Tastes of the South of France – A wine Cruise

Lyon is France’s gastronomic capital in a way that is not merely a title but a lived daily reality: the city has more restaurants per capita than Paris, and the traditional bouchon restaurants of the Vieux-Lyon serve the most honest and specific regional cooking in the country. Board Scenic Sapphire at the Lyon waterfront and settle in as the city’s terraced hillsides and the basilica of Notre-Dame de Fourvière above them give the arrival its character. October in Lyon means the Beaujolais Nouveau season is approaching and the city’s wine culture is at its most purposeful.
Arrive in Lyon, the Food Capital of the World, surrounded by the Burgundy and Rhône Valley wine regions. Board Scenic Sapphire, settle into your suite and explore the city overnight — Lyon’s renowned restaurants and wine bars are on your doorstep.

*Meals: Dinner*

Cruise downstream along the Rhône to the charming village of Chavanay, set among the lush vineyards of the northern Rhône. Scenic Freechoice: Guided tour of Vienne including one of the best-preserved Roman theatres in the world; Private wine tasting at a Côte-Rôtie estate; or an easy e-bike cycling tour along the Rhône with wine tasting stops.

*Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner*

Morning in Châteauneuf-du-Pape, the legendary papal wine village of the southern Rhône with over 300 wineries. Scenic Freechoice: Wine tasting in the historic Châteauneuf-du-Pape AOC; Chocolate workshop at Chocolaterie Castelain with wine-infused artisan tastings; or a gentle cycling tour along the ViaRhôna to the Passerelle de l’Oiselay bridge. Afternoon cruise to Arles.

*Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner*

Explore Arles, founded by Julius Caesar and home to the largest concentration of Roman ruins outside Rome — the city that inspired Van Gogh in 1888. Five Scenic Freechoice options: Provence rosé wine tasting; Guided tour of Arles and its Roman ruins; Immersive digital art experience at Carrières des Lumières and medieval Les Baux village; Olive oil production tour and Provençal cooking with a local family; or a Van Gogh walking tour through the streets that inspired his masterpieces. Afternoon cruise to Avignon.

*Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner*

Wake in Avignon, the World Heritage-listed City of the Popes. Morning Scenic Freechoice: Guided walking tour to the Palais des Papes; Excursion to the Roman Pont du Gard aqueduct; Kayaking beneath the Pont du Gard on the Gardon River; Shop with a Chef at the local market followed by a cooking class in Scenic Culinaire; or a visit to the hilltop village of Gordes and Sénanque Abbey. Afternoon at leisure to explore the city.

*Scenic Enrich:* Exclusive gala dinner and private classical quartet concert inside the grand banquet hall of the Palais des Papes — a once-in-a-lifetime experience.

*Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner*

Arrive in Viviers, a 5th century open-air museum of a city with deep ties to the French Resistance. Morning Scenic Freechoice: Walking tour of Viviers including the Cathedral of St Vincent; French Resistance walking tour; or WWII in Viviers — the story of the Battle of Montélimar. Afternoon second Scenic Freechoice: Côtes du Rhône wine tasting; Ardèche Nature Park and Caverne du Pont-d’Arc Museum; or excursion to the Provençal town of Grignan and its hilltop castle.

*Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner*

Arrive in Tournon, set among the world’s finest Syrah vineyards in the northern Rhône Valley. Morning Scenic Freechoice: Côtes du Rhône wine tasting with a local expert; Hiking through the vineyards; Walking tour of Tournon Castle and across France’s oldest suspension bridge to Tain l’Hermitage, home to Valrhona chocolate; or cycling along the ViaRhôna between Tournon and Gun. Afternoon at leisure in town. Evening dessert buffet on board from a local pâtissier.

*Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner*

Return to Lyon, France’s culinary capital with over 4,000 restaurants including 20 Michelin-starred establishments. Morning Scenic Freechoice: Guided coach tour of Lyon including Roman ruins, hidden traboules and Notre Dame Basilica; Excursion to the medieval hilltop village of Pérouges; or a silk painting workshop celebrating Lyon’s 600-year textile heritage.

*Scenic Enrich:* Exclusive acapella choral concert inside the Baroque Chapelle de la Trinité, with its stunning Carrera marble interior and extraordinary acoustics.

*Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner*

Dock in Mâcon, gateway to the great wines of south Burgundy — Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Gamay. Morning Scenic Freechoice: Excursion to medieval Cluny and its legendary Benedictine Abbey; Truffle tasting with a local farmer and his dog; Interactive cooking demonstration at Georges Blanc’s Michelin-starred restaurant in Vonnas; or Hameau Dubœuf, Europe’s first wine theme park. Afternoon cooperage demonstration on board. Evening exclusive dinner prepared by Michelin-starred Chef Didier Goiffon in Crystal Dining.

*Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner*

Second full day in Mâcon to explore more of the region. Scenic Freechoice: Drive through the rolling Beaujolais wine region with a local vintner and tasting; Guided tour of the restored 17th century Château de Cormatin with its gilded rooms and manicured gardens; or a visit to Bourg-en-Bresse and the stunning Gothic-Renaissance Monastère Royal de Brou.

*Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner*

Your Tastes of the South of France journey concludes this morning in Lyon after ten nights on the Saône and Rhône. From the gala dinner inside the Palais des Papes and the choral concert at the Chapelle de la Trinité to the Van Gogh walking streets of Arles, the Châteauneuf-du-Pape vineyards, the truffle hunt in Mâcon and the Michelin-starred cooking class at Georges Blanc, Scenic Sapphire has delivered the most culturally and gastronomically ambitious river cruise programme in France. Transfer to Lyon Saint-Exupéry Airport for your flights home, or ask your Cruiseabout specialist about extending your Lyon stay.