Live the good life on the glorious Rhone
Enjoy a river cruise that’s full of French joie de vivre
WONDERFUL wines and cheeses, glorious countryside and a vibrant cafe culture — France has all the ingredients for the good life and the Rhone river has long been at the heart of its bon viveur lifestyle.
Cruising on it through Provence is the perfect way to experience all that’s quintessentially French, from deliciously lazy lunches to strolls and two-wheel meanderings through quaint medieval towns, crammed with stunning architecture.
Throw in fragrant lavender fields, vineyard tours and a warm, Mediterranean sun that smiles down for up to 300 days a year, and you’d be hard-pressed to find a more intoxicating and indulgent place to explore.
The 2019, eight-day Sensations of Lyon and Provence river cruise itinerary, from Emerald Waterways, is a true feast for the senses, packed with culinary delights and much more besides.
Gastronomic treats abound on board cutting-edge Emerald Liberte.
In addition to excellent daily fare, there are insightful wine lectures, cheese and olive tastings and a fabulous Provencal dinner created and hosted by esteemed chef Fabien Morreale, served in Avignon.
Fabien was a finalist in the French TV show Top Chef, and has created a modern, colourful and flavoursome menu, showcasing Provencal produce. As you sail between Chalon-sur-Soane and Arles, you’ll be lavished with six included guided excursions, three special activities and five active options, such as an onboard yoga class, guided hikes and cycle tours.
The first photograph ever taken was snapped in Chalon-sur-Soane, so be sure to take some selfies with its fairytale timber-framed buildings, squares, churches, museums, bars and restaurants as backdrops.
And Beaune, reached by coach through row after row of vineyards, is nicknamed the City of Wine, as well as being blessed with some of France’s finest 15thcentury buildings, including famous former almshouses. Magnificent Lyon, one of France’s oldest cities, sits between the Beaujolais and Burgundy vineyards. A hub for great ingredients, it has been crowned the gastronomic capital of France.
Sample its traditional bouchon restaurants and explore its partpedestrianised old town on foot or by bike with a guide.
Exuberantly impressive, it’s home to the largest collection of Renaissance architecture in Europe.
In Tournon, lace up your walking boots for a guided vineyard hike, take a bike off the beaten track to Glun, or explore imposing Tournon Castle, housing fascinating artefacts.
A guided tour of Viviers reveals narrow alleys, flamboyant facades and painted houses, each with their own story to tell. Marvel at the bishop’s palace, tiny cathedral, ramparts and Roman bridge.
Avignon once sheltered the medieval papacy, and the exquisite Palais-des-Papes is a must-see.
The cathedral is almost as striking, as are the remaining four arches of the famous Pont d’Avignon bridge, once the only place between Lyon and the Med to cross the Rhone.
And lastly, lovely Arles is a gateway to the Camargue — a wetland famous for its flamingos and white horses.
Van Gogh produced some 200 paintings here, inspired by the light and colour. See numerous incredible Roman creations, including a famous amphitheatre, as you learn about this beautiful city on a guided tour.
Relaxing on board, there’s still time to raise a glass of fine wine to toast a truly inspiring and enriching journey, filled from start to finish by a real sense of French joie de vivre.