Rhône River Cruises (Updated 2019)

See our 2020 pricing uppdates: Rhone River Cruise Prices 2020

Rhône River cruises in France are between Lyon and Avignon or Arles. Many packages also include the Saône River, which joins the Rhône in Lyon. A cruise that combines both rivers usually begins or ends on the Saône River about 80 miles north of Lyon in the city of Chalon-sur-Saône.

There are also itineraries that combine other waterways that are not directly connected to the Rhône River. For instance, a few companies offer a cruise on the Rhône and Saône rivers and a separate cruise on the Seine River.

What We Like About Rhône River Cruises

• Provencal and Bourgogne Beauty. Rhône River cruises typically sail between Lyon and Avignon or Arles, taking in the gorgeous landscapes of Burgundy and Provence.
• Pont du Gard. The iconic bridge crossing the Gardon River is one of the best-preserved legacies of ancient Roman architecture in France. See Pont du Gard, A Must-See On Rhone River Cruises
• Bicycling. We’ve enjoyed cycling along the Rhône and Saône rivers though the wine-producing region of Beaujolais and along the Île de la Barthelasse across from the city of Avignon.
• Arles. Perhaps best-known for its incredible Roman monuments and the fact that the impressionist painter Vincent Van Gogh lived here from 1888 to 1889. See In Search Of Van Gogh: Ashore In Arles
• Wonderful Wines.  Rhône River cruises typically visit the wine-producing regions of Beaujolais and Chateauneuf du Pape. See Barging In The South Of France: Avignon, Chateauneuf du Pape, Pont du Gard
• UNESCO World Heritage Sites, such as the Pope’s Palace in Avignon and Pont du Gard.

Photo Slideshow From Our Rhône River Cruise

About the Rhône River

The Rhône River begins in the Swiss Alps. It flows for 505 miles from Switzerland through eastern France to Arles where it empties into the Mediterranean Sea. To the east of Lyon, the river is turbulent and is not considered navigable.

From Lyon to Arles, the Rhône flows in a southerly direction. In the city of Arles the river divides into two branches — an eastern branch known as the Grand Rhône and a western branch known as the Petit Rhône. These two branches form a delta in the Camargue region just south of Arles.

There are many interconnected waterways in France – rivers are joined together by other rivers as well as estuaries and canals. The Rhône and the Rhine rivers are indirectly connected through the Saône River. This is also true for the Rhône and Seine rivers. The Seine River is connected to the Saone via the Yonne River and Burgundy Canal.

Rhône River Cruises

Most cruises on the Rhône are combined with the Saône River and are between Chalon-sur- Saône and Arles. In addition to cities such as Lyon that river vessels visit, a few other destinations on the Saône include Macon and Beaune. Average itinerary length is about 10 days.

A cruise that is only on the Rhône River usually lasts about 8 days and is between Lyon and Avignon or Arles. Some companies embark or disembark in Avignon, which is north of Arles. However, most cruises travel to Arles even if they begin or end in Avignon.

Other packages that combine the Rhône with other waterways are longer, because they combine separate cruises. A cruise on the Seine is usually rountrip from Paris to Rouen, Caudebec or Honfleur and lasts an average of 8 days. Transportation between Paris and Lyon or Chalon-sur-Saône is by high-speed TGV train and motorcoach.

Prominent cities often visited on Rhône River cruise include:

• Lyon
• Viviers
• Tournon
• Avignon
• Arles

Also see Rhône & Saône River Stateroom Size Comparisons and What’s the Best Choice For A Rhône River Cruise?

Companies That Cruise on the Rhône River

This information is intended to give you an overview and a general idea of what different river cruise companies offer. With regard to itineraries – they change from year to year and sometimes within a year. The number of itineraries listed for some of the companies does not include reverse itineraries for packages that combine the Seine River with other waterways. For example, a reverse river cruise on the Rhône from Lyon to Avignon would be from Avignon to Lyon.

AmaWaterways Rhone River Cruises

AmaWaterways offers two options for all cruise packages. You can take the cruise only, or you can choose to combine land and cruise packages. The cruise is between Lyon and Arles on the Rhône River. And the longer itinerary  combines travel in Paris and Marseille or Barcelona with the river cruise.

• Packages: 8 to 15 days
  • Cruise only: 8 days
  • Land and Cruise: 15 days
• Number of Itineraries that include the Rhône River: 1
  •  Rhone River Only: 1
• Ships on the Rhône: AmaCello

Interesting to Note:  AmaWaterways is the only company that offers travel to Marseille or Barcelona as part of its land and cruise package.

Check out Rhone River Excursions On AmaWaterways

Avalon Waterways Rhone River Cruises

Avalon Waterways offers three itineraries with a reverse cruise available for each. The company only has cruises that include both the Rhône and Saône. River cruises are between Chalon-sur-Saône and Arles.

• Packages: 11 to 16 days
  • Rhône and Saône: 11 days
  • Rhône, Saône and Rhine: 15 days
  • Rhône, Saône and Seine: 16 days
• Number of Itineraries that include the Rhône River: 3
  • Rhône and Saône: 1
  • Rhône, Saône and Rhine: 1
  • Rhône, Saône and Seine: 1
• 2 Ships on the Rhône: Avalon Poetry II and  Avalon Scenery

Interesting to Note: Avalon Waterways is one of the only companies that includes Côte d’Azur in its itineraries and is the only company that has a package that combines a Rhine River cruises with a cruise on the Rhône and Saône rivers.

CroisiEurope Rhone River Cruises

CroisiEurope is the only company that offers 3 to 5 day cruises on the Rhône River. There are a few roundtrip cruises from Lyon available. CroisiEurope also offers barge cruises from Arles.

• Packages: 3 to 10 days
  • Rhône River Only: 4 to 6 days
  • Rhône and Canal d’Arles à Fos: 3 to 4 days
  • Rhône and Saône: 5 to 8 days
  • Rhône, Saône and Canal d’Arles à Fos: 6 to 7 days
  • Rhine, Rhône, Saône: 10 days
• Number of Itineraries that include the Rhône River: 13
  • Rhône River Only: 5
  • Rhône and Canal d’Arles à Fos: 2
  • Rhône and Saône: 2
  • Rhône, Saône and Canal d’Arles à Fos: 3
  • Rhône, Saône and Seine: 1
•  Ships on the Rhône: MS Camargue, MS Mistral and MS Van Gogh

Interesting to Note: CroisiEurope is the only company that cruises on the Canal d’Arles à Fos between Arles and  Martigue.

Emerald Waterways Rhone River Cruises

Emerald Waterways has only one package for the Rhône River.

• Packages: 11 days
  • Rhône and Saône: 11 days
• Number of Itineraries that include the Rhône River: 1
  • Rhône and Saône: 1
•  Ships on the Rhône: Emerald Cruises does not list specific ships for each itinerary.

Interesting to Note: This itinerary begins in Lyon and then travels north on the Saône to Chalon-sur-Saône before cruising from Lyon to Arles.

Riviera Rhone River Cruises

Riviera River Cruises has one itinerary on the Rhone: the eight-day Burgundy, the River Rhone, & Provence. Riviera does, however, offer special single supplements on this itinerary, which often appear as a separate itinerary that is available on select departures and dates.

• Packages: 8 days
  • Rhône and Saône: 8 days
• Number of Itineraries that include the Rhône River: 1
  • Rhône and Saône: 1
•  Ships on the Rhône: Lord Byron, Swiss Corona, William Shakespeare

Interesting to Note: All-inclusive drinks packages are available on this itinerary for between $129 and $159 per person.

Scenic Rhone River Cruises

Scenic Cruises has packages that begin or end in Paris. Only one itinerary combines a cruise on the Seine River with a cruise on the Rhône and Saône. The other trips provide transportation between Paris and Chalon-sur-Saone by way of high-speed TGV train and motorcoach. River cruises are between Chalon-sur-Saone and Tarascon.

• Packages: 8 to 23 days
  • Rhône and Saône: 8 to 14 days
  • Rhône, Saône and Seine: 23 days
• Number of Itineraries that include the Rhône River: 4
  • Rhône and Saône: 3
  • Rhône, Saône and Seine: 1
• Ships on the Rhône: Scenic Emerald

Interesting to Note: All itineraries for Scenic Cruises are from Paris to Nice. This is the only company that begins and ends cruises in Tarascon, which is located between Avignon and Arles.

Tauck Rhone River Cruises

Tauck has three packages for the Rhône River only. The river cruise is between Lyon and Avignon with travel to Arles. One of the itineraries combines a cruise on the Seine River with a Rhône and Saône river cruise and extends travel to London and Monte Carlo.

• Packages: 10 to 23 days
  • Rhône River Only: 10 days
  • Rhône and Saône: 14 days
  • Rhône, Saône and Seine: 23 days
• Number of Itineraries that include the Rhône River: 5
  • Rhône River Only: 3
  • Rhône and Saône: 1
  • Rhône, Saône and Seine: 1
•  Ships on the Rhône: ms Swiss Emerald

Interesting to Note: Tauck is the only company that offers a package that includes travel between France and London via the Eurotunnel and travel to Monte Carlo.

Uniworld Rhone River Cruises

Uniworld offers cruises on the Rhone River that are between Lyon and Avignon. However, the ship also cruises on the Saône River from Lyon to Macon and on the Rhône River to Arles and back to Avignon. Reverse itineraries are available with flights to or from Paris or Marseille depending on the direction of your itinerary.

• Packages: 8 to 22 days
  • Rhône and Saône: 8 days
  • Rhône, Saône and Seine: 15 days
  • Rhône, Saône, Dordogne, Gironde Estuary, Garonne and Seine: 22 days
• Number of Itineraries that include the Rhône River: 3
  • Rhône and Saône: 1
  • Rhône, Saône and Seine: 1
  • Rhône, Saône, Dordogne, Gironde Estuary, Garonne and Seine: 1
•  Ships on the Rhône:

Interesting to Note: Uniworld is the only company that combines 3 different river cruises in one itinerary – Burgundy and Provence, Bordeaux, and Paris to Normandy.

Viking River Cruises Rhone River Cruises

Viking River Cruises offers two packages with cruises on the Rhône and Saône between Chalon-sur-Saône and Avignon. One of the packages combines a cruise on the Seine River with the Rhône and Saône river cruise. Reverse itineraries are available for both.

New for 2019 is the company’s eight-day Rhone Explorer cruise. Departing roundtrip from Lyon, France, this Rhône-exclusive voyage visits Viviers, Arles, Avignon, Tournon, and Vienne.

• Packages: 8 to 15 days
  • Rhône and Saône: 8 days
  • Rhône, Saône and Seine: 15 days
• Number of Itineraries that include the Rhône River: 3
  • Rhône: 1
  • Rhône and Saône: 1
  • Rhône, Saône and Seine: 1
•  Ships on the Rhône: Viking Buri, Viking Delling, Viking Heimdal, and Viking Hermod

Interesting to Note: Viking River Cruises has ships that sail on the Rhône and Saône rivers that also sail on other waterways.

What’s the Best Choice for a Rhône River Cruise?

An itinerary that combines the Rhône and Saône rivers will allow you to experience both the Burgundy and Provence regions of France. Most companies offer river cruises that include both rivers.

If you just want to try river cruising and want to visit this area of France, one of the mini-cruises offered by A-ROSA or CroisiEurope may be a good option. These itineraries are between 3 and 6 days; and while you won’t travel the entire river, it will give you a chance to take a short river cruise. This could easily be combined with a vacation on land.

For those travelers who love river cruise and have the time and the budget, a Rhône River cruise combined with the Seine is a nice choice. Tauck has the most extensive package that also includes travel to London an Monte Carlo. For this trip, you’ll need to allow about 25 days of travel time.

Read more Rhône River Cruises.