Riviera Travel

Daily Itinerary

1. Day 1

   Avignon

   France

   

   Avignon's Palais des Papes — a fortress-palace of staggering medieval ambition where seven successive popes held court for seventy years — still dominates this Provençal city's skyline, its limestone bulk enclosing frescoed chapels and vast ceremonial halls that once shaped the destiny of Christendom. In July, the city transforms for the celebrated Festival d'Avignon, Europe's premier theatre gathering, turning every courtyard and cloister into a stage. Year-round, the beautifully preserved historic centre offers world-class Rhône Valley wines, refined Provençal cuisine, and the beguiling spectacle of the Pont Saint-Bénézet stretching halfway across the river. Lyon and Marseille are each accessible in under ninety minutes by TGV.

2. Day 2

   Avignon

   France

   

   Avignon's Palais des Papes — a fortress-palace of staggering medieval ambition where seven successive popes held court for seventy years — still dominates this Provençal city's skyline, its limestone bulk enclosing frescoed chapels and vast ceremonial halls that once shaped the destiny of Christendom. In July, the city transforms for the celebrated Festival d'Avignon, Europe's premier theatre gathering, turning every courtyard and cloister into a stage. Year-round, the beautifully preserved historic centre offers world-class Rhône Valley wines, refined Provençal cuisine, and the beguiling spectacle of the Pont Saint-Bénézet stretching halfway across the river. Lyon and Marseille are each accessible in under ninety minutes by TGV.

3. Day 3

   Arles

   France

   

   Arles, the most important city in Roman Gaul after Lyon, wears its history with casual magnificence: a first-century amphitheatre still hosts bullfights beneath open skies, and the haunting Alyscamps necropolis — once among the most prestigious burial grounds in the Western world — lines a poplar-shaded avenue with ancient sarcophagi. Yet Arles is equally celebrated as the city that intoxicated Vincent van Gogh, who produced over three hundred works here in fifteen fevered months; the Fondation Vincent van Gogh now honors his legacy in beautifully renovated rooms. Spring and autumn are ideal, with the Camargue's flamingo-filled wetlands just minutes south. Lyon is two hours north by TGV.

4. Day 3

   Pont Du Gard

   

5. Day 4

   Tain L’Hermitage

   France

   

   Tain-l'Hermitage is the beating heart of the northern Rhône wine country, a compact town whose steeply terraced granite hill has yielded some of France's most majestic Syrahs and finest Marsannes since the Roman era. The revered Hermitage hill — its legend entwined with a thirteenth-century crusader hermit — rises directly behind the main street, and the great wine estates of Jaboulet, Chapoutier, and Ferraton offer some of the Loire Valley's most memorable cellar tastings. Autumn harvest season brings the vineyards to their most photogenic golden glory; spring and summer offer ideal touring weather along the Rhône cycling routes between vines and river.

6. Day 4

   Tain L’Hermitage

   France

   

   Tain-l'Hermitage is the beating heart of the northern Rhône wine country, a compact town whose steeply terraced granite hill has yielded some of France's most majestic Syrahs and finest Marsannes since the Roman era. The revered Hermitage hill — its legend entwined with a thirteenth-century crusader hermit — rises directly behind the main street, and the great wine estates of Jaboulet, Chapoutier, and Ferraton offer some of the Loire Valley's most memorable cellar tastings. Autumn harvest season brings the vineyards to their most photogenic golden glory; spring and summer offer ideal touring weather along the Rhône cycling routes between vines and river.

7. Day 5

   Vienne

   France

   

   Vienne is a historic French city on the Rhône, 35 kilometres south of Lyon, where an exceptionally preserved Roman temple and a thirteen-thousand-seat ancient theatre anchor a rich cultural landscape spanning two millennia. Visitors should not miss the Temple of Augustus and Livia and a gastronomic pilgrimage to La Pyramide, the restaurant that redefined modern French cuisine. The ideal season is late June through July, when the Jazz à Vienne festival transforms the Roman theatre into one of Europe's most atmospheric open-air concert venues, and the Rhône Valley vineyards reach their luminous peak.

8. Day 6

   Chalon-Sur-Saone

   France

   

   Birthplace of photography and gateway to Burgundy's finest vineyards, Chalon-sur-Saône is a Saône River gem that rewards those who linger beyond its famous streets. The Musée Nicéphore Niépce, housed in a riverside mansion, chronicles the invention of the medium that changed human perception forever, while the surrounding Côte Chalonnaise wine villages — Mercurey, Givry, Rully — offer some of Burgundy's most approachable yet complex Pinot Noirs. Visit in late summer or early autumn for harvest season, when the vineyards blush gold and local restaurants celebrate the new vintage.

9. Day 6

   Beaune

   France

   

   Beaune is a historic walled town in Burgundy, renowned for its vibrant wine culture and the striking Hôtel-Dieu. Must-do experiences include savoring coq au vin and participating in the famous wine auction. The best season to visit is during the harvest in autumn, when the region bursts with color and flavor.

10. Day 7

    Lyon

    France

    

    Lyon sits at the confluence of the Rhône and the Saône — a geographic destiny that made it the capital of Roman Gaul, a Renaissance silk-trading powerhouse, and, by contemporary consensus, the undisputed gastronomic capital of France. The UNESCO-listed Vieux Lyon preserves Europe's finest concentration of Renaissance architecture, its labyrinthine traboules — secret passageways threading through courtyard after courtyard — offering endless discovery. Paul Bocuse's legacy lives on in the city's constellation of bouchons, where quenelles de brochet and tablier de sapeur are served with the straightforward confidence of a city that has never needed to prove its culinary supremacy. Lyon rewards a visit in any season, with the Festival of Lights in December being particularly magical.

11. Day 8

    Lyon

    France

    

    Lyon sits at the confluence of the Rhône and the Saône — a geographic destiny that made it the capital of Roman Gaul, a Renaissance silk-trading powerhouse, and, by contemporary consensus, the undisputed gastronomic capital of France. The UNESCO-listed Vieux Lyon preserves Europe's finest concentration of Renaissance architecture, its labyrinthine traboules — secret passageways threading through courtyard after courtyard — offering endless discovery. Paul Bocuse's legacy lives on in the city's constellation of bouchons, where quenelles de brochet and tablier de sapeur are served with the straightforward confidence of a city that has never needed to prove its culinary supremacy. Lyon rewards a visit in any season, with the Festival of Lights in December being particularly magical.

12. Day 8

    Paris

    France

    

    Paris rewards every arrival as though it were the first — the sweep of the Seine, the Gothic tracery of Notre-Dame rising again from its 2019 ashes, the Eiffel Tower somehow managing to astonish at each encounter, the Louvre's glass pyramid reflecting clouds in the courtyard of a palace that served French kings for four centuries. Beyond the monuments, Paris is a city of neighbourhoods: the Belle Époque brasseries of Montparnasse, the covered passages of the 2nd arrondissement, the rooftop terraces of Le Marais. The Luxembourg Gardens in April, or a late-September evening on the Canal Saint-Martin, are among the most civilised experiences in the world.

13. Day 9

    Les Andelys

    France

    

    Les Andelys occupies one of the Seine's most dramatic bends, dominated by the spectral ruins of Château Gaillard — Richard the Lionheart's 'Saucy Castle,' built with medieval speed in a single year and considered a masterpiece of twelfth-century military engineering. The view from the castle's white chalk promontory across the river's great loop is among the most beautiful in Normandy, a landscape that captivated Monet and Pissarro. Below, the twin villages of Grand and Petit Andely offer excellent Normandy cuisine, notably duck dishes prepared with local cider. Les Andelys is best visited April through October as part of a Seine river cruise; golden autumn light renders the chalk cliffs particularly luminous.

14. Day 10

    Rouen

    France

    

    Rouen, the medieval capital of Normandy set in a wooded meander of the Seine, rewards slow exploration with one of France's richest concentrations of Gothic architecture. The vast cathedral — immortalised by Monet in his celebrated series of canvases — dominates a city where half-timbered lanes wind between Renaissance mansions and the square where Joan of Arc was burned in 1431. The covered market overflows with Normandy's great dairy bounty: camembert, livarot, and pont-l'évêque alongside cider and calvados. Paris lies just ninety minutes south by train. Spring and early autumn offer the most atmospheric conditions.

15. Day 11

    Bayeux

    France

    

    Bayeux is a small Norman town famous for the 68-meter Bayeux Tapestry depicting the 1066 Norman Conquest and its proximity to the D-Day beaches of 1944. Must-dos include spending time with the tapestry's extraordinary medieval narrative, visiting the Gothic cathedral consecrated by William the Conqueror, and paying respects at the British War Cemetery. Spring and early autumn offer the most pleasant weather, with June adding D-Day commemoration events.

16. Day 11

    Arromanches-les-Bains

    France

    

    Arromanches-les-Bains is the Normandy beach town where the Allies built their extraordinary Mulberry artificial harbour on D-Day, its concrete remains still visible at low tide as a permanent monument to the liberation of Europe. Must-do experiences include the D-Day Museum, the Arromanches 360 cinema, and visiting the nearby American Cemetery at Omaha Beach. April through October offers the best weather, with June bringing D-Day anniversary commemorations.

17. Day 12

    Honfleur

    France

    

    Honfleur, a historic port in Normandy, is known for its stunning waterfront and vibrant artistic heritage, having been a launching point for significant voyages like Samuel de Champlain's to Quebec. Don’t miss the chance to savor local specialties such as moules marinières and tarte normande while exploring the charming cobbled streets. The best time to visit is during the spring and summer months when the town bursts into bloom and outdoor dining thrives.

18. Day 13

    Giverny

    France

    

    Giverny, a charming village in Normandy, is renowned as the home of Impressionist painter Claude Monet, whose gardens inspired his most famous works. Visitors must experience the Fondation Claude Monet and savor local delicacies like tarte Normande. The best time to visit is during spring or summer when the gardens are in full bloom.

19. Day 13

    Vernon

    France

    

    Vernon is a quietly beguiling Norman town on the Seine whose greatest treasure lies just four kilometers beyond its medieval bridge: the garden and water lily ponds at Giverny, where Claude Monet lived and painted for forty-three years, creating the luminous imagery that changed the course of modern art. The town itself retains considerable charm — a romanticly ruined twelfth-century bridge tower draped in ivy, half-timbered houses along the riverbank, and a fine museum housing several original Monet canvases. Monet's garden is open from April through October, reaching its peak splendor in May and June when his beloved water lilies are in full, painterly bloom.

20. Day 14

    Paris

    France

    

    Paris rewards every arrival as though it were the first — the sweep of the Seine, the Gothic tracery of Notre-Dame rising again from its 2019 ashes, the Eiffel Tower somehow managing to astonish at each encounter, the Louvre's glass pyramid reflecting clouds in the courtyard of a palace that served French kings for four centuries. Beyond the monuments, Paris is a city of neighbourhoods: the Belle Époque brasseries of Montparnasse, the covered passages of the 2nd arrondissement, the rooftop terraces of Le Marais. The Luxembourg Gardens in April, or a late-September evening on the Canal Saint-Martin, are among the most civilised experiences in the world.

21. Day 15

    Arrive Home

    

Cabin Categories

Diamond Deck (Upper)

balcony

4

At 15 square metres (161 square feet), your luxuriously appointed cabin is amongst the largest, most comfortable and best appointed on any European river cruise vessel - with all the high quality facilities you would expect from a top hotel, and more.

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Ruby Deck (Middle)

balcony

5

At 15 square metres (161 square feet), your luxuriously appointed cabin is amongst the largest, most comfortable and best appointed on any European river cruise vessel - with all the high quality facilities you would expect from a top hotel, and more.

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Emerald Deck (Lower)

outside

7

At 15 square metres (161 square feet), your luxuriously appointed cabin is amongst the largest, most comfortable and best appointed on any European river cruise vessel - with all the high quality facilities you would expect from a top hotel, and more.

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Diamond Deck - Deluxe Suite (Upper)

suite

9

Diamond Deck - Deluxe Suite (Upper)

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Diamond Deck - Superior Stern Suite (Upper)

suite

3

For more space you can upgrade to a suite available on all decks, featuring the same facilities as standard cabins but being larger at 18.5 square meters (199 square feet). The extra space is purely devoted to the living area, so you really notice the difference.

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Diamond Deck- Superior Suite (Upper)

suite

2

For more space you can upgrade to a suite available on all decks, featuring the same facilities as standard cabins but being larger at 18.5 square meters (199 square feet). The extra space is purely devoted to the living area, so you really notice the difference.

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Emerald Deck - Superior Suite (Lower)

suite

8

For more space you can upgrade to a suite available on all decks, featuring the same facilities as standard cabins but being larger at 18.5 square meters (199 square feet). The extra space is purely devoted to the living area, so you really notice the difference.

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Ruby Deck- Superior Suite (Middle)

suite

6

For more space you can upgrade to a suite available on all decks, featuring the same facilities as standard cabins but being larger at 18.5 square meters (199 square feet). The extra space is purely devoted to the living area, so you really notice the difference.

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Deluxe Suite - Diamond Deck

Suite

242 sq ftMax 2DL

<p>For the ultimate in space and river cruise luxury, on the Diamond (top) deck there are four deluxe suites, at 22.5 square metres (242 square feet) a full 50% larger than a standard cabin, beautifully appointed and incredibly comfortable, plus for a final homely touch, soft cotton bathrobes and slippers. You will love them.</p><p><b>Features</b></p><p></p><ul><li>Individual climate control</li><li>Floor to ceiling windows with French style balcony</li><li>Twin beds which can be configured as double</li><li>Tea and coffee making facilities</li><li>Ensuite bathroom with walk-in shower</li><li>Luxury toiletries: shampoo, conditioner, shower gel, body lotion, soap</li><li>Towels, bathrobes, slippers and hairdryer</li><li>EU plug sockets</li><li>Table and chairs</li><li>Telephone, radio and flat-screen TV</li><li>Safe &amp; mini fridge</li><li>Turn down service</li></ul><p></p>

Queen or Twin ConfigurationShowerToiletries ProvidedRoom Service AvailableFree Wi-FiSafe+7

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Standard Cabin - Emerald Deck

Outside

161 sq ftMax 2E

At 15 square metres (161 square feet), your luxuriously appointed cabin is amongst the largest, most comfortable and best appointed on any European river cruise vessel - with all the high quality facilities you would expect from a top hotel, and more.<br><br><p><b>Features</b></p><ul><li>Individual climate control</li><li>Fixed window</li><li>Twin beds which can be configured as double</li><li>Tea and coffee making facilities</li><li>Ensuite bathroom with walk-in shower</li><li>Shampoo, conditioner, shower gel, body lotion, soap</li><li>Towels, bathrobes, slippers and hairdryer</li><li>EU plug sockets</li><li>Table and chairs</li><li>Telephone, radio and flat-screen TV</li><li>Safe &amp; mini fridge</li><li>Turn down service</li></ul>

Double or Twin ConfigurationShowerToiletries ProvidedRoom Service AvailableTVFree Wi-Fi+5

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Standard Cabin - Ruby and Diamond Decks

Balcony

161 sq ftMax 2D

<p>At 15 square metres (161 square feet), your luxuriously appointed cabin is amongst the largest, most comfortable and best appointed on any European river cruise vessel - with all the high quality facilities you would expect from a top hotel, and more.</p><p><b>Features</b></p><ul><li>Individual climate control</li><li>Floor to ceiling windows with French style balcony</li><li>Twin beds which can be configured as double</li><li>Tea and coffee making facilities</li><li>Ensuite bathroom with walk-in shower</li><li>Luxury toiletries: shampoo, conditioner, shower gel, body lotion, soap</li><li>Towels, bathrobes, slippers and hairdryer</li><li>EU plug sockets</li><li>Table and chairs</li><li>Telephone, radio and flat-screen TV</li><li>Safe &amp; mini fridge</li><li>Turn down service</li></ul>

ShowerToiletries ProvidedRoom Service AvailableTVFree Wi-FiSafe+5

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Standard Cabin - Ruby and Diamond Decks

Balcony

161 sq ftMax 2R

<p>At 15 square metres (161 square feet), your luxuriously appointed cabin is amongst the largest, most comfortable and best appointed on any European river cruise vessel - with all the high quality facilities you would expect from a top hotel, and more.</p><p><b>Features</b></p><ul><li>Individual climate control</li><li>Floor to ceiling windows with French style balcony</li><li>Twin beds which can be configured as double</li><li>Tea and coffee making facilities</li><li>Ensuite bathroom with walk-in shower</li><li>Luxury toiletries: shampoo, conditioner, shower gel, body lotion, soap</li><li>Towels, bathrobes, slippers and hairdryer</li><li>EU plug sockets</li><li>Table and chairs</li><li>Telephone, radio and flat-screen TV</li><li>Safe &amp; mini fridge</li><li>Turn down service</li></ul>

ShowerToiletries ProvidedRoom Service AvailableTVFree Wi-FiSafe+5

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Superior Stern Suite - Diamond Deck

Suite

199 sq ftMax 2SSS

<p>For more space you can upgrade to a suite available on all decks, featuring the same facilities as standard cabins but being larger at 18.5 square meters (199 square feet). The extra space is purely devoted to the living area, so you really notice the difference.</p><p><b>Features</b></p><ul><li>Individual climate control</li><li>Floor to ceiling windows with French style balcony</li><li>Twin beds which can be configured as double</li><li>Tea and coffee making facilities</li><li>Ensuite bathroom with walk-in shower</li><li>Luxury toiletries: shampoo, conditioner, shower gel, body lotion, soap</li><li>Towels, bathrobes, slippers and hairdryer</li><li>EU plug sockets</li><li>Table and chairs</li><li>Telephone, radio and flat-screen TV</li><li>Safe &amp; mini fridge</li><li>Turn down service</li></ul>

Double or Twin ConfigurationShowerToiletries ProvidedRoom Service AvailableTVCoffee Machine+6

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Superior Suite - Emerald Deck

Suite

199 sq ftMax 1ES

For more space you can upgrade to a suite available on all decks, featuring the same facilities as standard cabins but being larger at 18.5 square meters (199 square feet). The extra space is purely devoted to the living area, so you really notice the difference.<br><br><p><b>Features</b></p><p></p><ul><li>Individual climate control</li><li>Fixed window</li><li>Twin beds which can be configured as double</li><li>Tea and coffee making facilities</li><li>Ensuite bathroom with walk-in shower</li><li>Luxury toiletries: shampoo, conditioner, shower gel, body lotion, soap</li><li>Towels, bathrobes, slippers and hairdryer</li><li>EU plug sockets</li><li>Table and chairs</li><li>Telephone, radio and flat-screen TV</li><li>Safe &amp; mini fridge</li><li>Turn down service</li></ul><p></p>

Double or Twin ConfigurationShowerToiletries ProvidedRoom Service AvailableTVSafe+5

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Superior Suite - Emerald Deck

Suite

199 sq ftMax 1ESS

For more space you can upgrade to a suite available on all decks, featuring the same facilities as standard cabins but being larger at 18.5 square meters (199 square feet). The extra space is purely devoted to the living area, so you really notice the difference.<br><br><p><b>Features</b></p><p></p><ul><li>Individual climate control</li><li>Fixed window</li><li>Twin beds which can be configured as double</li><li>Tea and coffee making facilities</li><li>Ensuite bathroom with walk-in shower</li><li>Luxury toiletries: shampoo, conditioner, shower gel, body lotion, soap</li><li>Towels, bathrobes, slippers and hairdryer</li><li>EU plug sockets</li><li>Table and chairs</li><li>Telephone, radio and flat-screen TV</li><li>Safe &amp; mini fridge</li><li>Turn down service</li></ul><p></p>

Double or Twin ConfigurationShowerToiletries ProvidedRoom Service AvailableTVSafe+5

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Superior Suite - Ruby and Diamond Decks

Suite

199 sq ftMax 2DS

<p>For more space you can upgrade to a suite available on all decks, featuring the same facilities as standard cabins but being larger at 18.5 square meters (199 square feet). The extra space is purely devoted to the living area, so you really notice the difference.</p><p><b>Features</b></p><p></p><ul><li>Individual climate control</li><li>Floor to ceiling windows with French style balcony</li><li>Twin beds which can be configured as double</li><li>Tea and coffee making facilities</li><li>Ensuite bathroom with walk-in shower</li><li>Luxury toiletries: shampoo, conditioner, shower gel, body lotion, soap</li><li>Towels, bathrobes, slippers and hairdryer</li><li>EU plug sockets</li><li>Table and chairs</li><li>Telephone, radio and flat-screen TV</li><li>Safe &amp; mini fridge</li><li>Turn down service</li></ul><p></p>

Queen or Twin ConfigurationShowerToiletries ProvidedRoom Service AvailableTVFree Wi-Fi+7

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Superior Suite - Ruby and Diamond Decks

Suite

199 sq ftMax 2RS

<p>For more space you can upgrade to a suite available on all decks, featuring the same facilities as standard cabins but being larger at 18.5 square meters (199 square feet). The extra space is purely devoted to the living area, so you really notice the difference.</p><p><b>Features</b></p><p></p><ul><li>Individual climate control</li><li>Floor to ceiling windows with French style balcony</li><li>Twin beds which can be configured as double</li><li>Tea and coffee making facilities</li><li>Ensuite bathroom with walk-in shower</li><li>Luxury toiletries: shampoo, conditioner, shower gel, body lotion, soap</li><li>Towels, bathrobes, slippers and hairdryer</li><li>EU plug sockets</li><li>Table and chairs</li><li>Telephone, radio and flat-screen TV</li><li>Safe &amp; mini fridge</li><li>Turn down service</li></ul><p></p>

Queen or Twin ConfigurationShowerToiletries ProvidedRoom Service AvailableTVFree Wi-Fi+7

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