Best Luxury Riverboat Cruising on French Rivers
Cruises on the Seine (Paris to Normandy), Saone and Rhone (Provence)
Jan 25, 2009
Luxury riverboat cruises are very popular in Europe. The Rhine and Danube have the widest variety of boats and cruises but other European vacation destinations are also great for cruising. In France, the Seine River with cruises from Paris to Normandy and the Saone (Saône) and Rhone (Rhône) Rivers with cruises from Burgundy to Provence have luxury riverboat cruises on famous cruise lines including Peter Deilmann, Viking River Cruises, CroisiEurope, A-Rosa, AMA Amadeus Waterways, and Uniworld.
Luxury Riverboat Cruising on Rivers in France
France is a water-rich country with many rivers and canals. These canals crisscross much of the lovely French countryside and are very popular and suitable for small boat and river barge cruising. However, for traditional multiple-day, large luxury riverboat cruises the choice in France is limited to the Seine River in northern France and the Rhone, with its tributary the Saone, in the south of France.
Cruise length on any of these rivers is usually one week but it is possible to cruise on both rivers in succession with a simple bus or train transfer between the two river systems. Cruise line operators such as Brendan, Peter Deilmann, Trafalgar, and Uniworld offer grand France tours that include both the Seine and Rhone that generally offer some savings over booking two cruises separately.
Selecting a River for a Luxury Cruise in France
Choosing between the Seine and the Rhone for a luxury riverboat cruise is not always easy. The weather in the south of France may be slightly sunnier and warmer than further to the north but during the high summer that may be a disadvantage.
The cruise price varies more according to the length and standard of luxury of the cruise rather than the river. A standard one-week cruise with the same departure dates on the Viking Seine cost exactly the same as on the Viking Burgundy. Different departure dates make a bigger difference and it is always worth to comparative shop through online reservation services. Small changes in departure dates can mean huge savings on cruise prices.
The biggest difference between the Seine and Rhone River cruises are the sights seen along the rivers. Both areas are rich in history with lovely nature but the atmosphere of the sights, towns, and countryside can be quite different.
Luxury Cruising on the Seine River in Northern France
Luxury cruises on the meandering, slow-flowing Seine usually include some time in Paris, which may be an advantage to some but many travelers might have spent time in Paris previously or may prefer to stay in Paris even longer. Other sights along the Seine include mostly Gothic architecture, half-timbered houses, and artists’ haunts such as Monet’s Giverny and the lovely town Honfleur.
Apples seem to play a more important role than grapes with cider and Calvados rather than wine the local drinks produced in Normandy. D-Day Beaches and related Second World War monuments in Normandy are for many the highlight of a Seine River cruise.
- Major cruise lines with luxury boats on the Seine River include Peter Deilmann, Viking River Cruises, CroisiEurope, and Uniworld.
Luxury Cruising on the Saone and Rhone Rivers in Southern France
The atmosphere of Rhone and Saone River cruises in Burgundy and Provence are quite different from the Seine. Wine production is important along the full length of these cruise rivers and the atmosphere becomes especially relaxed once in Provence. Lyon is often seen as the gourmet capital of France and the food is definitely more Mediterranean rather than the heavier cream-based dishes popular in the north. The Saone and Rhone towns have many Gothic buildings but even more impressive are the older Romanesque and Roman monuments.
- Major cruise lines with luxury boats on the Saone and Rhone Rivers include Peter Deilmann, Viking River Cruises, A-Rosa, CroisiEurope, AMA Amadeus Waterways, and Uniworld.
Both river systems in France clearly have their attractions and a fuller consideration of available itineraries on the Seine and Rhone may be necessary to pick the perfect cruise. The selection of cruise lines and boats are slightly bigger on the Rhone and Saone than on the Seine hinting that Burgundy and Provence are particularly popular with travelers to France. Travelers who can afford a grand tour of cruises on both the Seine and Rhone are fortunate indeed.
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