River cruise

Cast off!

From the river you have a magnificent view of the old town of Lyon.

(Bild: Manjik photography)

France is always worth a visit. Charming landscapes, tranquil villages, vibrant cities - a river cruise combines all this with the famous savoir-vivre, the art of enjoying life. 

At last! We are standing at the jetty in Lyon. This is where our cruise on the Rhone and Saone rivers begins. When we received our travel documents in the post a few weeks ago, we were already looking forward to it. The first few days on the Saone will take us to Chalon-sur-Saone, Tournus and Macon, before we head south on the Rhone from Lyon to Viviers, Arles, Avignon and Le Pouzin. Our ship, the MS Voyage, has room for 152 passengers. It was built in 2004 and completely overhauled in winter 22/23.

Seventy outside twin cabins and six junior suites are spread over the main, middle and upper decks. They are equipped with flat-screen TV, fridge, hairdryer, safe, air conditioning and coffee machine. Free WLAN is also available on board - subject to availability and reception along the route. We don't have time to visit Lyon for the time being, but we will dock here again in a few days. While the MS Voyage leaves Lyon on time at 6 p.m., cruise director Jürg invites us into the salon for a port talk. He provides us with daily information about our itinerary and the excursions we have booked.

The MS Voyage is waiting for its guests at the pier in Lyon.

(Bild: Yohann Fontaine)

During the first night, the MS Voyage will travel 142 kilometers upriver and pass through three locks before docking the next morning in the pretty town of Charlon-Sur Saone, the starting point for our first shore excursion. This leads to Dijon, the capital of Burgundy and one of the country's most important wine regions. The old alleyways take you on a journey through time. The streetscape is characterized by cobbled streets, elegant city palaces and well-preserved half-timbered houses from the 15th and 16th centuries. The market halls near Place Francois Rude were designed in 1876 by Gustav Eiffel, a son of the city and builder of the Eiffel Tower.

Dijon, the "capital of mustard", has a well-preserved medieval town center.

(Bild: Eva Bukovec)

And while we are in Dijon, a mustard tasting is of course a must. Mustard has been produced in the Edmond Fallot mustard mill since 1840 according to an old tradition. Today, the mustard seeds come from the region again and are processed in stone mills with the addition of salt, vinegar and water to make the paste which, after a suitable maturing period, becomes "Dijon mustard" (which is not protected by trademark law). In 2009, a mustard was registered under the name "Moutarde de Bourgogne", in which the original recipe was slightly modified.

Back on the ship, we find a spot on the spacious sun deck. It's not just the whirlpool that is very popular in the summer temperatures. The comfortable sun loungers and seating areas, from which you can enjoy a wonderful view of the passing Burgundy countryside, are also very popular. The Saone, which forms the eastern border of the region, has served as a transportation route for the wine grown here since ancient times. The vineyards of the Maconnaise, where white and red wines are pressed, extend as far as the city limits of Macon.

We reach Lyon, where the Rhone and Saone rivers meet, on the morning of the fourth day. The Basilica of Notre-Dame de Fourviévre, which towers high above the city on the hill of the same name, can already be seen from the river. A funicular railroad takes us from the city center to the church, which was built in the classicist style. In good weather conditions, you can even see Mont Blanc from up here. Just a few minutes' walk away are the ruins of the two Roman theaters Lugdunium. The adjoining museum, partly built into the hill, offers free admission to anyone interested in history an insight into the history of Lyon from antiquity to the Middle Ages.

INFO

GTA Touristik GmbH
A-1120 Vienna
Altmannsdorfer Straße 89/10 T: 01 729 66 66-52, www.gta.at

Offer:
Lyon - Le Pouzin or vice versa 8 days from € 1,390 p.p. for the cruise, excursion package (6 excursions) € 339 p.p., arrival/departure package (flights from/to Vienna and transfers) € 450 p.p.
Dates:
Lyon - Le Pouzin:
08.06.-15.06.2025
13.07.-20.07.2025
Le Pouzin - Lyon:
15.06.-22.06.2025
20.07.-27.07.2025

GENERAL INFORMATION ABOUT FRANCE:www.france.fr

We enjoy our free time ashore, stroll through the UNESCO World Heritage-listed old town with its typical narrow connecting alleyways, the "traboules", browse through the numerous souvenir stores for souvenirs and finally end up in front of Paul Bocuse's market hall. Gourmets will find the finest French delicacies - fish, oysters, poultry, cheese, brioche, fruit, vegetables, the famous Lyon sausages, marzipan and chocolate sweets - in this shopping temple named after the chef who died in 2018. If you don't get weak at the knees here... Fully loaded, we return on the MS Voyage, which is soon heading for our next destination on the Rhone.

The next morning we reach Viviers, a town that has retained its entire medieval structure to this day. Narrow, winding alleyways lead from the lower town up into the church district to Saint-Vinzent Cathedral, the smallest in France, where church services are still held today. We don't have much time to explore here, as we set sail for Arles in the early afternoon. We have 115 kilometers of river ahead of us with a total of four locks, the highest of which - the Bollene lock - overcomes a height difference of 23 meters. Captain Christophe Cobin steers the ship safely through. The 46-year-old is the fourth generation of his family to navigate the rivers of France and already had his captain's license in his pocket at the age of 18. So he knows the river like the back of his hand.

The large stone obelisk stands in Arles on the "Place de la République".

(Bild: stock.adobe.com/tichr - stock.adobe.com)

We reach Arles early in the morning. As one of the oldest cities in France, UNESCO has declared it a World Heritage Site. The Roman amphitheater dating back to the first century is one of the numerous sights. Three square towers from the 12th century and the walled arcades still bear witness to the fact that it was converted and expanded into a fortress in the Middle Ages. In the 19th century, the original form was restored and the houses inside began to be demolished in 1825. Today, concerts or the bloodless, traditional bullfights take place here.

Camargue horses live in freedom

(Bild: GTA)

Speaking of bulls. They live together with the famous white horses on the endless pastures of the Camargue. Covering an area of 750 km², it encompasses the entire delta of the Rhone, which splits into two arms at Arles. In between are salt marshes and rice fields. Part of the area is protected as a bird reserve - especially for the flamingos that live here - and is not accessible. The western branch of the Rhone, known as "le Petit Rhone", flows into the sea at the pilgrimage site of Les-Saintes-Maries-de-la-Mer.

The Palace of the Popes in Avignon - an absolute highlight of the trip

(Bild: stock.adobe.com/JFBRUNEAU - stock.adobe.com)

We are approaching the end of our trip - and an absolute highlight! Avignon. Millions of tourists visit the city every year. No wonder, because the mighty papal palace conveys an impression of luxury and power. The MS Voyage is moored just a few minutes' walk from the Pont St. Bénézet. Avignon's landmark originally consisted of 22 arches, but over the centuries they fell victim to the force of the Rhone's waters. Today, the bridge ends abruptly in the river after four arches.

Between Avignon and Uzes stands a masterpiece of ancient architecture. The Pont du Gard, the highest aqueduct in the world, was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1985. This is our last excursion as the MS Voyage leaves Avignon at 7 p.m. and makes its way to Le Pouzin, 109 kilometers away. From here we start our journey home. The crew now has a lot to do. They prepare the ship for new guests. And then it's time to cast off again!

Eva Bukovec