Excursions on the Rhone River

Discover Dole, the birthplace of Louis Pasteur, in the company of your guide as you follow the "trail of the Perched Cat”. This is a reference to the author Marcel Aymé, creator of the famous Contes du Chat Perché, who spent his childhood years in Dole. Perched on a limestone hillside alongside the canal, Dole was the capital of the County of Burgundy before it became part of the French kingdom in 1678. Along your tour, you will discover the many historic monuments which have granted Dole the City of Arts and History Label. You'll also get to see Louis Pasteur's birthplace which today houses a museum tracing the history of the scientist's life, the Cours Saint-Mauris, a garden where the fluid design of the lower section contrasts with the straight paths of its upper section. Enjoy the wonderful views over the Chaux forest from the garden's terrace. You will also be able to see the former Hôtel-Dieu, which was a hospital for the poor built in the 17th century. Since 2000 it has housed the town's media centre, municipal archives and Dole's Town of Arts and History heritage initiative. You will end your visit of Dole with the famous Collegiate Church of Notre-Dame, built between 1509 and 1580, whose bell tower dominates the historic town center. There are many other monuments that you will be able to admire during the tour as you discover this town which is steeped in history. Afterwards, enjoy some free time before returning on board at your own pace.

PLEASE NOTE

• Good walking shoes are recommended for this excursion.
• The order of the visits can change.
• Times are approximate.

Saint-Jean-de-Losne is a small town with many monuments bearing testimony to a rich and prestigious past. Today it is the capital of barging in France, lying at the heart of the French waterways and canal system in southern Burgundy. With the help of a guided visit of the town, in the company of a registered guide, you'll discover the exterior of the Monument Commemorating the Siege of 1636 and the Hôtel-Dieu which was a hospital founded in 1658 enclosed by a wrought iron fence dating from the 17th and 18th centuries. You will also visit the Gare d'Eau (or Water Station), the Church of St John the Baptist, built during the 16th century in a mix of Gothic and Renaissance styles, and the Batellerie Museum (also known as the Sailors' House), one of the oldest houses in town, dating back to the 15th century which recounts the history of navigation. Your visit of the town ends at the Hotel de Ville, a former town hall built in the early 17th century, where you'll get the chance to taste some local specialties.

PLEASE NOTE

• Good walking shoes are recommended for this excursion.
• The order of the visits can change.
• Times are approximate.

Set off on foot for a guided visit of Arles. Arles is over 2000 years old with exceptionally well-preserved ancient architectural masterpieces and is a real open-air museum. This important tourist and cultural site welcomes visitors with open arms. During the guided visit, you will see the Roman Amphitheatre (or Arena), the Theatre Antique and St Trophime Square with its cloisters and church that were part of the Arles Route, one of the three routes leading to Santiago de Compostela. We'll continue our tour with a visit to the Forum Square and finally the Roman Baths of Constantine. Next you will head off by coach for Tarascon to the Grand Servan estate, a traditional olive farm which produces the famous Provençal olive oil. Here at the foot of the Montagnette and set around a traditional Provencal farmhouse (or bastide) dating from the 18th century, the owners have planted a large orchard of some 150,000 olive trees. You will visit the estate sitting on bales of hay in trailers, pulled along by tractors. The owners will give you an explanation on how to plant and cultivate olive trees and how the Provençal "yellow gold”, or olive oil, is produced. Your visit will finish with a tasting of the products on the estate. Return to Arles by coach.

PLEASE NOTE

• Good walking shoes are recommended for this excursion.
• The order of the visits can change.
• Times are approximate.

At the end of the afternoon, we'll arrive in Petit-Ouges where you can take the time to visit this tiny village at your own pace. Discover the surprising mini-museum dedicated to locks and its collection of photos, post cards and objects related to the Burgundy Canal. Have fun taking in the local curiosities.

You can also enjoy a four-kilometer hike on the "Path of the Three Wash Houses", exposing three historic wash houses in very different styles. This little known area of Dijon that traces its roots back to the 7th century will surprise you. We'll return on board for dinner.

PLEASE NOTE

• Wear comfortable, sturdy walking shoes for this excursion.
• The order of the visits can change.
• Times are approximate.

You will set out on foot for the guided tour of the old town of Avignon. With the Pope's Palace, classed as a world heritage site by UNESCO and a testimony to the city's past when it was known as the capital of Christianity back in the Middle-Ages, Avignon offers an impressive array of monuments. Along the Passage de l'Oratoire, you'll be able to admire the exteriors of the chapel, classified as a historic monument, where many events take place during the famous Avignon Festival. We'll move on to St Agricol street where you'll get to see the diocesan Church, the oldest in the city. We'll then stop by the Place de l'Horloge, which has always been the beating heart of Avignon. Cafés and restaurant terraces are now spread out where the Roman forum once stood. Right across, you will see the walls of the Town Hall and the theater that was built in the 19th century. We'll continue to the Place du Palais. This square is roughly 800 ft long and 160 ft wide. To the East stands the Pope's Palace which faces the baroque sculptures of the Papal mint. A large golden Virgin seems to be watching the Notre Dame des Doms cathedral while the elegant Renaissance inspiration on the outside walls of the Petit Palais are showing further back. Then, discover the Pope's Palace, the most important monument in the city. It's made of two parts: the old Palais of Pope Benedict XII (1334 - 1342), and the new Palais of his successor Pope Clement VI (1342 - 1352). Our visit will take you through the staterooms where numerous ceremonies and feasts took place, the chapels, the Pope's private apartments and the terraces which offer a wonderful panorama on Avignon and the Rhône river. Return on board on foot.

PLEASE NOTE

• It is forbidden to take pictures inside the Pope's Palace.
• It is necessary to climb up 500 steps inside the Pope's Palace.
• Bags would be left in the luggage office.
• Good walking shoes are recommended.
• Times are approximate.
• The order of the visits can change.

Departure on foot for the guided tour of Arles. Arles with its two thousand years of history has preserved an exceptional monumental heritage, making the city a veritable open-air museum. Welcome to one of the most important tourist and cultural sites in France. During the course of this guided tour you will see the Roman Amphitheatre (the "Arènes"), the Ancient Roman Theatre, Place St Trophime with its cloister and church, which are part of the Arles route, one of the three pilgrimage routes leading to Santiago de Compostela. We will continue our visit with Place du Forum and finally, the Thermae of Constantine. Free time. Return to the boat on foot.

PLEASE NOTE

• Good walking shoes are recommended.
• Times are approximate.
• The order of the visits can change.

Enjoy a panoramic guided tour of the Camargue. Sit back and admire the rivers, marshes, ponds, pink flamingoes, black bulls and the famous, indigenous Camargue horses. Discover the salt and rice fields that make the area so well known. We'll visit a manade (bull breeding farm) and learn about the work of a manadier as we watch a demonstration of how they work with the animals they raise. Our visit will include a cocktail on the patio. At the end of our visit, we'll return to the ship.

PLEASE NOTE

• Good walking shoes are recommended.
• The order of the visits can change.
• Times are approximate.

You'll leave by coach for the Pont du Gard, a true masterpiece of ancient architecture. Built as a three-level aqueduct, it carried water across the Gardon River. We'll hike along the aqueduct trail, a 2-mile walk through the site with numerous viewing points. At the end of our trek, we'll visit the museum and then return on board our ship.

PLEASE NOTE

• PLEASE WEAR COMFORTABLE, STURDY SHOES AND APPROPRIATE CLOTHING ACCORDING TO THE WEATHER.
• The order of the visits can change.
• Times are approximate.

Departure by coach from La Voulte towards Die. Carved out in limestone, the Vercors Regional Nature Park extends over 186,000 hectares between the Isère Valley to the North and the Diois to the South. Water has shaped deep gorges in the cliffs, majestic cirques, caves and chasms among the most famous in Europe. Wooded plateaux and valleys shaped by agriculture are home to a remarkable fauna and flora.
We'll stop at the cellars of Die Jaillance to discover a true love story between men and the vines and enjoy a wine tasting session.* Afterwards, we will continue by coach for a panoramic view of the Rousset Pass located in the heart of the Vercors and reaching an altitude of over 1400 meters. The belvedere culminates at a height of 1245 meters and from this point of view the scenery is outstanding: arid escarpments and a road with hairpin bends down the hill, which accentuates the overall impression of depth. We'll move on towards Vassieux-en-Vercors, La Chapelle-en-Vercors and Pont-en-Royans where you'll get to see the suspended houses, whose daring architecture dates as far back as the perched village itself, built in the 15th century. Last, we'll drive through Romans-sur-Isère well known for its shoe industry before returning by coach to Tain l'Hermitage to board our ship.

PLEASE NOTE

• Roads are sinuous, beware of travel sickness.
• The order of visits can be modified.
• Times are approximate.
• *Alcohol can be harmful to your health. Please drink in moderation.

Set off on a panoramic tour by coach to the Ardeche Gorges, an area which abounds with wonderful dramatic and unspoilt natural scenery. Your breath will be taken away by the views of the mountain relief, with steep valleys, dense vegetation, the ever present granite and volcanic rocks, and much more. The Ardeche is a wild untamed river until it reaches Vallon-Pont-d'Arc. Here it bore its way through the rock, creating a huge natural archway - the "Pont de l'Arc” which is some 34 metres high. After a photo stop at an appropriate viewing point, the panoramic tour continues to the Madeleine Cave, where the coach will stop for you to visit the cave. Located in the heart of an area of pure natural beauty, and awarded 3 stars by the famous Michelin Guide, the beauty of the caves has captivated even the most experienced of travellers. The Madeleine Cave is surely one of the most amazing worlds created by underground waters millions of years ago. Return by coach to the boat.

PLEASE NOTE

• As a warning for those suffering from travel sickness, the route during the panoramic tour includes many twists and turns.
• The order of the visits can change.
• Times are approximate.
• Good walking shoes are recommended.

Far from the tourist traps, discover the Petite and Grande Camargue from the back of a jeep with local guides who will share their enthusiasm for this legendary area. You'll cross the Parc Naturel Régional de Camargue, a nationally designated protected area with ponds and marshes that are home to waders, pink flamingos, egrets, herons, etc. Join us for another way to get up and close to nature.

PLEASE NOTE

• PLEASE WEAR COMFORTABLE, STURDY SHOES AND APPROPRIATE CLOTHING ACCORDING TO THE WEATHER.
• The order of the visits can change.
• Times are approximate.