European Masterpiece: the Rhine, Seine and Rhône Revealed with 2 Nights in Lucerne and 2 Nights in French Riviera

26 days
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River Cruise
Experience the best of German and French culture on an unforgettable European river cruise along the Rhine, Seine, Saône, and Rhône rivers. Capture the romance and splendor of this magical journey with your camera as you revel in spectacular views. Begin your European adventure with a 2-night stay in Lucerne, Switzerland, exploring city highlights and embark...
From$13,896
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Overview

Trip type
River Cruise
Lodging level
Standard - 3 star
Physical level
Very Easy

Highlights

    • Welcome to Switzerland
    • Guided walking tour with the Lion Monument and Chapel Bridge
    • Excursion to Mount Pilatus or Mount Stanserhorn per seasonal accessibility (in case of bad weather, visit the Swiss Transport Museum instead); onboard welcome reception
    • E with your Adventure Host
    • Choice of guided sightseeing, visit La Petite France district and the Gothic cathedral or bike with your Adventure Host
    • Choice of guided tour of Heidelberg Castle, see the Great Vat, or walk Philosophers’ Way with your Adventure Host, or visit the Gutenberg Museum in Mainz
    • Visit Siegfried’s Mechanical Musical Instrument Museum in Rüdesheim or hike in the vineyards with your Adventure Host; cruise through the scenic Rhine Gorge with breathtaking views of ancient castles, towering cliffs, and the leg-endary Rock of the Lorelei; free time in Koblenz
    • Choice of “Cologne Highlights” walking tour, or Jewish Heritage walking tour or bike with your Adventure Host
    • Choice of canal cruise or walk with your Adventure Host
    • Travel from Amsterdam to Paris by high speed train; onboard welcome reception

What's this trip about?

    Experience the best of German and French culture on an unforgettable European river cruise along the Rhine, Seine, Saône, and Rhône rivers. Capture the romance and splendor of this magical journey with your camera as you revel in spectacular views. Begin your European adventure with a 2-night stay in Lucerne, Switzerland, exploring city highlights and embarking on a special excursion to Mount Pilatus (or Mount Stanserhorn per seasonal accessibility). Your cruise commences in Breisach, Germany, the gateway to the breathtaking Black Forest. Strasbourg, situated on the French-German border, perfectly blends the cultures of both nations. Sail through the awe-inspiring Rhine Gorge, witnessing ancient castles perched on cliffs 400 feet above the water. Discover Cologne, Germany, renowned for its gothic architecture and iconic twin-spired cathedral. Continue to Amsterdam, the modern capital of Holland, before transferring to Paris via a high-speed train for your Seine river cruise. Savor wine, cheese, and the scenic beauty of the Seine River, with stops in charming and historic regions of France. Before bidding adieu to the Seine, immerse yourself in the romantic city of Paris, exploring its rich history and iconic landmarks. Embark on a high-speed train to Dijon, then transfer to your Suite Ship® on the Saône River. Sail to Lyon, nestled at the confluence of the Saône and Rhône Rivers. Explore the medieval treasure of Tournon, featuring Roman ruins and a captivating 16th-century castle. In historic Avignon, marvel at the 14th-century Palace of the Popes, the largest gothic fortress in the world. Conclude your cruise in Arles, renowned for inspiring Van Gogh's paintings and hosting captivating plays and concerts in its 1st-century Roman Amphitheater. Wrap up your incredible European river cruise with two nights on the French Riviera. Indulge in the captivating beauty of the Mediterranean Sea's remarkably blue waters, providing a perfect ending to this once-in-a-lifetime adventure.

Details

Itinerary focusClassic Highlights
Group sizeStandard Group - 25 + people
Age range6 years and up
Flights and transportN/A
Start CityLUCERNE, SWITZERLAND
End CityFRENCH RIVIERA

Travel Themes

  • 50 plus
  • Cultural
  • Small Ship Cruise

Destinations

  • Europe
  • Switzerland
  • Germany
  • France

Attractions

  • Amsterdam
  • Arles
  • Avignon
  • Basel
  • Dijon
  • Heidelberg
  • Koblenz
  • Lucerne
  • Lyon
  • Nice
  • Normandy
  • Paris
  • Rouen
  • Rudesheim
  • Strasbourg

Activities

  • Culture
  • River cruise

Itinerary

Travel Map

Day 1: LUCERNE, SWITZERLAND

Welcome to Switzerland

The day is free to start exploring this delightful town on the Reuss River. Discover the many squares and churches and how tradition and modernity stand side-by-side or spend your free time to enjoy some shopping in the city center.

LUCERNE-LION-MONUMENT.jpg

Day 2: LUCERNE

A Historic Bridge and Heart of a Lion

CLASSIC Join a Guided Walking Tour, which includes the poignant Lion Monument, Old Town, Chapel Bridge, the Water Tower, and Jesuit Church.

(Breakfast)

LUCERNE-CHAPEL-BRIDGE.jpg

Day 3: LUCERNE–SWISS ALPS–BASEL (EMBARKATION)

Your Suite Ship® is Ready for Boarding

CLASSIC This morning enjoy a special Highlight Excursion to Mount Pilatus (or Mount Stanserhorn per seasonal accessibility) for spectacular views over central Switzerland (in case of bad weather, visit the Swiss Transport Museum instead). EVENING CRUISE TO BREISACH

(Breakfast,Dinner)

MOUNT-PILATUS.jpg

Day 4: BREISACH, GERMANY. EXCURSION TO BLACK FOREST

German Winemaking and the Beautiful Black Forest

Visit the Adventure Center for today’s activities with your Adventure Host.

ACTIVE Enjoy the view on a relaxing bike ride along the Rhine with your Adventure Host, OR: DISCOVERY Join a full-day Guided Tour...

Day 5: STRASBOURG, FRANCE

A Grand Cathedral and La Petite France

ACTIVE Discover Strasbourg by bike with your Adventure Host, OR: CLASSIC Join a City Sightseeing Tour, including Strasbourg’s Gothic, stained-glass cathedral with its celebrated ancient murals and astronomical clock, as we...

Day 6: MAINZ, GERMANY. EXCURSION TO HEIDELBERG

Castle Walls, and the World’s Biggest Wine Barrel

ACTIVE Join your Avalon Adventure Host for an inspiring walk in Heidelberg, the Philosophers' way, OR: CLASSIC Enjoy a Guided Tour to Heidelberg Castle to see the ruins of the magnificent renaissance treasure to...

Day 7: RÜDESHEIM–RHINE GORGE

Eat, Drink, and Be Merry in Wine Country

ACTIVE Enjoy a hike with your Avalon Adventure Host through the picturesque vineyards of Rüdesheim, OR: DISCOVERY Take a Guided Tour of the incredible Mechanical Music Museum for a one-of-a-kind instrumental experience; ...

Day 8: COLOGNE

Prost! Celebrate in the Rhineland

Join your Adventure Host for today’s special activities.

ACTIVE Enjoy a bike ride like the locals in Cologne with your Adventure Host, OR: DISCOVERY Choose a Guided Walking Tour of Cologne’s important Jewish heritage si...

Day 9: AMSTERDAM, HOLLAND

Canals of Colorful Amsterdam

ACTIVE Start your day joining your Adventure Host on an early morning walk in Amsterdam, OR: CLASSIC Explore the iconic waterways of Amsterdam on a Guided Canal Cruise past stately homes of Amsterdam’s “Golden Age.”

During tu...

Day 10: AMSTERDAM (DISEMBARKATION)–PARIS, FRANCE (EMBARKATION) T

his morning, board a high-speed train for Paris to embark on your Avalon Suite Ship® and enjoy dinner onboard this evening.

EVENING/OVERNIGHT CRUISE TO VERNON

(Breakfast,Dinner)

AMSTERDAM-SUNRISE.jpg

Day 11: VERNON

Monet’s Muses, Castle Courtyards, and Crêpes du Jour

Visit the Adventure Center for today’s activities with your Adventure Host.

ACTIVE Explore Vernon's Chateau des Tourelles by foot with your Adventure Host, OR: CLASSIC Take a Guided Tour of Giverny, ho...

Day 12: CAUDEBEC

Ancient Abbeys Along the Seine

ACTIVE Enjoy a relaxing bike ride along the river with your Adventure Host, OR: CLASSIC Take a Guided Trip along the Normandy Abbeys Route—where more than 100 medieval Benedictine and Augustine abbeys and churches were built along...

Day 13: CAUDEBEC. EXCURSION TO NORMANDY

Heroic Bravery on Normandy Beaches and French Farming Traditions

CLASSIC Join a Guided Tour of Normandy’s WWII landing beaches, visit significant U.S. sites, including Omaha Beach, the Pointe du Hoc monument, and the American Cemetery, OR: CLASSIC Take a full...

Day 14: ROUEN

The Cathedral of Our Lady and a Heroine for France

ACTIVE Take a Guided Bike Tour to discover and explore the most famous monuments and the lesser known hidden gems of Rouen on two wheels, OR: CLASSIC Take a Guided Walking Tour of Rouen—site of Saint Joan of A...

Day 15: CONFLANS

The Footsteps of Van Gogh, Bonaparte, and Louis XIV

ACTIVE Enjoy a relaxing bike ride along the Seine with your Adventure Host, OR: CLASSIC Join a Guided Visit to Auvers-sur-Oise, home and resting place of Vincent van Gogh, OR: CLASSIC Take a Guided tour of ...

Day 16: PARIS

Cafés, Cathedrals and Canvases in the city of Light

Join your Adventure Host for today’s special activities.

ACTIVE Experience the Seine river by foot with your Adventure Host, OR: CLASSIC Discover the ancient heart of Paris on a captivating Guided Walk...

Day 17: PARIS (DISEMBARKATION)–DIJON–BEAUNE–CHALON-SUR-SAÔNE (EMBARKATION)

Take a High-Speed Train from Paris to Dijon, to drive on to Beaune.

CLASSIC Visit the Hôtel-Dieu Charity Hospital in Beaune, built in 1443, today home of the Van der Weyden’s painting of the Last Judgement. This afternoon, travel to Chalon-sur-Saône to board your Suite Ship®.

OVERNIGHT DOCKING IN TOURNUS

(Breakfast,Dinner)

BEAUNE-HOTEL-DIEU.jpg

Day 18: TOURNUS

Pearl of Southern Burgundy

Visit the Adventure Center for today’s activities with your Adventure Host.

CLASSIC Tucked away in the southeast corner of Burgundy, Tournus is one of the oldest and most important monastic centers in the region, Our Local Guide...

Day 19: LYON

La Vie En Rose in Lyon

Sail for lovely Lyon this morning.

ACTIVE Discover Lyon's architectural district by bike with your Adventure Host, over bridges, and along the banks where the Rhône and Saône rivers meet, OR: CLASSIC Join a Guided Sightseeing Tour...

Day 20: LYON

Adventures in Food and Wine

DISCOVERY Join a Culinary Walk through the city to discover why Lyon is known as the gastronomic capital of France. The rest of your day is free to explore, relax, or shop in France’s third largest city. Take a bike from the ship an...

Day 21: TOURNON

A Rendezvous with Castle Views and Vineyards

CLASSIC Take a morning Guided Walking Tour to explore Tournon—one of France’s oldest medieval cities. See its 16th-century castle, and Roman ruins between the Rhône River and the granite slopes of the Hermitage.

<...
Day 22: AVIGNON

The City of Popes in Picturesque Provence

Join your Adventure Host for today’s special activities.

CLASSIC Take a Guided Sightseeing Tour of the fortress city of Avignon—with its ramparts encircling the city—and a visit to the amazing Palace of the Popes...

Day 23: ARLES

A Brush with Genius

ACTIVE Get your daily dose of exercise through a Power Walk in Arles with your Adventure Host, OR: DISCOVERY Attend a Painting Workshop to learn techniques of Vincent van Gogh. Create your own painting in the style of the legendary artist, ...

Day 24: ARLES (DISEMBARKATION)–FRENCH RIVIERA

Spectacular Seascapes of the Mediterranean Coast

After breakfast this morning, you’ll drive to the spectacular French Riviera, which stretches along France’s Mediterranean coast from Toulon to the border of Italy.

(Breakfast)

NICE-RIVIERA.jpg

Day 25: FRENCH RIVIERA

The “Queen of the French Riviera”

CLASSIC Enjoy a Guided Sightseeing in Nice. Discover the narrow, winding streets and baroque churches of Vieux Nice, the old city—an area which has changed little since the 1700s. (Breakfast)

NICE-STREET-VIEW.jpg

Day 26: FRENCH RIVIERA

Your vacation ends with breakfast this morning.

(Breakfast)

NICE-COASTLINE.jpg

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Dates & Availability

Price From $13,896
Price per day$534
Last Updated: 6/19/2024
Departure Date
Finish Date
Base Price
Availability
04 May 2025
29 May 2025
$13,896
18 May 2025
12 Jun 2025
$15,036
15 Jun 2025
10 Jul 2025
$15,061
29 Jun 2025
24 Jul 2025
$14,881
27 Jul 2025
21 Aug 2025
$14,895
10 Aug 2025
04 Sep 2025
$15,095
07 Sep 2025
02 Oct 2025
$15,652
21 Sep 2025
16 Oct 2025
$15,352

Check Current Availability, prices, specials with Avalon Waterways.

The total tour cost includes the tour price (regular or promotional) and the compulsory local payment. The promotional price is subject to change. Check directly with the operator for the latest price offer. The tour operator requires you to pay only the tour price to purchase your travel. The compulsory local payment will be paid when you join the trip. All prices are based on double, twin or triple share occupancy. Solo passengers will be accommodated in a double, twin or triple room according to availability with a passenger(s) of the same gender. Single supplement only needs to be paid if the passenger does not want to share and requests their own room. Discounts can only be applied at the time of booking and cannot be added at a later date, regardless of any changes made to the original booking.

Prices may vary due to local taxes and trip seasonality. Click "Request Info" to inquire directly with the tour operator for the final trip price.

Avalon Waterways Reviews & Ratings

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Tour Operator

Avalon Waterways

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CRUISING ELEVATED.
Innovative, transformative, original. Avalon Waterways has redefined cruising by going against the current and
away from the ordinary. Delivering unparalleled experiences and boundless exploration, Avalon puts you in the captain’s seat to navigate your journey, fuel your passions and steer clear of the unexpected as you cruise down the world’s most memorable and mesmerizing waterways. One step aboard our modern, luxurious Suite Ships with the grandest views in cruising and you’ll see how the tides they are a-changin’. 

Welcome to a new wave in cruising. Welcome aboard Avalon Waterways.

IT DOESN’T GET ANY SUITER.
Enjoy the perfect blend of elegance and ease – where little touches are bold, gestures are grand and the views even grander. There’s a reason our ships are the critics’ darlings and favorites among our most discerning guests. Our boutique-hotel-inspired Panorama Suites feature the industry’s only Open-Air Balconies with the widest-opening windows in cruising and decadent Comfort Collection beds that face the ever-changing scenery.

PACK YOUR PASSIONS.
As you set sail down the world’s most legendary waters, we’ve curated a collection of the most intriguing experiences to immerse yourself in – both on board and off.

SEE MORE THAN THE SEA/
On a typical cruise, you see waves, water and more water. On an Avalon cruise, legendary landmarks and postcard-perfect landscapes are always in view. Dock to discovery takes mere minutes. 

LET’S DISH.
While we naturally present the signature delicacies of the regions you visit, we enrich the gastronomic journey by offering multiple dining venues, bringing unexpected culinary experiences to the table.

What they’re known for
River cruises to classic and exotic destinations with a luxury flair and personalization options.

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Logistics

Accommodation

Renaissance

A contemporary 87-room hotel set in an elegant turn-of-the-century building located in the heart of Lucerne. Amenities include a lively South American-inspired restaurant, hip cocktail bar, small fitness center, and a contemporary lounge area where complimentary tea and coffee can be enjoyed during the day.

Lucerne

Switzerland

Pilatusstrasse 15

Radisson Blu

Situated on the shore of Lake Lucerne, surrounded by Swiss mountains, this contemporary 189-room hotel is conveniently located close to the historic Old Town with many shops and restaurants just a short walk away. Spacious, light-filled guest rooms have large floor-to-ceiling windows with a stylish chic decor and amenities include air-conditioning, coffee/tea making facilities, minibars and Free Wi-Fi internet access. Mediterranean dishes are served in the LUCE Restaurant with an outdoor terrace for Summer dining, creative cocktails can be enjoyed in the LUCE Bar and a great selection of vintage wines are available in the LUCE Wine Lounge. On-site services include a fitness center on the fifth floor, a sauna, a steam bath and a relaxation room with a view of Mount Pilatus. Room service is delivered by the hotel's resident robot butler, aptly named" Jeeves" after the legendary quintessential butler invented by British-American author P.G. Wodehouse.

Lucerne

Switzerland

Inseliquai 12

Radisson Blu Hotel

Nice

France

223, Promen. Des Anglais

Barriere Le Majestic Cannes

Cannes

France

10, La Croisette

Le Meridien Nice

With a "touch of chic" inspired by the timeless elegance of the Côte d'Azur, Le Méridien Nice is an authentic jewel located facing the Mediterranean Sea on world famous Promenade des Anglais. It is a few steps from the pedestrian area with its many fashion boutique, shops, restaurants, and bars. The Old Town is also within walking distance. Discover signature cocktails at the bar or enjoy a tasty dinner inspired by the region on the panoramic rooftop restaurant while watching the sunset. Relax in the heated outdoor pool or exercise in the fitness centre. Complimentary Wi-Fi internet access is provided. The refined and exotic interior design inspired by the Golden Sixties gives each of the 318 guestrooms a unique sun-drenched style featuring soft Mediterranean blue and sandy beige shades. Fully air conditioned rooms include a flat-screen TV with international channels, coffee/tea maker facilities, in-room safe, minibar, iron and ironing board, and free wireless high speed internet access.

Nice Cedex 1

France

1, Promenade Des Anglais

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Age Requirements
6 years and up
Additional Information
Trip ID
AVALON-WZLY

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