SherifThe best river cruises in France – France is unarguably home to some of the most popular rivers in Europe, if not the whole world, and not excluding places such as the Rhone, the Seine, and the Moselle. This description alone makes France the perfect stop to go for an amazing river cruise. Particularly given that France has an excellent transport link and a brilliant high-speed infrastructure within the country.
France isn’t just known for its high and efficient transport infrastructure but also for history and rich cultural heritage, little wonder its world-renowned. With over a hundred years of history and perhaps the finest culinary scene in the world, France is your best stop for exploration on different angles. Discover the amazing Loire Valley, complete with over 300 chateaux, the Garonne River that extends through the Bordeaux region, and many others that extend through cities such as Avignon, Lyon, Arles, and Paris.
All these beautiful and amazing places may be accessed through France’s ever extensive and historic network canal and waterway, this will ensure that you can use the most out of your travelling via one of France’s on river cruises, soaking up the culinary delights, fascinating history and of course the fine wine.
Top 10 Best River Cruises In France 2020
1. The Seine River Cruise
A supercruise along the Seine River from Paris to the English Channel is one of Life’s most exciting travel pleasures; beaming with the elegance and culture of Paris, the beautiful city of light, the charm of its coastal towns and the beauty of Normandy.
Typical Seine Cruise Itineraries
The choice comes to play when cruising the seine, with numerous trips starting in Paris, where you will site all the major landmarks such as the Eiffel Tower, the Louvre Museum, the Champs Elysees, the cathedral of Notre-Dame and the Arc de Triomphe. Now isn’t this a great way to get a feel of this romantic cities.
- Giverny; leaving the scenic pleasures of Paris, you will soon get to discover that Normandy is just as attractive. Alighting at Vernon, you’re just a few blocks from the adorning houses and gardens of Claude Monet in Giverny.
- Les Andelys; looming defiantly in simply idyllic countryside on a chalk cliff-lined bend of the seine, Les Andelys also boasts of a couple of ancestral gems; places like the ruins of Chateau Gaillard, a Medieval Military masterpiece constructed by Sir Richard the Lionheart in 1196, dating back to the 13th century is the Notre Dame Collegiate Church.
- Rouen; visiting Normandy without having a stop by in Rouen, what is unarguably known as the most historic city in France would be incomplete. Adorned with beautiful Gothic architecture, including the splendid cathedral, you can also pay a visit to the main market, a place where Joan of Arc was killed in 1431.
2. The Saone Cruise
Apart from exploring one of Europe’s most beautiful waterways, the Saone – Rhône river cruise is an expedition through France’s gastronomic river cruise lifestyle, cruising from Beaujolais and Burgundy to Provence, through an easy idyllic countryside.
A basic Saone Cruise Itineraries
Usually, most of the itineraries start or finish in Chalon-sur-Saone, on the Rhone’s main tributary the River Saone. For explorers who like wine a lot, this could well mean heaven on earth. Because you’d have the rare opportunity to cruise amidst the world’s best producers
To spend a full day in Lyon is one that will stick to memory for a very long time, is filled with magnificent buildings with fine restaurants. Lyon is France’s gastronomic capital. Lyon is an ancient city with magnificent and historical sites.
From the vineyards of Burgundy to the fragrant fields of the Provence, there’s always something of a delight for lovers of wine, where you’d also experience firsthand history buffs and gourmets of all types on The Saone – Rhone River Cruise.
Bordeaux River Cruise3. Bordeaux River Cruise
This cruise should appeal to you mostly because it qualifies for an idyllic countryside, rich in gastronomy, steeped in interesting history, and offers one of the best wine collections in the world.
Basic Typical Itineraries for Bordeaux: this city is the capital of New Aquitaine in the south-west of France. All cruises in this beautiful city start and end in its quaysides, giving you an effortless and cosmopolitan experience where the scene for the days to come is set before you. If you are looking for a city to immerse yourself, you didn’t go wrong because standing at river bays are magnificent neoclassical buildings, a vibrant riverfront, and exceptional dining and shopping.
The Loire River Cruise4. The Loire River Cruise
Having the reputation to be one of France’s longest rivers, rising in the Mastiff Central and winding its way over 630 miles to the Atlantic coast at Saint – Nazaire. A river cruise here is nothing less of an array of elegant chateaux that have for centuries been home to French royalty and nobility. You can’t ignore the fascinating towns and of course the famous Loire Valley Vineyards.
Basic Typical Loire Cruise Itineraries: beginning and ending in Nantes are the characteristics of the Loire River Cruise, an astonishing city that is worth the trip alone, not to mention that the glorious riverside boulevards, top-class restaurants, lively bars, and cultural attractions. The stop when embarking on the Loire river cruise would be a visit to Saint- Nazaire on the Atlantic coast.
The AmaWaterways River Cruise5. The AmaWaterways River Cruise
his flamboyant rivers cruise give a ‘floating boutique hotel’ experience through its numerous luxurious amenities, excellent service and attention to detail, as well as gourmet dining for which it is perhaps popularly known. Also not leaving behind a well thought out programme of expertly guided excursions for every itinerary.
Some major highlights of the AmaWaterways River cruise are;
- An award-winning dining experience
- Unlimited fine wines, beers with soft drinks
- Modern, stylish and spacious staterooms
- La Chaine des Rotisseurs exclusive dining experience
- Immersive excursions led by experts
- Gentle, regular, active and late riser excursion options
- Complimentary use of bicycles and lots more.
6. The Rhine River Cruise
Being one of the longest rivers in entire Europe, It has shaped and influenced history like no other geographical feature. It is little wonder this mighty river is still one of the most important and busiest, and very suitable for river cruises too. Its basic itinerary is from Basel to Amsterdam, offering her guest lush scenery, vineyards and ancient castles, medieval streets, and a reputable historic grandeur.
7. Typical Rhine – Seine Cruise Itineraries
Remarkable characteristics of this itinerary are that cuts across various Europe’s finest borders; starting with Basel and the navigable Rhine, and being on the borders of France, Switzerland, and Germany, it’s a cosmopolitan city for connoisseurs of culture, history, and food. Its ancient old town is characterized by boutiques, bookshops, and eateries.
8. The CroisiEurope River Cruise
Having a pioneer status and being the largest of all river cruises, you can expect that gastronomy plays an important role along the CroisiEurope cruise, so you might as well expect a classic French haute cuisine.
Croisieurope river cruise route; a full programme of itineraries is on display plus a good choice of durations, with the Seine river cruises making available a delightful introduction to Paris and the attractive countryside of Normandy. Having a cruise along the Loire Valley takes you past many of France’s most outstanding chateaux. You may have a rich taste of the wine provided by some of France’s most revered vineyards, by expediting the amazing wonders of Bordeaux on the Garonne or having a sweet cruise along Burgundy and Provence.
9. Amadeux River Cruise
What makes this river cruise stand out is because you get to set your own standard of luxury and entertainment, you may either choose to do as little or as much as you can but bear in mind that you’d still receive the same five-star cruise experience at a price that best suits you.
Some of the amazing highlights of the Amadeux River Cruise are;
- Elaborate sized staterooms and suites
- Have multi-course lunches and dinners
- The rich selection of wine, beers and soft drinks
- Onboard entertainment
- Complimentary use of bicycles
10. The Rhone River Cruises
This river cruise travels along Lyon, Avignon, and Arles paths. This river cruise also includes many packages which also include the Saone River, which connects the Rhone in Lyon. A supercruise that includes both rivers normally starts or ends on the Saone River. This is 80 miles north of Lyon in the city of Chalon – Sur – Saone.
There are also itineraries that include other waterways that are not in any way connected to the Rhone River. However, a few companies offer cruising experiences on the Rhone and Saone rivers but a totally different cruise on the Seine river.
- Barging on French Canals; cruising on a barge and river cruising slightly different, these two are great products and should not be confused, the only difference is that barges are quite smaller than river cruising vessels, but however, river or canal cruising on a barge is quite an experience worth trying out.
With over 5000 miles of canals, the most popular canals in France for barging are the canal de la Marne au Rhine, which connects the Rhine with Marne, and also between Canal Lateral a la Marne, a canal that goes through the course of the Marne River and navigating through the heart of the champagne.
Cruising along these canals consumes lots of time, as you navigate your way through, many locks where you can spend as much as 20 minutes to pass through, but cruising on a barge is a sure way to catch some fun. Meanwhile, if you should get bored at any time, just hop on your bike to meet the barge up at another lock upstream.
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