Paris, Provence & the Elegant Rhône

 Your French exploration begins today in the romantic capital city, Paris. This stylish metropolis is beloved globally for its contributions to art, fashion and cuisine, making it the perfect place to kick off our rail and cruise vacation. As you arrive, make your own way to our conveniently located hotel for check-in and then enjoy some time to get to know your new surroundings.

You might like to catch your first glimpses of the Eiffel Tower, walk along the pedestrianized riverbanks of the Seine or grab a glass of wine at a sidewalk café to soak up the bustling atmosphere. Return to the hotel early this evening to meet the Tour Manager and your travel group for an introductory meeting, and then, we enjoy our first French dinner together at a local restaurant. Overnight Paris.

• Dinner

 Brimming with history and well-known landmarks, Paris is ours to uncover today, and we do so on a guided coach tour after breakfast. With a front-row seat to this beautiful city's iconic destinations, our sightseeing takes us to Notre Dame Cathedral, the Eiffel Tower and Opera Garnier. The City of Love's most famous boulevard is the tree-lined Champs-Élysées, where at one end, we find the Arc de Triomphe, a national monument.

You may continue venturing through the city at your leisure as the tour ends. Perhaps look upon some of the world's most famous paintings at the Louvre, including the Mona Lisa, or wander through the public gardens of the Tuileries or Jardins du Luxembourg. Pre-booking is recommended to guarantee entrance. The quaint cobbled streets of hilly Montmartre reveal a bygone Paris, filled with galleries, while the Place du Tertre bustles with artists and restaurant-goers. Completed in 1914, the white-domed Sacré Coeur can be found here, too, and offers incredible views from the square in front.

Wherever you end up, you can be sure of finding a place to enjoy Paris' gastronomic delights on your own tonight. Overnight Paris.

• Breakfast

 A 17th-century masterpiece just outside the city beckons today: the sumptuous Palace of Versailles. This once-powerful complex includes over 2,300 rooms, all filled with stunning period decor. Also renowned for its art, the palace has over 60,000 pieces that reflect centuries of work. With a Passport Ticket, you have priority access to the palace itself and the surrounding gardens, whose fountains, immaculate lawns and ornate plants hint at the grandeur of the palace under Louis XIV.

There is time over lunch to dine independently in one of the onsite restaurants before boarding the Little Train to travel through the grounds to the Estate of Trianon, which houses the Queen's Hamlet, two smaller palaces and colorful ornamental gardens.

At the end of the afternoon, we are transferred back to our hotel ahead of a free evening in enchanting Paris. Overnight Paris.

• Breakfast

Enjoy breakfast at the hotel and your final looks at Paris as we transfer to the station to board our train to Lyon. Settle into your First Class seat and watch as the city scenery fades into the backdrop as we venture south toward Provence on TGV's high-speed railway.

Arriving in the picturesque city of Lyon, we transfer to the waterfront to board our luxurious ship on the River Rhône. We have time to settle into our cabins and get acquainted with the ship's amenities before we enjoy a welcome cocktail. You might like to take it on the sun deck to admire Lyon's colorful townhouses and cosmopolitan streets while socializing with your fellow travelers. Later this evening, we sit down to dinner together, setting sail for Chalon-sur-Saône as we enjoy the multi-course meal. Overnight ship.

• Breakfast, Dinner

 We arrive in Chalon sur Saone this morning and enjoy breakfast on the ship before transferring by coach to Beaune. Deep in the heart of the Burgundy wine region, Beaune is a classic French medieval town with impressive town walls, terracotta roofs and fascinating historical buildings. We embark on a guided tour, discovering these sights and more as we wander the enchanting streets.

As we explore, we also enjoy a tasting of some delectable wines that make this town and the Burgundy region so famous. Beaune is one of France's most important wine centers and is surrounded by fields bedecked by vineyards that grow Pinot Noir, Pinot Blanc and Chardonnay grapes. Back on board later, we enjoy lunch and a leisurely afternoon and evening cruising back to Lyon. Overnight ship.

• Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

 One of France's iconic cities, Lyon sits on the meeting point of the Rhône and the Saône Rivers, and today, it is our port of call. The beautiful pinks, oranges, reds and whites of the buildings of Lyon's riverfront give a hint of the city's elegance.

On our guided tour, we explore some of Lyon's fantastic highlights and extensive history. The Old Town is a UNESCO World Heritage site, and the city is historically renowned for its silk-weaving industries. However, Lyon has reinvented itself as the capital of French gastronomy. At the center of the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region, Lyon is perfectly placed to make excellent use of local produce.

We enjoy a praline tasting before returning to the ship for lunch, then enjoy an afternoon at leisure as we cruise to Tournon sur Rhône. This is one of the river's most scenic and panoramic sections, and it's well worth taking the time to admire the scenery from the sun deck. Rolling hills and verdant vineyards rise and fall under the gaze of various châteaux and stately homes. Overnight ship.

• Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

 After an early breakfast onboard, we travel by coach to Tournon sur Rhône's railway station to board the spectacular Train de l'Ardèche. This line winds through the scenic foothills and valleys of the incredibly scenic Gorges du Doux region, presenting the views the same way it has since 1891.

Stone bridges crisscross the brooks and rivers that snake under the trees, and forested hills make a lovely backdrop. Our charming locomotive clings to the cliffside and ventures through tunnels, presenting sections of the gorges that no other form of transport can access.

We reboard the ship in Tournon sur Rhône and set sail for the city of Avignon. Lunch and dinner are served as we meander along the river today, and there is plenty of time to relax on the sun deck, in the lounge or in the comfort of your cabin. Overnight ship.

• Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

 Medieval walls and age-old architecture welcome us to Avignon today. Setting ashore aboard the charming Le Petit Train d'Avignon, we set out on a guided tour of this stately city known as the seat of the Pope in the 14th century.

Its striking white papal palaces and majestic cathedral are just some of the highlights we see walking through Avignon's historic center, which earned World Heritage status in 1995. We also enter the Pope's Palace, admiring its spectacular interiors and collection of holy and religious artifacts. You may use the Le Petit Train d'Avignon to return to the ship for lunch, and then you are free until early evening to discover the city at your own pace.

After dinner on the ship tonight, we set sail for Arles. Overnight ship.

• Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

 We begin the day with a guided walking tour of pretty Arles, the inspiration for many of Vincent Van Gogh's most famous paintings. Van Gogh produced more than 180 pieces during his time in Arles, including "Starry Night over the Rhône" and "Café Terrace at Night," the location of which can be found in the Place du Forum. Before the tour concludes, we also enjoy entrance to the Arles Arenas and St. Trophyme Cathedral.

After lunch on the ship, you have the choice of two excursions. Your first option is a visit to the beautiful Camargue Delta, where the Rhône opens into the Mediterranean. The delta is a treat for nature lovers, as the wetlands and parkland are home to hundreds of bird species, including pink flamingos and wild horses.

Your second choice takes you to the iconic arches of the Pont du Gard, an ancient Roman aqueduct spanning the Gardon River, another World Heritage site. Later, we return to our ship and sail on an overnight cruise to Châteauneuf-du-Pape, where we dock until morning. Overnight ship.

• Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

 Today, we visit the stunning Ardèche Gorge, known as the "Grand Canyon of Europe" for its plunging terrain and dramatic vistas. An area of snaking rivers and deep gorges, this is a fantastic example of the natural world. Sheer cliffs rise above waterways of sparkling emerald and deep green forests.

Our tour takes us to some of the most impressive points within the gorge, including the Pont d'Arc. Afterward, we re-join the coach and finish our French exploration surrounded by the quintessential scent of the South of France: lavender. We enjoy entrance to the Lavender Museum before heading to Le Pouzin, where we board our ship and begin our return sailing to Lyon while having lunch. This evening, we are invited to attend the captain's gala dinner to celebrate our journey. Overnight ship.

• Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

 A sensational journey indeed, this vacation has shown us the many sides of France by land and water. While strolling the streets of Paris, Beaune, Lyon, Avignon and Arles and venturing through the breathtaking landscapes of the Gorges du Doux region and Ardèche Gorge, we have been amazed by both the manmade and natural features of this dynamic country.

After a final breakfast onboard, it is time to say goodbye to our wonderful crew and disembark our luxurious ship for the final time. A coach transfer takes us to Lyon's railway station, where we board our First Class train to Paris. Say au revoir to France on arrival, and you are free to make your way home at leisure.

• Breakfast