9 Night Cruise sailing from Arles to Lyon aboard Emerald. Hotel stays pre-cruise in Cannes and post-cruise in Paris.

On one of the most enjoyable river cruises in France, journey from the jet-setting capital of Cannes on the Riviera into Provence to Arles to board ms Emerald for a cruise along the Rhône River to Lyon and then along the Saône.

Travel into the countryside past vineyards where some of the world’s best grapes become some of the world’s best wines, stopping to taste some of them. Discover river towns with Roman roots and lingering traces of medieval magic in their streets, experience the cowboy traditions and cuisine of La Camargue, and sample the pleasures of regional cuisine and wine throughout your trip. Explore a palace fit for a pope and an abbey that was once one of the most powerful in Europe. You'll find something new, something wonderful every day. And during two nights in Paris, you'll dine at chic Fouquet's on the Champs-Élysées!

Highlights of this cruise:

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.

Avignon
Avignon is one of the major cities of Provence, in Southern France. It is the main city of the departement of Vaucluse, and is located on the banks of the Rhone river. The city is probably best known for its Palais des Papes (Palace of the Popes), where the Popes lived for much of the 14th century. For centuries, it has also been one of the major artistic centres of France.

Avignon has an immaculately preserved medieval town with endless impressively decorated buildings, ancient churches, chapels and convents, and plenty of places to eat and drink. There is a great shopping area, with pedestrian streets without cars and loads of shops of all kinds. Southeast of the Place de l'Horloge: rue des Marchands, rue Rouge and ajoining streets are full of clothing and other shops.

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.