Itinerary:
Day 1: Depart for Lyon.
Day
2: Embark the M.V. Princesse de Provence. Tonight enjoy dinner on board the ship. (D)
Day 3: Visit Tournus, a beautiful town on the Saône River and one of the oldest and most important monastic centers in France. Explore Beaune, founded in the fifth century B.C. and known as the epicenter of Burgundy’s wine trade. It also boasts the gorgeous 15th-century Hôtel-dieu, a quintessential example of Burgundian Renaissance architecture and home of Rogier van der Weyden’s brilliant polyptych of the Last Judgment, which is considered one of the world’s greatest Gothic paintings. (B,L,D)
Day 4: Delight in Mâcon’s Mediterranean ambience, manifested in its red-tiled terracotta roofs. Travel to Cluny to tour its 10th-century Romanesque abbey. Stop at Trévoux and then take an excursion to the Beaujolais wine country. Cross the land of the “golden stones,” named for the ochre-yellow limestone found in its houses and castles. (B,L,D)
Day 5: Tournon marks the northern border of the wild Ardéche, known for its rugged and beautiful country landscapes. Its signature landmark is a marvelous 15th-century château set upon a large riverside rock overlooking the Rhône. (B,L,D)
Day 6: Cruise to Arles, an open-air museum of Roman and medieval monuments. Vincent van Gogh spent his last years here and painted 300 works while in residence. Travel to Avignon. (B,L,D)
Day 7: Relive a crucial era in France’s history as you tour the ramparts and towers of Avignon. Visit the magnificent, imposing Papal Palace, built in the 14th century when the papacy fled Rome. A defensive structure as well as a residence, the palace is decorated with a marvelous collection of art. (B,L,D)
Day 8: Stop in Vienne before proceeding to Lyon. A capital of Roman Gaul and the French Resistance during World War II, Lyon is known as the gastronomic capital of France, as well as for its textile industry, quaint antique markets and numerous cultural attractions, including world-class museums. Enjoy the captain’s farewell reception and dinner this evening. (B,L,R,D)
Day 9: Depart for the U.S. (B)
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