8 Days Burgundy, the River Rhône and Provence River Cruise
Duration:
7 Nights
From €2,899 per person
23 October 2025
- Visit Beaune and the impressive Hôtel-Dieu and taste the wines of the Rhône Valley in Tain l’Hermitage.
- See the Palace of the Popes in the 14th-century city of Avignon, adorned with priceless frescoes, Gobelin tapestries and graceful sculptures, and the impressive Roman bridge.
- Explore the magnificent Ardèche Gorges, one of France's most outstanding natural landscapes and marvel at the amazing Pont du Gard aqueduct.
- Take a guided tour around the highlights of Lyon, including renaissance buildings, imposing churches and Europe's largest pedestrian square, Place Bellecour, featuring a statue of Louis XIV.
- Explore Arles’ Roman history or discover the inspiration for some of Van Gogh’s most famous works.
From the slopes of the scenic winelands to the hills of Provence, and the beauty of the French landscape to the medieval splendour of Avignon, enjoy a fascinating cruise to one of the most picturesque corners of France.
Our journey through France explores the beautiful Saône and Rhône French rivers, the preferred route of traders and invaders alike since the dawn of recorded history. Everywhere there are reminders of the Romans and the greatest empire of the ancient world. There are guided tours to Lyon and Beaune, with a visit to the Hôtel-Dieu. We’ll explore Vienne and taste the wines of the Rhône Valley at Tain l’Hermitage. You will be staggered by the engineering genius of the amphitheatre at Arles and the huge aqueduct at the Pont du Gard. Avignon was the seat of the Papacy during medieval times, heralding a century of greatness crowned by the absorbing Papal Palace and its renaissance art collection.
Day 1 Arrival in Lyon
Begin the adventure as you board our five-star ship in Lyon.
Day 2 Lyon
Enjoy a guided tour of Lyon in the morning, before we start our cruise heading north on the Saône in the afternoon.
Day 3 Beaune
Awake in Chalon, from where we drive through the pretty villages of the Burgundy to Beaune to see the Hôtel-Dieu on a guided tour.
Day 4 Vienne & Tain l’Hermitage
Visit Vienne, then sail through a beautiful section of the Rhône Valley towards Tain l’Hermitage, where we enjoy a wine-tasting.
Day 5 Ardèche Gorges
Cruise downstream before we tour the naturally beautiful Ardèche Gorges.
Day 6 Arles & Pont du Gard
Take a guided tour of Arles, seeing its Roman remains or learning about Van Gogh before visiting the Pont du Gard aqueduct.
Day 7 Avignon
Explore Avignon on a guided tour, including the stunning Pope's Palace or opt for a petit train tour, before free time to explore.
Day 8 Return home
It’s time to say goodbye to your crew and start the journey home.
MS Thomas Hardy
It would be very easy to just say ‘luxurious’ but it’s much more than that; we have deliberately avoided the current trend for a minimalist style where you could be anywhere in the world, creating instead a unique yet exquisite blend of understated taste, style and elegance at the highest level. Immediately striking is just how exceptionally spacious this new vessel is as you enter a gleaming, richly coloured marble-floored lobby flooded with natural light from a stunning atrium above. Moving inside, exceptional creativity from Europe’s finest design studio has produced a superbly balanced masterpiece of onboard style, utilising sustainable rich hardwoods, gleaming brass and polished copper, sparkling glass and intricate wrought iron. The ship is beautifully illuminated throughout – including the exterior and imaginatively furnished with harmonious colour schemes, all designed to create the serene atmosphere reflective of the golden age of cruising which time after time you tell us you adore.
The restaurant rivals the finest on shore establishments taking fine dining to another level complemented by delicate European porcelain, gleaming glassware and the intuitive service in which the Swiss excel. This superb vessel carries 44 in-house trained crew members serving just 167 guests (similar size vessels may carry well over 190 passengers) giving the ratio which our experience proves is concurrent with our first class service levels.
Furthermore your suite will easily exceed your expectations for not only will you enjoy the most discerning décor, so too the ship’s dimensions afford the ultimate in space and comfort - a minimum 17 square metres (183 square feet), with upgrades available to ‘Superior’ and ‘Deluxe’ accommodation.
Cabins
A gleaming wood door opens revealing your exceptionally appointed suite. At 17 square metres (183 square feet), its generous dimensions are amongst the largest you will find on a cruiser gracing any European river. Imaginatively designed and appointed to the highest specification, with all the luxury you would expect to find in a smart ‘boutique style’ hotel, your comfort definitely won’t be compromised on any level!
The sparkling marble bathroom features a powerful fully glazed shower with a large ‘rainshower’ head, superbly refreshing after a hard day’s sightseeing. Clever design allows for ample space, and contemporary lighting, complimentary quality cosmetics and fluffy towels, makes preparing for the day ahead an absolute pleasure.
The chic styling of a talented designer’s eye extends to the entire suite with generous use of hand-crafted tropical hardwoods blended with premium fittings, discreet thoughtful lighting and a colour scheme of calming neutral tones, creating an ambience to put you in the most relaxed frame of mind from the very first minute! A full size bed assures a good night’s rest in crisp cotton linen of the finest quality - a turndown service each evening adds the finishing touch. Please note all suites have two twin beds with individual bedding which can be moved together or separated accordingly.
You will enjoy a particularly generous seating area with two chairs and a table, enabling you to unwind in comfort in the privacy of your own suite whilst a bow camera conveys live images of the ship’s progress to your flat screen TV, ensuring you won’t miss a thing. Careful consideration has been given to the tiniest details with individually controlled air-conditioning so you set the temperature that you desire, a hairdryer, safe, mini fridge, telephone and the convenience of tea (our meticulous planning even extends to familiar teabags!) and coffee making facilities ensure a home from home experience.
Suites on the Diamond and Ruby Decks have ‘French Balconies’ – panoramic floor to ceiling sliding glass doors bringing riverside life just that little closer!
Facilities
- Air-conditioning
- Lounge & bar
- Spa & wellness
- 24-hour front desk
- Restaurant
- Bistro with open kitchen
- Laundry service
- Boutique gift shop
- Small splash pool
- Lift between Upper, Middle & Lower Decks
- Free drinks package
- 7 nights on board a five-star ship
- Return flights & transfers
- 11 included experiences
- Full board dining
- Complimentary on-board tea & coffee
- Free Wi-Fi
- Expert Riviera Cruise Director & Concierge
- All port charges
- All additional taxes
- Checked luggage
*Prices are per person and based on 2 adults sharing


