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Rhine & Rhône Revealed for Jazz Lovers with 2 Nights in French Riviera (Northbound)

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Operated by Avalon
Tripcode: WLAQ-T5
Overview
Destination:
France
Netherlands
Start:French Riviera, France
Finish:Amsterdam, Netherlands
Duration:17 days
Type:Group tour (max 90)
Style:
River/Small ship/Barge,
Travel Period
June 2027 - June 2027
17 Day River Cruise French Riviera to Amsterdam
Immerse yourself in French and German culture on this fabulous European river cruise vacation along the Rhône, Saône, and Rhine Rivers. Begin with two overnights on the French Riviera and relax along the remarkably blue water of the Mediterranean Sea. Throughout the French portion of your cruise, you’ll enjoy several onboard jazz performances and the chance to visit the Vienne Jazz Festival on your own.

Embark on the Rhône River in Arles, France—famous for inspiring the paintings of Van Gogh and the site of its 1st-century Roman Amphitheater. Take a guided walk in Tournon, a medieval treasure beautifully nestled among vineyards. Lyon is a showcase of medieval and Renaissance architecture. Disembark and travel to Beaune, visit the Hôtel Dieu charity hospital before proceeding to Basel, Switzerland, to board your Rhine River cruise vessel. Your first stop is Breisach, the gateway to Germany’s Black Forest, well known for Black Forest ham, cherry cake, and cuckoo clocks. In Strasbourg, France, stroll through the picturesque La Petite France district. Sail through the dramatic Rhine Gorge, the most beautiful view of the Rhine River where ancient castles stand on cliffs 400 feet above the water. A stay in Holland’s popular, modern capital of Amsterdam is the perfect way to end this sensational European river cruise. The best way to see the treasures of this 700-year-old city is on a canal cruise along the elegant Grachten lined with homes dating back to the city’s “Golden Age.”
Highlights:
Itinerary
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FRENCH RIVIERA, FRANCE
Welcome to France.

Enjoy free time to discover the beauty of the spectacular French Riviera, which stretches along France’s Mediterranean coast from Toulon to the border of Italy.

FRENCH RIVIERA
The “Queen of the French Riviera”

CLASSIC Enjoy a Guided Sightseeing in Nice. Discover the narrow, winding streets and baroque churches of Vieux Nice, the old city—an area which has changed little since the 1700s.

(B)

FRENCH RIVIERA–ARLES (EMBARKATION)
Your Suite Ship® is Ready for Boarding.

Join a motorcoach transfer to board your Avalon Suite Ship.

OVERNIGHT DOCKING IN ARLES

(B,D)

ARLES
A Brush with Genius

Visit the Adventure Center for today’s activities with your Adventure Host.

ACTIVE Get your daily dose of exercise through a Power Walk in Arles with your Adventure Host, OR:

DISCOVERY Attend a Painting Workshop to learn techniques of Vincent van Gogh. Create your own painting in the style of the legendary artist, OR:

CLASSIC Enjoy a Guided Walking Tour of Arles—the captivating city of the Provence region. You’ll visit the Roman Amphitheater in this visually stunning city.

Take free time to stop in Le Café Van Gogh for a glass of wine, before sailing to Avignon.

This evening enjoy live entertainment with a Jazz Band.

OVERNIGHT DOCKING IN AVIGNON

(B,L,D)

AVIGNON
The City of Popes in Picturesque Provence

CLASSIC Take a Guided Sightseeing Tour of the fortress city of Avignon—with its ramparts encircling the city—and a visit to the amazing Palace of the Popes, OR:

CLASSIC Enjoy a Guided Visit to the ancient Roman aqueduct of Pont du Gard, an engineering masterpiece that supplied water to Nîmes during the Roman Empire, OR:

DISCOVERY Join a Guided Tour to the famed wine cellars of Châteauneuf-du-Pape for a true taste of the Rhône wine region.

AFTERNOON/OVERNIGHT CRUISE TO TOURNON

(B,L,D)

TOURNON
A Rendezvous with Castle Views and Vineyards

ACTIVE Explore Tournon by foot as you follow your Adventure Host for a morning hike in this beautiful town along the Rhone, OR:

CLASSIC Take a morning Guided Walking Tour to explore Tournon—one of France’s oldest medieval cities with its 16th-century castle.

DISCOVERY Enjoy a Jazz entertainment onboard while sailing to Vienne.



Jazz Festival

CLASSIC Join a Guided Walking Tour through this charming French hill town, including the cathedral, Archaeological Gardens of Cybèle, and Roman Temple of Augustus & Livia.

After dinner, enjoy free time to attend the well-known Vienne Jazz Festival. Bars and pubs in Vienne all feature music during this festival time.

OVERNIGHT DOCKING IN SAINTE-COLOMBE

(B,L,D)



LYON
La Vie En Rose in Lyon

Sail for lovely Lyon this morning.

ACTIVE Discover Lyon's architectural district by bike with your Adventure Host, over bridges, and along the banks where the Rhône and Saône rivers meet, OR:

CLASSIC Join a Guided Sightseeing Tour to survey Lyon from Fourvière Hill with its numerous churches. You’ll also explore the Old Town with its maze of medieval alleyways, and the lively cafés, monuments, and famed fountain of Place des Terreaux.

OVERNIGHT DOCKING IN LYON

(B,L,D)



LYON
Medieval Walls and Movie Set

CLASSIC Explore one of the most beautiful medieval walled towns in France on this half-day guided tour of Pérouges, idyllic movie set from the 1973 version of "The Three Musketeers".

Spend free time riding a bike through Lyon’s town squares, over bridges, and along the banks where the Rhône and Saône rivers meet.

This evening, enjoy the strains of Gypsy Jazz, a style of jazz often said to have been started by guitarist Jean “Django” Reinhardt in the 1930s. Because its origins are largely in France, it is often called by the French name “Jazz Manouche.”

EVENING/OVERNIGHT CRUISE TO TOURNUS

(B,L,D)



TOURNUS–CHALON-SUR-SAÔNE
Wine and Cheese on the Stunning Saône

DISCOVERY Travel into the rolling landscapes of the Mâconnais region to learn about its world-famous Chardonnay vineyards, the wines produced here, and to attend a wine-tasting in the cellars of a real medieval castle!

DISCOVERY Later, enjoy a delicious Cheese Tasting on board your ship.

Enjoy live entertainment on board this evening.

OVERNIGHT DOCKING IN CHALON-SUR-SAÔNE

(B,L,D)

CHALON-SUR-SAÔNE (DISEMBARKATION)–BEAUNE–BASEL, SWITZERLAND (EMBARKATION)
Drive to Beaune and transfer to Basel

CLASSIC Visit the Hôtel-Dieu Charity Hospital in Beaune, built in 1443, today home of the Van der Weyden’s painting of the Last Judgment and is one of France’s architectural highlights.

This afternoon, travel by motorcoach to Basel to board your Rhine River cruise.

EVENING CRUISE TO BREISACH

(B,D)

BREISACH, GERMANY. EXCURSION TO BLACK FOREST
The Beautiful Black Forest

Visit the Adventure Center for today’s activities with your Adventure Host.

ACTIVE Enjoy the view on a relaxing bike ride along the Rhine with your Adventure Host, OR:

DISCOVERY Join a full-day Guided Tour to the magical Black Forest to experience the Vogtsbauernhof open-air-museum, visit an authentic water mill, and see a traditional butter-making demonstration, OR:

CLASSIC Join a Guided Tour to explore Freiburg’s medieval city center, sheltered by the Black Forest amid vineyards and gardens of the Upper Rhine Valley.

You may choose to join a Guided Optional Excursion to visit the charming village of Colmar in the morning, with its half-timbered medieval and early renaissance buildings.

EVENING CRUISE TO STRASBOURG

(B,L,D)

STRASBOURG, FRANCE
A Grand Cathedral and La Petite France

ACTIVE Discover Strasbourg by bike with your Adventure Host, OR:

CLASSIC Join a City Sightseeing Tour, including Strasbourg’s Gothic, stained-glass cathedral with its celebrated ancient murals and astronomical clock, as well as the magical La Petite France District.

Choose a Guided Optional Excursion to the historic Maginot Line—the pre-WWII fortifications designed to protect the eastern border of France or visit Alsace’s wine country today.

Alternatively, take some free time in Strasbourg to visit a museum, or stroll across the city center.

EVENING/OVERNIGHT CRUISE TO MAINZ

(B,L,D)

MAINZ, GERMANY. EXCURSION TO HEIDELBERG
Castle Walls, and the World’s Biggest Wine Barrel

ACTIVE Join your Avalon Adventure Host for an inspiring walk in Heidelberg, the Philosophers' way, OR:

CLASSIC Enjoy a Guided Tour to Heidelberg Castle to see the ruins of the magnificent renaissance treasure towering above the city, and its famed Great Vat, the “World’s Largest Wine Barrel,” OR:

CLASSIC Enjoy a Guided City Walk including a visit to the Gutenberg Museum to see the captivating history of printing.

This evening, enjoy live entertainment on board your ship after a short sailing to Rüdesheim.

OVERNIGHT DOCKING IN RÜDESHEIM

(B,L,D)

RÜDESHEIM–RHINE GORGE
Eat, Drink, and Be Merry in Wine Country

ACTIVE Enjoy a hike with your Avalon Adventure Host through the picturesque vineyards of Rüdesheim, OR:

DISCOVERY Take a Guided Tour of the incredible Mechanical Music Museum for a one-of-a-kind instrumental experience; enjoy a tasting of the authentic Rüdesheimer coffee.

En route to Koblenz, sail through the Rhine Gorge (a UNESCO World Heritage site). Take in the breathtaking views of ancient castles perched on cliffs 400 feet above the water and pass the legendary Rock of the Lorelei—where the mythological siren’s songs lured ill-fated sailors.



Travel Through 2000 Years of Monumental History

Enjoy free time in Koblenz before a relaxing evening on board with dinner and live entertainment.

OVERNIGHT DOCKING IN KOBLENZ

(B,L,D)

COLOGNE
Prost! Celebrate in the Rhineland

Join your Adventure Host for today’s special activities.

ACTIVE Enjoy a bike ride like the locals in Cologne with your Adventure Host, OR:

DISCOVERY Choose a Guided Walking Tour of Cologne’s important Jewish heritage sites. OR:

CLASSIC Take a Guided City Walk of Cologne—with its soaring twin-steepled gothic cathedral.

Spend free time over a glass of Kölsch pale lager—locally brewed for over 100 years!

DISCOVERY Enjoy a wine and chocolate tasting hosted by your Master of Wine.

AFTERNOON/OVERNIGHT CRUISE TO AMSTERDAM

(B,L,D)


AMSTERDAM, HOLLAND
Canals of Colorful Amsterdam

ACTIVE Start your day joining your Adventure Host on an early morning walk in Amsterdam, OR:

CLASSIC Explore the iconic waterways of Amsterdam on a Guided Canal Cruise past stately homes of Amsterdam’s “Golden Age.”

With a free day to explore before your cruise ends, take time to enjoy this charming city on your own or join a Guided Optional Excursion to Zaanse Schans to see historic windmills and charming Dutch houses. You may also choose an Optional Biking Tour to discover the countryside.

OVERNIGHT DOCKING IN AMSTERDAM

(B,L,D)

AMSTERDAM (DISEMBARKATION)
Your vacation ends with breakfast this morning.

(B)

Dates

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Travellers

Operator
Avalon Waterways

Designed from the bottom up for comfort, space, and room to dream, each Avalon Suite Ship consists of 80% Panorama Suites—offering the widest view in river cruising. Larger suites result in fewer passengers, so you’ll never feel crowded anywhere on board. From reclining on the open-air Sky Deck, relaxing in the spacious Panorama Lounge, or feeling the wind over the bough In the Observation Lounge, there’s never a shortage of comfortable spots to stretch out, day dream, or just watch the world go by. From our inception, Avalon Waterways has cast a light on the world’s most fascinating places and people – inviting wayfarers and wanderers like you to bask in their glory, intrigue and wonder. Along the way, we’ve helped travellers uncover ancient traditions while meeting the locals dedicated to preserving them; to meander historic hallways while giving back to the societies that safeguard them; and to put down the guidebooks and pick up a greater understanding of the world and its people.

Important Information
*Terms and conditions
Please note: We are proud to be an independent agent to travel providers of hotels, flights and other related services. We are not a tour operator. Details and information on the offer are provided by 3rd party businesses and although we do our best to verify the information, we cannot guarantee its accuracy on all occasions. These offers are not available in conjunction with any other offer unless otherwise stated. Pricing and availability are subject to change without notice. For more information, please see Terms of Use
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