Overview
Features
Itinerary
Overview (Return to top)
Your journey begins in Nice, with time for an optional excursion to Monte Carlo, and continues to Arles, where you’ll see the Roman Amphitheater, remains of the Gallo-Roman burial road, and embark on your 7-night cruise aboard the Avalon Scenery. Spend time sightseeing in Avignon, the center of the Catholic Church in the 14th Century; Viviers; and the twin cities of Tournon and Tain L’Hermitage. In Lyon, see the Roman remains and Renaissance architecture. Mâcon is home to 6th-Century Old St. Vincent Cathedral, while Beaune’s Hôtel-Dieu houses Van der Weyden’s painting of the Last Judgment. In Paris, explore Notre Dame Cathedral, the Louvre, the Arc de Triomphe, Madeleine, and Eiffel Tower.
Priced from $3,107 plus air
Avalon Waterways
For reservations or additional information, contact:
Jan Breitman [jbreitman@alumni.iastate.edu]
Iowa State University Alumni Association
Phone: (515) 294-6526 direct or (877) ISU-ALUM toll-free
Fax: (515) 294-9402
Features (Return to top)
• Nice—Orientation walk of Old Town
• Arles—Guided sightseeing; visit the Roman Amphitheatre
• Avignon—Guided sightseeing; visit Palace of the Popes
• Tournon—Orientation walk
• Lyon—Guided sightseeing; picture stop on Fourvière Hill
• Mâcon—Guided walking tour
• Chalons-sur-Saône—Welcome reception
• Beaune—Orientation walk
• Paris—Guided sightseeing
• Buffet breakfast in Paris and Nice; superb dining with all meals on board, including a cocktail reception, welcome dinner, and captain’s dinner; quality wines from France’s most famous wine regions with every dinner on board
• Deluxe 7-night cruise from Arles to Chalons-sur-Saône in outside stateroom with hotel-style beds
• Services of a professional cruise director
• Sightseeing with local guides
• Nightly piano music on board
Itinerary (Return to top)
Day 1
Board your overnight transatlantic flight
Day 2
Nice, France
Welcome to France! Time at leisure lets you get acquainted with the “Queen of the Riviera.” This evening, an optional excursion to Monte Carlo in the Principality of Monaco is available.
Day 3
Nice-Arles (Embarkation)
This morning, enjoy a guided stroll through the narrow, winding streets of the Old Town. After lunch, transfer by motorcoach along the Côte d’Azur into the Provence Region and to Arles, where the crew of your river cruise vessel waits to welcome you aboard!
Day 4
Arles
On the northern tip of the Camargue, Arles is the capital of Provence and was once known as the “Little Rome of Gaul.” See the Roman Amphitheater, the church of St. Trophime, and the “Les Alycamps,” the remains of the Gallo-Roman burial road. Vincent Van Gogh was inspired by the special light of Provence and spent a very productive year in Arles. The “Foundation Vincent Van Gogh” is a tribute to the artist.
Day 5
Avignon
The fortified city of Avignon is the capital of the Vaucluse region, the most picturesque part of Provence. Referred to as the “City of Popes,” it was the center of the Catholic Church in the 14th Century, and the city landscape is dominated by the grandiose “Palace of the Popes.” A photo of the bridge from the popular song is a must, and optional outings to Pont du Gard or to the famed wine cellars of Châteauneuf-du-Pape are available this afternoon
Day 6
Cruising Viviers
Enjoy a leisurely morning on board to relax and enjoy the passing scenery as you cruise by. The charming town of Viviers was developed around its Romanesque cathedral, and the Old Town has an appealing mix of Christian, Roman, and medieval influences.
Day 7
Tournon/Tain L’Hermitage/Vienne
The twin cities of Tournon and Tain L’Hermitage lie nestled among vineyards between the River Rhône and the granite slopes of the Hermitage. Tournon, with its imposing 16th-Century castle and Roman ruins, is one of France’s oldest medieval cities. Vienne is another charming little town surrounded by steep hills.
Day 8
Lyon
Lyon is France’s second largest city and its gastronomic capital. Founded by the Romans in 43 B.C., the city’s prosperity dates back to the 16th Century and is due to commercial, industrial, and banking activities. Roman remains, many excellent museums, and Renaissance architecture delight visitors. Survey the city from Fourvière Hill; explore Old Town, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, with its maze of medieval alleyways; and see Place Terraux and the beautiful Place Bellecour. Beaujolais is the wine of the region, and wine connoisseurs will know that the grapes must be hand-picked. Tradition dictates that the “Beaujolais Nouveau” is tasted for the first time on the third Thursday of November each year. An optional dinner gives gourmets an insight into the local haute cuisine.
Day 9
Mâcon-Tournus
Playing an important role in the wine trade, Mâcon, situated on the River Saône, has a rich history. See the Old St. Vincent, the cathedral founded in the 6th Century that is now a symbol of the city; La Charité; the Town Hall; and the Half-Timbered House, dating from the 15th-16th Centuries. A number of optional excursions, including a visit to a wine cellar, are available. This evening, enjoy free time to explore the lovely town of Tournus.
Day 10
Chalons-sur-Saône (Disembarkation)/Beaune-Paris
After breakfast head for Beaune, the unofficial capital of the Côte d’Or area, which produces the Burgundy region’s finest vintages. Its most famous historical site, the Hôtel-Dieu charity hospital, houses Van der Weyden’s painting of the Last Judgment and is one of France’s architectural highlights. After lunch, continue north past the forest of Fountainebleau to Paris, the “City of Lights.”
Day 11
Paris
Paris’ famous sights are living history: magnificent Notre Dame Cathedral, the unique Louvre Museum with its glass pyramid, the commemorative Arc de Triomphe, Opéra, Madeleine, Champs Elysées, and the Eiffel Tower, a structural miracle of its age. The city is well known for its colorful nightlife, including some of the world’s most famous cabaret shows.
Day 12
Your homebound flight arrives.
