Your Active Discovery Cruise is waiting to take you on a French river cruise like never before. You’ll enjoy the magnificent and romantic scenery and sights, but you’ll have the opportunity to enjoy activities that speak to your passions and interests, as well.

Begin in Arles to board your Avalon Suite Ship® and set out for Port-Saint-Louis. Select from three guided tours to see this amazing area as you prefer. Take a guided hike through Camargue Regional Nature Park and marshland, or join a guided bike ride through the park, keeping an eye out for more than 400 bird species, including pink flamingos. You may otherwise pay a visit to a local oyster farm for an oyster tasting, and learn about oyster farming.

Your French river cruise experience continues to Viviers. Here you have a wealth of activities, excursions, and tours—Active, Discovery, or Classic. Take a canoe trip on the canyons of the Rhône—the stunning Gorges de l’Ardèche. You might choose a hike through the Natural Reserve of Circque d’Estre, or an unusual excursion for an underground wine tasting with a wine-making expert and cave specialist. Even still, you may choose to visit a crocodile farm and botanical garden, or witness the tremendous power of Lock Bollène water facility. After choosing your daily activities, you’ll spend the evening with a guided tour of Viviers to hear the renowned ghost stories of this enchanting town.

Sail to Lyon, the gastronomical capital of France, and take an evening drive for premiere photo opportunities from the hills above the city. You’ll experience the remarkable sights, scenery, and flavors along the Rhône with Active Discovery activities and tours that suit you best. You’ll also enjoy two nights in Paris to unwind, dine, and discover the beauty of “The City of Lights” with classic guided sightseeing or an active guided bike tour for a different view of Paris. Your 2 nights stay in Paris is the perfect ending to an Active Discovery Rhône River cruise.

City Highlights

Day 1 Arles (Embarkation): onboard welcome receptionDay 2 Port-Saint-Louis: choice of excursion to a local oyster farm with tasting, or either guided hike or bike tour through the Camargue Regional Natural ParkDay 3 Arles: choice of guided tour in Arles, meet a local bullfighter, or guided hike through the Hell Valley and visit Carrière de Lumières, or painting workshopDay 4 Avignon: choice of guided tour in Avignon, or guided bike tour with wine tasting, or visit the Museum of Aromas and PerfumeDay 5 Viviers: choice of guided canoe trip down the Gorges de l’Ardèche, or guided hike in the Natural Reserve of Cirque d’Estre, or visit lock Bollène and its power plant, or guided speleological excursion with wine tasting in the caves, or visit the Crocodile Farm; evening guided tour of ViviersDay 6 Tain l’hermitage/Tournon–Lyon: choice of rail-bike tour, or guided hike in the vineyards, or guided tour of Tournon, or visit the Valrhona factory and museum; onboard cooking demonstration; evening guided tour of LyonDay 7 Lyon: choice of culinary tour, or Saucisson brioché culinary workshop, or guided hike in Parc de la Tête d’Or Day 8 Lyon (Disembarkation)–Paris: transfer to ParisDay 9 Paris: choice of guided tour, or bike tourDay 10 Paris: your vacation ends this morning

Notes

In the event of water level problems or any problems of a technical nature, it may be necessary to operate the itinerary by motorcoach or to alter the program.Included visits and special features are subject to change. If a change is necessary, a substitute will be offered.Please check visa requirements with your local consulate(s); responsibility for obtaining visas rests with the traveler.

PRODUCT_LINE: AVALON-WLYE-2019