Cruise itinerary
19-Night Rhone Cruise from Arles
19 nights · Rhone · 15 ports of call
19-night Rhone cruise aboard Avalon Poetry II, departing Arles and calling at Avignon, Viviers-sur-Rhone, Tournon-sur-Rhône, Lyon, Chalon-sur-Saône and Vernon and 8 more.
- Free advisor
- No booking fees
- 10,000+ sailings
At a glance
- Ship
- Avalon Poetry II
- Cruise line
- Avalon Waterways
- Duration
- 19 nights
- Region
- Rhone · Garonne · Europe
- Departs
- Arles
- Returns
- Bordeaux
How NestCruise works:we're advisor-led, not a booking engine. No fares are listed and there are no booking fees — tell an advisor your dates and party and they price your exact Avalon Poetry II sailing, typically within 24 hours.
Where this voyage takes you
Day-by-day itinerary
- Day1
Arles
A Provençal town on the Rhône River in southern France, ringed by Roman monuments. Its great amphitheatre still hosts events, and the surrounding light and streets inspired the painter Van Gogh during his year in the town.
- Roman amphitheatre
- Van Gogh sites
- Place du Forum
- Day2At sea
- Day3
Avignon
A walled city on the Rhône in Provence, southern France, once the seat of medieval popes. The vast Palais des Papes dominates the centre, and the broken Pont d'Avignon reaches partway across the river below the ramparts.
- Palais des Papes
- Pont d'Avignon
- City ramparts
- Day4
Viviers-sur-Rhone
- Day5
Tournon-sur-Rhône
A small town on the Rhône in southern France, facing the steep Hermitage vineyards across the river at Tain. A medieval castle overlooks the water, and the surrounding northern Rhône slopes are known for their Syrah wines.
- Hermitage vineyards
- Hilltop château
- Rhône wines
- Day6
Lyon
A French city at the meeting of the Rhône and Saône rivers, long regarded as the country's gastronomic capital. Its Renaissance old town hides covered passages called traboules, while the Fourvière basilica crowns the hill above the two rivers.
- Vieux Lyon traboules
- Fourvière Basilica
- Bouchon dining
- Day7
Chalon-sur-Saône
A town on the Saône in the Burgundy region of eastern France, birthplace of the photographic pioneer Nicéphore Niépce. Its riverside quays and old town sit at the southern gateway to the Côte Chalonnaise vineyards and the wider Burgundy wine country.
- Niépce Museum
- Saône quays
- Burgundy vineyards
- Day8At sea
- Day9
Vernon
A town on the Seine in Normandy, France, best known as the home of the painter Claude Monet. His house and the famous water-lily gardens at nearby Giverny draw most visitors, set in the gentle river country between Paris and Rouen.
- Monet's Giverny garden
- Monet's house
- Seine valley
- Day10
Rives-en-Seine
- Day11At sea
- Day12
Rouen
A historic city on the Seine in Normandy, where river ships moor within walking distance of the centre. Its medieval old town keeps half-timbered houses and a soaring Gothic cathedral, and it is the place where Joan of Arc was put to death in 1431.
- Rouen Cathedral
- Old town
- Joan of Arc
- Day13
Conflans-Sainte-Honorine
A riverside town where the Oise joins the Seine northwest of Paris, in France's Île-de-France region. A historic bargemen's town and centre of French river navigation, it sits among the wooded loops of the Seine valley within reach of the capital.
- Seine-Oise confluence
- river navigation heritage
- Île-de-France
- Day14
Paris
The French capital on the Seine, the start or finish of many river cruises through northern France. Ships moor near the centre, putting the Eiffel Tower, the Louvre and Notre-Dame within easy reach across a city built for walking.
- Eiffel Tower
- The Louvre
- Notre-Dame
- Day15At sea
- Day16
Cadillac-sur-Garonne
- Day17
Blaye
- Day18At sea
- Day19
Libourne
A riverside town in France's Bordeaux wine country, set where the Isle meets the Dordogne. It serves the prestigious Saint-Émilion vineyards nearby, with their medieval village, underground monolithic church and limestone wine cellars.
- Saint-Émilion
- Bordeaux vineyards
- Monolithic church
- Day20
Bordeaux
A port city in southwest France set on the Garonne, ringed by the vineyards of its world-famous wine region. River ships moor near the centre, where the grand Place de la Bourse mirrors in a vast reflecting pool beside neoclassical quays.
- Place de la Bourse
- Wine country
- Garonne quays
Upcoming departures
- 12 May 2026
- 23 Jun 2026
- 21 Jul 2026
- 4 Aug 2026
- 18 Aug 2026
- 1 Sep 2026
- 29 Sep 2026
Upcoming sailings of this itinerary — a NestCruise advisor confirms current availability and your fare.
19-Night Rhone Cruise from Arles FAQ
Which ports does this cruise visit?
This 19-night Rhone cruise calls at Arles, Avignon, Viviers-sur-Rhone, Tournon-sur-Rhône, Lyon, Chalon-sur-Saône, Vernon, Rives-en-Seine, Rouen, Conflans-Sainte-Honorine, Paris, Cadillac-sur-Garonne, Blaye, Libourne and Bordeaux.
How many days are spent at sea?
5 days are spent at sea; the rest are in port.
Where does this cruise depart from?
It departs from Arles and ends in Bordeaux.
How long is this cruise?
19 nights aboard Avalon Poetry II.
When does this itinerary sail?
Upcoming departures include 12 May 2026, 23 Jun 2026, 21 Jul 2026 and 4 Aug 2026. A NestCruise advisor can confirm current availability.