7 Night Cruise sailing from Lyon roundtrip aboard Emerald. Hotel stay pre-cruise in Paris.

Depart on a 7-night Rhône River cruise aboard ms Emerald through vineyard country that's home to some of the world’s most exceptional wines.

Tauck's epicurean delights begin in Paris with a reception and dinner at Fouquet’s, the celebrity hotspot on the Champs Élysées, and a pastry class especially for Tauck guests at Le Cordon Bleu Paris. Ride the high-speed TGV through the French countryside to Lyon to taste your way through Les Halles, Lyon's famed covered food market with its eye-popping vertical garden... cruise in search of culinary adventures along the Rhône... sip Beaujolais in Beaujolais... sample Provençal specialties for lunch at a private ranch in La Camargue... attend a memorable evening at the Duchy of Uzès... and learn secrets at a cooking demonstration at an award-winning cooking school in Valence. It's the ultimate Rhône River cruise to the soul of French haute cuisine!

Highlights of this cruise:

Lyon
Lyon is the third largest city in France and centre of the second largest metropolitan area in the country. It is the capital of the Rhone-Alpes region and the Rhône département. The city is known for its historical and architectural landmarks and is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Lyon was historically known as an important area for the production and weaving of silk and in modern times has developed a reputation as the capital of gastronomy in France.

Lyon is shaped by its two rivers, the Rhône (to the East) and the Saône (to the West), which both run North-South. The main areas of interest are Fourvière hill, Vieux Lyon (Old Lyon), Presqu'île, Croix-Rousse, Confluence, Part-Dieu, Brotteaux, Guillotière, Etats-Unis and Vaise.

There are many sights of interest in Lyon including the Roman ruins on the hillside near the Fourviere Basilica with the Ancient Theatre of Fourvière, the Odeon of Lyon and the accompanying Gallo-Roman Museum, the Amphitheatre of the Three Gaul and the roman ruins of an amphiteatre. There are many churches dating back to the Middle Ages and Renaissance and buildings built in the 17th and 18th century.

Arles
Arles is a city and commune in the south of France, in the Bouches-du-Rhône department, of which it is a subprefecture, in the former province of Provence. The city has a long history, and was of considerable importance in the Roman province of Gallia Narbonensis. The Roman and Romanesque Monuments of Arles were listed as UNESCO World Heritage Sites in 1981. The Dutch post-Impressionist painter Vincent van Gogh lived in Arles in 1888-1889 and produced over 300 paintings and drawings during his time there.

Arles has important remains of Roman times, which have been listed as World Heritage Sites since 1981. They include the Roman theatre, The arena or amphitheatre, The Alyscamps (Roman necropolis), The Thermes of Constantine, The cryptoporticus, The obelisk and the Barbegal aqueduct and mill.

Tain-l'Hermitage
Tain-l'Hermitage is a town and commune of the Drôme department in southern France. It is situated on the bank of the Rhône at the bottom of the Hermitage hills, opposite Tournon-sur-Rhône It is a popular destination with epicurean visitors, known for its wines, chocolate, fruits and its historic heritage.

Tain-l'Hermitage is a modern town with a popular outlet store at the Valrhona chocolate factory and several wine merchants that offer tastings of Côtes de Rhône wines from the Hermitage vineyards.