nice. Nestled along the French Riviera, this city was once a retreat for Europe’s most elite and has a rich art history, featuring collections from former residents such as Henri Matisse. We gather for a Welcome Lunch to socialize with our fellow tourmates, then spend the rest of the day pursuing personal interests. View masterpieces at The Musee Matisse, indulge in savory regional cuisine, or stroll along the century-old promenade located near the picturesque Mediterranean beachfront. Our accommodations for the next two evenings are right in this beautiful city.

Day 3 : Provence-Alpes-Cote-d'Azur Region

After breakfast at our hotel, we travel to the Provence-Alpes-Cote-d'Azur region and stop at the perfume capital of the world, charming Grasse. The vast fields of flowers growing among the hillsides are used to produce a wide variety of fragrances. In fact, many perfumers come to this city to refine their sense of smell and to learn to differentiate thousands of scents! While here, we visit Fragonard Parfumeur. Enjoy a guided tour of this historical factory while learning about the traditional perfume-making process from start to finish. We then have an exciting opportunity to create our custom fragrance to bring home! Our journey continues to Saint Paul de Vence, a fairytale village perched on a hilltop with centuries-old stone cottages and a history of affluent residents, including Pablo Picasso. The afternoon is yours to stroll down cobblestone pathways to discover its greatest attractions including the central fountain and crumbling medieval walls dating back to the 16th-century. Later, we return to our hotel in Nice.

Day 4 : High-Speed Train & the Amadeus Provence

We enjoy another breakfast at our hotel before our TGV high-speed train ride to Lyon, with food carriages and free Wi-Fi available. We then board the 5-star Amadeus Provence, exclusively designed for cruising the Saone and Rhone rivers with unbeatable panoramic views. Settle into your well-appointed, luxurious cabin then relax with an included cocktail and Welcome Dinner as we begin our 7-night cruise gliding along the Saone River.

Day 5 : Beaujolais and Maconnais Wine Regions

This morning we arrive in Macon, a historic wine-producing city located in the Burgundy region of France. With its pastel buildings and tiled roofs, this area exudes Mediterranean charm. We enjoy an included excursion to the Beaujolais and Maconnais wine regions where we make our way through vineyards and castles. Our explorations conclude with a visit to Georges Duboeuf’s Hameau du Vin to learn about the wine-making process as we indulge in a tasting of Beaujolais wines in a 19th-century railway station. This afternoon, we are back on the ship for an afternoon of relaxation. Enjoy lunch at the expansive restaurant with perfect views of the rivers and rolling hillsides or soak up the sunshine on the top deck with the infinity pool and lido bar.

Day 6 : Chalon-sur-Saone & Brancion

Further into the Burgundy wine region lies the city of Chalon-sur-Saone, today’s first port of call. Our included half-day excursion takes us through medieval Brancion, known for its dungeon, Romanesque church, and 14th-century fort castle. We continue on to the Chateau de Cormatin, an opulent chateau boasting an interior reminiscent of Versailles with a formal Renaissance garden, moats, and boxwood maze spanning its grounds. Afterwards, our ship cruises to Tournus where we have time to explore its quaint charm.

Day 7 : Return to Lyon

Today we return to Lyon, at the junction of the Saone and Rhone rivers, for an included motorcoach and walking tour. Dive into the history, gastronomy, and architecture of Lyon which is largely designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Admire the Basilica of Notre-Dame de Fourviere, stroll the cobblestone streets of the Vieux Lyon neighborhood, visit Old Town, and appreciate the city’s historic Renaissance quarters and passageways. Step even further back in time with a visit to the still-operational outdoor Ancient Theatre of Fourviere, built by the Romans 2,000 years ago. We return to the ship midday to depart Lyon and enjoy the scenic countryside while cruising the Rhone to Avignon.

Day 8 : Avignon

We arrive in Avignon for an included walking guided tour of this remarkable and important area in French history. Admire the beauty of the massive Palais des Papes, formerly the seat of Catholic popes from 1309 to 1377 and the largest Gothic palace in the world. Marvel at the 12th-century bridge and enjoy a walk down the rue des Teinturiers, one of the most picturesque historic streets in the city. In the afternoon, there is time to explore on your own before boarding the ship this evening.

Day 9 : Arles City Walk & Nature Park

This morning we depart Avignon and glide to the ancient Roman city of Arles for an in-depth look into the past of the Gauls, Romans, and Franks with a guided city walk and time at leisure. Discover iconic ruins and learn why this gorgeous town served as inspiration for Vincent van Gogh. An afternoon excursion brings us to Camargue Regional Nature Park. Revel in the beauty of this countryside nature reserve, where white Camargue horses, herds of Camargue bulls, pink flamingos, and countless other varieties of wildlife call home. We continue to the capital of Camargue, Saintes-Maries-de-la-Mer, set right on the blue waters of the Mediterranean Sea.

Day 10 : Medieval Grignan & Truffle Farm

We port in Chateauneuf-du-Rhone to discover French flavors with an included trip to the medieval village of Grignan, also known as the Truffle Capital of the World. Visit a local truffle farm to learn about their traditional truffle making process before sampling the exquisite and fragile mushroom. We then rejoin the Amadeus Provence in the small town of Le Pouzin and begin our final cruise to Lyon. This evening, unwind and celebrate our trip at the Farewell Reception and Captain’s Gala Dinner.

Day 11 : Fly Home

Enjoy one last gourmet breakfast aboard our ship before disembarking in Lyon this morning. We travel to the Lyon-Saint Exupery Airport and bid farewell to our new friends, then board our flight home.