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Rhine & Rhône Revealed with 2 nights in French Riviera for Wine Lovers (Southbound)
Operated by Avalon
Tripcode: WALE-T7
Overview
Destination:
Start:,
Finish:,
Finish:,
Duration:17 days
Type:Group tour (max 90)
Travel Period
October 2025 - November 2026
17 Day River Cruise Amsterdam to French Riviera
Immerse yourself in French and German culture on this fabulous European river cruise vacation along the Rhine, Saône, and Rhône Rivers. A Master of Wine will accompany you on your French river cruise with presentations, tastings, and wine pairings along the way.Enjoy spectacular views and romantic splendor on this magical journey that concludes with a night in Marseilles. Your adventure begins in Holland’s popular, modern capital of Amsterdam. The best way to see the treasures of this 700-year-old city is on a canal cruise along the elegant Grachten. Next, Cologne, Germany, a 2,000-year-old city best known for its Gothic architecture and famous twin-spired cathedral, comes alive on a guided walk. 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. Continue your Rhine River cruise to Speyer for a guided walk and visit to the Wine Museum, or take an excursion to Heidelberg to visit the ruins of its red-walled castle. Strasbourg, France, located on the French-German border, perfectly blends the cultures of both countries. In Breisach, Germany, enjoy an excursion to Black Forest or take an excursion to the charming village of Colmar, followed by a visit to a chateau wine cellar.Cruise to Tournus for an excursion to a Chardonnay wine cellar. Cruise to Lyon— a showcase of medieval and Renaissance architecture— and discover the Old Town with its maze of medieval alleyways. Take a culinary walk and enjoy a tour of the famous wine region of Beaujolais. Continue to the city of Tournon beautifully nestled among vineyards. Here, you’ll enjoy a guided walk with a wine-and-chocolate tasting or a walk in the vineyards. In Avignon, visit the Palace of the Popes and take a guided tour to Châteauneuf du Pape. Enjoy two nights on the French Riviera. Relax along the remarkably blue water of the Mediterranean Sea—a perfect ending to this once-in-a-lifetime European river cruise through Germany and France!About Masters of Wine Seldom do travelers get the chance to learn about wines from a master! Avalon invites you to sail in the company of a Master of Wine (MW) who shares elite experience, unsurpassed knowledge, and personal passion for wines on board your ship. With only 450 Masters of Wine in the world, Avalon Waterways is honored to welcome a Master of Wine on board our Wine-Lovers cruises to share their rigorous training and prestigious expertise recognized globally across the wine industry. A truly exclusive experience for wine lovers!
Immerse yourself in French and German culture on this fabulous European river cruise vacation along the Rhine, Saône, and Rhône Rivers. A Master of Wine will accompany you on your French river cruise with presentations, tastings, and wine pairings along the way.Enjoy spectacular views and romantic splendor on this magical journey that concludes with a night in Marseilles. Your adventure begins in Holland’s popular, modern capital of Amsterdam. The best way to see the treasures of this 700-year-old city is on a canal cruise along the elegant Grachten. Next, Cologne, Germany, a 2,000-year-old city best known for its Gothic architecture and famous twin-spired cathedral, comes alive on a guided walk. 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. Continue your Rhine River cruise to Speyer for a guided walk and visit to the Wine Museum, or take an excursion to Heidelberg to visit the ruins of its red-walled castle. Strasbourg, France, located on the French-German border, perfectly blends the cultures of both countries. In Breisach, Germany, enjoy an excursion to Black Forest or take an excursion to the charming village of Colmar, followed by a visit to a chateau wine cellar.Cruise to Tournus for an excursion to a Chardonnay wine cellar. Cruise to Lyon— a showcase of medieval and Renaissance architecture— and discover the Old Town with its maze of medieval alleyways. Take a culinary walk and enjoy a tour of the famous wine region of Beaujolais. Continue to the city of Tournon beautifully nestled among vineyards. Here, you’ll enjoy a guided walk with a wine-and-chocolate tasting or a walk in the vineyards. In Avignon, visit the Palace of the Popes and take a guided tour to Châteauneuf du Pape. Enjoy two nights on the French Riviera. Relax along the remarkably blue water of the Mediterranean Sea—a perfect ending to this once-in-a-lifetime European river cruise through Germany and France!About Masters of Wine Seldom do travelers get the chance to learn about wines from a master! Avalon invites you to sail in the company of a Master of Wine (MW) who shares elite experience, unsurpassed knowledge, and personal passion for wines on board your ship. With only 450 Masters of Wine in the world, Avalon Waterways is honored to welcome a Master of Wine on board our Wine-Lovers cruises to share their rigorous training and prestigious expertise recognized globally across the wine industry. A truly exclusive experience for wine lovers!
Itinerary
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Collapse allAMSTERDAM, HOLLAND (EMBARKATION)
Welcome to Holland. Your Suite Ship® is Ready for Boarding. Flights into Amsterdam must arrive by 3:30 pm. Guests must be on board ship by 5 pm. Your day in Amsterdam is free to explore at your leisure.During tulip season, you may take a Guided Optional Excursion to Keukenhof gardens—with more than seven million tulips, daffodils, and hyacinths, as well as other bulbs, planted each year. Outside of tulip season, join a Guided Optional Excursion to Zaanse Schans to see historic windmills and charming Dutch houses. OVERNIGHT DOCKING IN AMSTERDAM(D)
AMSTERDAM
Canals of Colorful Amsterdam Join your Adventure Host for today’s special activities. CLASSIC Explore the iconic waterways of Amsterdam on a Guided Canal Cruise past stately homes of Amsterdam’s “Golden Age.” This afternoon, choose among the Guided Optional Excursions available or take some free time to explore Amsterdam’s colorful streets and canal houses, galleries, and shops.DISCOVERY Join an onboard lecture hosted by your Master of Wine.AFTERNOON/OVERNIGHT CRUISE TO COLOGNE(B,L,D)
COLOGNE, GERMANY
Prost! Celebrate in the Rhineland DISCOVERY Join an onboard wine and cheese tasting hosted by your Master of Wine.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! Later, local musicians will join us on board for live entertainment. OVERNIGHT CRUISE TO RÜDESHEIM(B,L,D)
RHINE GORGE–RÜDESHEIM
Eat, Drink, and Be Merry in Wine Country En route to Rüdesheim, 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.ACTIVE Enjoy a hike with your Avalon Adventure Host through the picturesque vineyards of Rüdesheim, OR:DISCOVERY Join a Guided Tour to experience the beauty and simplicity of 13th-century Eberbach Monastery-a former abbey for Cistercian monks that today is known for its wine production and as the film location for the blockbuster movie, "The Name of the Rose". Also enjoy a wine tasting, OR:DISCOVERY Take a Guided Tour of the incredible Mechanical Music Museum for a one-of-a-kind instrumental experience; enjoy a wine tasting. Enjoy live entertainment on board your ship this evening. OVERNIGHT DOCKING IN RÜDESHEIM(B,L,D)
SPEYER. HEIDELBERG EXCURSION
The World’s Biggest Wine BarrelDISCOVERY Enjoy a Guided City Tour, including a visit to the Wine Museum to learn about the history of viticulture and wine production, 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.DISCOVERY Join an onboard wine and chocolate tasting hosted by your Master of Wine.EVENING/OVERNIGHT CRUISE TO KEHL(B,L,D)
KEHL. EXCURSION TO STRASBOURG, FRANCE
A Grand Cathedral and La Petite FranceAsk about today’s energizing or relaxing Adventure Host activities.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.DISCOVERY Join an enchanting Guided Tour along the famed Alsace Wine Route to discover the heart of France’s wine country and sample several local wines. DISCOVERY Onboard food and wine pairing dinner hosted by your Master of Wine. EVENING/OVERNIGHT CRUISE TO BREISACH(B,L,D)
BREISACH, GERMANY. EXCURSION TO BLACK FOREST
German Winemaking and the Beautiful Black ForestDISCOVERY Join a full-day Guided Tour to the magical Black Forest to experience the Vogtsbauernohf open-air-museum, visit an authentic water mill, and see a traditional butter-making demonstration, OR: DISCOVERY Take a full-day Guided Tour to the charming village of Colmar in the morning, with its half-timbered medieval and early renaissance buildings, followed by a visit to a countryside chateau wine cellar, 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. EVENING/OVERNIGHT CRUISE TO BASEL(B,L,D)
BASEL, SWITZERLAND (DISEMBARKATION) BEAUNE–CHALON-SUR-SAÔNE (EMBARKATION)
Disembark your ship and drive on to Beaune.CLASSIC Visit the Hôtel-Dieu Charity Hospital in Beaune, built in 1443, today home of Van der Weyden’s painting of the Last Judgement. This afternoon, travel to Chalon-sur-Saône to board your Suite Ship®. OVERNIGHT DOCKING IN TOURNUS (B,D)
TOURNUS
Pearl of Southern Burgundy Visit the Adventure Center for today’s activities with your Adventure Host.CLASSIC Tucked away in the southeast corner of Burgundy, Tournus is one of the oldest and most important monastic centers in the region, Our Local Guide will show the highlights of this delightful town.DISCOVERY Join a lecture about wine hosted by your Master of Wine while sailing to Mâcon.DISCOVERY Join an excursion that will take you to a Chardonnay cellar for a wine tasting.OVERNIGHT DOCKING IN TRÉVOUX(B,L,D)
LYON
La Vie En Rose in LyonSail for lovely Lyon this morning.DISCOVERY Enjoy an onboard cheese and wine tasting hosted by your Master of Wine while sailing to Lyon.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 TerreauxDISCOVERY Be our guest for a WWII & French Resistance Lecture on board your ship.Later enjoy live entertainment after dinner. OVERNIGHT DOCKING IN LYON(B,L,D)
LYON
Adventures in Food and WineCLASSIC Join a Culinary Walk through the city to discover why it is known as the gastronomic capital of France.DISCOVERY Take a guided tour to the lovely Beaujolais area and learn more about its light and pleasant wine.DISCOVERY This evening, join an onboard food and wine pairing dinner hosted by your Master of Wine.EVENING CRUISE TO TOURNON(B,L,D)
VIVIERS
TOURNON A Rendezvous with Castle Views and Vineyards ACTIVE Hike in the vineyards and take in the breathtaking views from the hills (weather permitting), OR: CLASSIC Take a morning Guided Walking Tour to explore Tournon—one of France’s oldest medieval cities with its 16th-century castle. The tour also includes a wine and chocolate tasting at the Cité du Chocolat at Valrhona. Enjoy a leisurely sail to Viviers after lunch. World History in a Charming French Country Village CLASSIC Explore the pale-stone buildings of Viviers on a late afternoon Guided Walking Tour of this charming village. You’ll see its Romanesque cathedral and Old Town with a mix of historical Christian, Roman, and medieval influences. Later, enjoy live entertainment onboard. EVENING/OVERNIGHT CRUISE TO AVIGNON(B,L,D)
AVIGNON
The City of Popes in Picturesque Provence Join your Adventure Host for today’s special activities.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.DISCOVERY Enjoy a trip to the famed wine cellars of Châteauneuf-du-Pape for a true taste of the Rhône wine region. Later, enjoy live onboard entertainment. EVENING CRUISE TO ARLES(B,L,D)
ARLES
A Brush with GeniusACTIVE 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 Café Van Gogh for a glass of wine. OVERNIGHT DOCKING IN ARLES (B,L,D)
ARLES (DISEMBARKATION)–FRENCH RIVIERA
Spectacular Seascapes of the Mediterranean CoastAfter breakfast this morning, you’ll drive to Nice on the spectacular French Riviera, which stretches along France’s Mediterranean coast from Toulon to the border of Italy.(B)
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
Your vacation ends with breakfast this morning.(B)
Departure dates
Select your preferred date or enquire
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.
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