Essence of the Rhône - Northbound

Tour Begins: 6:30 PM.  A transfer is included upon your arrival at Marseille Provence Airport or Marseille-St-Charles train station to your riverboat docked on the Rhône. Settle into your cabin before joining fellow guests for a welcome reception and dinner in Compass Rose, marking the start of your six-day journey through southeastern France. Tonight, find yourself amid landscapes immortalized by Vincent van Gogh, who found inspiration in Arles for some of his most celebrated works, including The Starry Night Over the Rhône.

Wake up in the ancient city of Arles, where Roman ruins reveal a time past and city streets and scenic landscapes bring to life the blues and yellows of many Vincent van Gogh paintings. Enjoy a choice of sightseeing experiences today. You may wish to enjoy a guided walking tour of Arles which includes a visit to the well-preserved Arles Amphitheater, built in 90 AD and once able to hold more than 20,000 spectators. Alternatively, enjoy a scenic but active bike ride through the countryside, cycling past olive groves and open fields en route to the Roman aqueducts of Barbegal. Rejoin the riverboat for lunch and enjoy a leisurely afternoon of cruising before traveling to the Duché d'Uzès for a Tauck Exclusive reception and dinner. This 11th-century fortified castle opens just for you for an elegant evening of dining and live music, with a glimpse into the legacy of France's oldest ducal peerage.

Arrive in Avignon, the "City of the Popes," this morning and choose how you wish to explore this UNESCO World Heritage Site rich with medieval stone walls. Its nickname derives from a period when popes escaped Rome's political instability and resided in Avignon from 1309 to 1377. You may wish to visit the Palais des Papes – one of the largest and most important medieval Gothic buildings in Europe and a remarkably preserved testament to Avignon's papal past. Alternatively, set out on a walking tour highlighting Avignon's Jewish history, which dates back centuries. Visit a synagogue and learn about the community known as the "Pope's Jews," who lived under papal authority in this region of southern France. For a more active choice, you may wish to set out on a guided bike ride around Avignon and through the countryside. Your final choice is a mini-train ride through the heart of Avignon. Rejoin the riverboat for lunch and cruise toward Viviers. 

Perched above the Rhône and dating back to antiquity, Viviers is a living open-air museum divided into upper and lower quarters – its upper town once home to bishops and canons and today crowned by Cathédrale Saint-Vincent, France's smallest active cathedral. Explore its history – past and present – on a guided walking tour before trying your luck at pétanque with the locals. Rejoin the riverboat for brunch as you cruise toward Lyon.

Lyon comes into view this morning at the confluence of the Rhône and Saône rivers. Founded by the Romans in 43 BC, France's third-largest city is known for its ancient ruins, Renaissance architecture, hidden traboules – and, perhaps above all, its gastronomy. Long regarded as a capital of French cuisine, Lyon draws culinary influence from its location between northern and southern France, where butter and cream meet olive oil, fresh produce, and wines from the surrounding valleys. After a walking tour, visit Les Halles de Lyon Paul Bocuse – named for the legendary Lyonnais chef – and wander among stalls showcasing cheeses, charcuterie, breads, pastries, and other regional specialties for a taste. Enjoy free time in Lyon this afternoon before returning to the riverboat for a farewell reception and dinner.

Tour Ends: Lyon. Disembark ship by 9:00 AM. Fly home anytime. A transfer is included from your ship to Lyon Airport or Lyon Part-Dieu train station.  Please allow 3 hours for international flight check-in.