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Explore Roman ruins in Southern France

Grand France

Northbound - Example 15 Day Cruise aboard Avalon Poetry II
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Begin your journey on the Rhone River visiting Arles then to the historical Avignon where the 14th-century Palace of the Popes sits. The city of Tournon is beautifully nestled among vineyards and join a tour on this medieval treasure with plenty of Roman ruins. The Seine River offers a choice of excursion opportunities such as a visit to the historic Normandy Landing Beaches. On this French river cruise, you’ll enjoy wine, cheese, beautiful scenery, and stops in charming and historical parts of France, but your adventure would not be complete without a visit to Paris—one of the world’s most romantic and vibrant cities! 
Arles overviewThe Palais des Papes dominates the Avignon skylineEiffel Tower in Paris, FranceWander through Paris' historic Montmartre districtHalf-Timbered Houses at Rouen, Normandy, FranceExplore Roman ruins in Southern France
Highlights
  • Visit the Roman Amphitheater in the stunning city of Arles
  • Explore the Palace of the Popes and much more during a Avignon walking tour
  • See its 16th-century castle and Roman ruins in Tournon
  • Wander around the city of Vernon and take a tour to see stunning sights
  • Discover the ancient heart of Paris on a walking tour
Activities
Places Visited
Activity Level: Relaxed
Involves minimal physical effort and is typically associated with leisurely activities. Activities are low-intensity or last less than a few hours each day.
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Full Itinerary

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Day 1: Port St. Louis | Embark

Welcome to France. Your suite ship is ready for boarding. Flights into Marseille must arrive by 3 pm. Guests must be on board ship by 5 pm.

Day 2: Arles

  • Ship
  • 1 Breakfast, 1 Lunch, 1 Dinner
Active: Grab a Nordic walking stick for a hike with your Adventure Host.

Classic: Enjoy a guided walking tour of Arles, the captivating city of the Provence region. Visit the Roman Amphitheater in this visually stunning city, OR:

Discovery: Attend a painting workshop to learn the style and techniques of Vincent van Gogh. Create your own painting in the style of the classic master who took inspiration from the Provence light and landscape in Arles.

Consider a guided optional excursion to the Carrières de Lumières (Cathedral of Images) to immerse yourself in a truly unique experience of art, sound, and light in the old quarries of Val d’Enfer.

Take advantage of any free time remaining with a stop in Le Café Van Gogh for a glass of wine, to relax and watch the world go by, before sailing to Avignon.

Day 3: Avignon

  • Ship
  • 1 Breakfast, 1 Lunch, 1 Dinner
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.

Guided optional excursions include a visit to the ancient Roman aqueduct of Pont du Gard or a trip to the famed wine cellars of Châteauneuf-du-Pape for a true taste of the Rhône wine region.

Explore Avignon on your own for the city’s art and culture, theatre, and museums. Be sure to snap photos of the captivating countryside, historic monuments, and the medieval Pont Saint-Bénézet.

Later, enjoy onboard live entertainment.

Day 4: Viviers

  • Ship
  • 1 Breakfast, 1 Lunch, 1 Dinner
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.

Day 5: Tournon | Vienne

  • Ship
  • 1 Breakfast, 1 Lunch, 1 Dinner
Classic: Take a morning guided walking tour to explore Tournon, one of France’s oldest medieval cities. See its 16th-century castle, and Roman ruins between the Rhône River and the granite slopes of the Hermitage.

In the late morning cruise to Vienne.

VIENNE
Classic:  Join a guided walking tour of Vienne and discover this charming little town surrounded by steep hills.

Enjoy live entertainment while sailing to Lyon.

Day 6: Lyon

  • Ship
  • 1 Breakfast, 1 Lunch, 1 Dinner
Classic: Join a guided sightseeing tour to survey Lyon from Fourvière Hill with its numerous churches. Explore the Old Town with its maze of medieval alleyways, and the lively cafés, monuments, and famed fountain of Place des Terreaux.

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

Day 7: Tournus | St. Jean De Losne

  • Ship
  • 1 Breakfast, 1 Lunch, 1 Dinner
Consider a guided optional excursion to a Chardonnay wine cellar, or to the Castle of Cormatin. Alternatively enjoy a leisurely cruising morning along the majestic Saône River on your way to St. Jean de Losne.

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

Enjoy live entertainment on board this evening.

Day 8: St. Jean De Losne | Disembark | Beaune | Dijon | Paris | Embark

  • Ship
  • 1 Breakfast, 1 Dinner
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, take a high-speed train from Dijon to Paris to board your suite ship.

Day 9: Vernon

  • Ship
  • 1 Breakfast, 1 Lunch, 1 Dinner
Start the day with a morning stretch with your Avalon adventure host.

Classic: Take a guided tour of Giverny, home and inspiration of the master impressionist painter Claude Monet. Walk the grounds and see Monet’s charming residence, and the flower and water gardens captured in his masterpieces, OR:

Classic: Join a guided visit to Bizy Castle called “Normandy’s Versailles” for its magnificent courtyard, water garden, and stables.

Discovery: While sailing, enjoy a traditional French luncheon of authentic French crêpes, followed by a pastry demonstration.

This afternoon, enjoy a beautiful cruise to the picturesque town of Les Andelys.

LES ANDELYS​
Classic: Take a guided walking tour of Les Andelys, one of France’s most picturesque spots on the Seine, OR:

Active: Join a guided hike up to the castle ruins of Château Gaillard, historic home of King Richard the Lionheart.

Day 10: Caudebec

  • Ship
  • 1 Breakfast, 1 Lunch, 1 Dinner
Active: Join your Avalon adventure host for a morning jog in Normandy’s town of Caudebec.

Classic: Take a guided trip along the Normandy Abbeys Route where more than 100 medieval Benedictine and Augustine abbeys and churches were built along the Seine

This afternoon, you may choose a guided optional excursion to the old seaside town of Honfleur.

Day 11: Caudebec

  • Ship
  • 1 Breakfast, 1 Lunch, 1 Dinner
Classic: Join a guided tour of Normandy’s WWII landing beaches, visit significant U.S. sites, including Omaha Beach, the Pointe du Hoc monument, and the American Cemetery, OR:

Classic: Take a full-day guided tour of the British and Canadian commemorative sites, including the British cemetery, Pegasus Memorial, the seaside town of Arromanches, the Juno Beach Center, and the Bény-sur-Mer Canadian War Cemetery, OR:

Classic: Join “A Taste of Normandy” Guided Tour for an in-depth look at this rich agricultural region. See the famous Bayeux Tapestry, visit the beautiful village of Beuvron en Auge and taste Calvados at a local distillery.

Later, enjoy live entertainment on board your ship.

Day 12: Rouen

  • Ship
  • 1 Breakfast, 1 Lunch, 1 Dinner
Classic: Take a guided walking tour of Rouen, home of the martyred Joan of Arc and see the medieval quarter with its 16th-century Astronomical Clock and Notre-Dame Cathedral, OR:

Active: Take a guided bike tour to discover and explore the most famous monuments and the lesser-known hidden gems of Rouen on two wheels.

Day 13: Conflans

  • Ship
  • 1 Breakfast, 1 Lunch, 1 Dinner
Classic: Join a guided visit to Auvers-sur-Oise, home and resting place of Vincent van Gogh, OR:

Classic: Take a guided tour of the opulent Château de Malmaison, home of Napoléon Bonaparte and his wife Josephine.

Perhaps, join a guided optional excursion to the Palace of Versailles home to a succession of French kings.

Later enjoy live entertainment on board.

Day 14: Paris

  • Ship
  • 1 Breakfast, 1 Lunch, 1 Dinner
Active: Take a morning walk with your Avalon adventure host to see Paris at first light.

Classic: Discover the ancient heart of Paris on a captivating guided walk featuring the Palais-Royal, Louvre pyramid, ancient sites on Île de la Cité, the Left Bank, bustling Latin Quarter, and more, OR:

Classic: Join a guided city tour, that shows you the iconic sites of Paris, such as the Louvre Museum, the Arc de Triomphe, the Eiffel Tower, Opéra Garnier, and the famous Champs-Élysées.

Stroll through Paris on your own, or linger over wine in a literary café on the Left Bank.

Day 15: Paris | Disembark

  • 1 Breakfast
Your cruise ends with breakfast this morning.

Ship/Hotel

Avalon Poetry II

Dates & Prices

My Preferred Start Date

Per person starting at
Select a Date
Cat. E
Avalon Deluxe Stateroom: 172 SQ. FT. Comfort Collection Beds, Bedside tables with reading lamps, L'Occitane bath products, Under-bed luggage storage, Complimentary bottled water, Individual climate control, Mirror in the bathroom, Full shower with glass door, Vanity, Memory foam mattress, European-style duvets.
Select a Date
Cat. D
Avalon Deluxe Stateroom: 172 SQ. FT. Comfort Collection Beds, Bedside tables with reading lamps, L'Occitane bath products, Under-bed luggage storage, Complimentary bottled water, Individual climate control, Mirror in the bathroom, Full shower with glass door, Vanity, Luxurious mattress, European-style duvets.
Select a Date
Cat. B
Panorama Suite: 200 SQ. FT. Comfort Collection Beds, Bedside tables with reading lamps, L'Occitane bath products, Under-bed luggage storage, Telephone, In-room safe, Contemporary design, Marble countertops in the bathroom, 6-person sitting area, Writing desk, Sofa, Memory foam mattress, European-style duvets.
Select a Date
Cat. A
Panorama Suite: 200 SQ. FT. Comfort Collection Beds, Bedside tables with reading lamps, L'Occitane bath products, Under-bed luggage storage, Telephone, In-room safe, contemporary design, Marble countertops in the bathroom, 6-person sitting area, Writing desk, Sofa, Luxurious mattress, European-style duvets.
Select a Date
Cat. P
Panorama Suite: 200 SQ. FT. Comfort Collection Beds, Bedside tables with reading lamps, L'Occitane bath products, Under-bed luggage storage, Telephone, Well-stocked minibar, In-room safe, Contemporary design, Marble countertops in the bathroom, 6-person sitting area, Writing desk, Sofa, Memory foam mattress, European-style duvets
Select a Date
Royal Suite
Royal Suite: 300 SQ. FT. Comfort Collection Beds, Bedside tables with reading lamps, L'Occitane bath products, Under-bed luggage storage, Telephone, Well-stocked minibar, Marble countertops in the bathroom, Wall-to-Wall Panoramic Window with Open-Air Balcony, Full shower with glass door, Luxurious mattress toppers, European-style duvets.
Included
  • 14 Breakfasts, 12 Lunches, 14 Dinners
  • 14 Nights Accommodations
  • Accommodations as listed
  • Ground transportation as listed
  • Activities as listed
  • Meals as listed
  • Access to a 24-7 Emergency line while traveling
  • Onboard Adventure Center with active gear, bikes, maps, canoe, kayak and jogging excursions
  • Wifi
  • Complimentary fresh fruit available daily
  • Captain’s Welcome and Farewell Receptions
  • Club Lounge with 24-hour self-serve beverage station with complimentary cappuccinos, lattes, tea, hot chocolate & premium coffees, as well as treats throughout the day
  • Panoramic windows
  • Friendly, English-speaking crew & Cruise Director
  • Sky Deck with whirlpool, shade awnings, game area and premium lounges
  • Complimentary sparkling wine with breakfast; wine, beer, or soft drinks with every lunch and dinner
Excluded
  • Gratuities
  • Travel Insurance
  • Personal Expenses
  • Flight costs (please request a quote)
  • Additional excursions during free time
  • Fuel and transportation surcharges (when applicable)
  • Alcohol, beverages, and food outside of the contracted menu as presented at a hotel or restaurant or on board your vessel
  • Port Fees
  • Porterage
  • Passport or Visa fees

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Everything was amazing! The planning with Adventure Life went smoothly. The actual trip was fantastic! One of the best trips I have experienced. The cruise staff members were knowledgeable and attentive. I will be writing more about this on the blog!
Justin Chappelle
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